Do you how many books were published by Enid Blyton? Or what year did Penguin become an established publishing house? Or who wrote the classic Pride & Prejudice?

Then why not join us for an afternoon of book quiz magic? The afternoon will consist of a book quiz, which features multiple-choice questions and pictures rounds, and our shop raffle, where every ticket purchased for our quiz will be entered with more entries being available for purchase on the afternoon. The lucky winner will receive a two-month Book Subscription (see our children’s and adult subscriptions available here).

The Quiz will start at 4 pm and there will be a few breaks throughout. Tea & coffee will be available for free on the afternoon. Please feel free to bring your own alcoholic drinks with you (glasses will be provided).

To reserve your place book your tickets here.

This event is suitable for ages 14+ (under 16’s should be accompanied by an adult)

Introducing our new Classic Texts Workshop, specifically designed for students and adults hoping to learn more about a classic text or period. We will be running sessions throughout the year which will be held in our Reading Rooms. Pen and paper will be provided and tea and coffee are included in the price of your ticket.

During this workshop, we will be undertaking an introduction to Drama! Most students will study this genre at some point in their course, and the tropes and styles of the four main forms of drama (which are comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy, and melodrama) are enjoyed on the page as well as on the stage.

Have you ever wondered about the origins of drama? Or wish to learn more about classic pieces?

We will be looking at extracts from the classics such as Priestly, Shakespeare, and Williams.

This workshop is perfect as an introduction to the genre, an opportunity to discuss your ideas, and ask questions we can talk about as a group.

The entire workshop should last 50-60 minutes and is suitable for students and adults aged 15+ years.

Book your place here.

We are delighted to bring you an event in partnership with St Saviour’s Beer and Fizz Festival.

Join our bookseller Aimee as she takes the children on a journey with poetry, books, and our Festival of culture children’s trail. This event is perfect for ages 5 to 12 years.

Our event is ticketed*, along with your entry your ticket includes a copy of our children’s trail and a £5 gift voucher for children to spend in-store. Additionally, you gain free access to St Saviour’s Festival of Beer and Fizz on Sunday 10th July with your ticket.

Booking is required for this event, please book your place here.

*Each ticket covers one child and their parents/guardians for entry to the event. One trail and gift voucher is allocated per ticket.

Join us in our Reading Rooms as we speak to expert ‘mudlarker’ Lara Maiklem about her book Mudlarking, her inspiration for the book, her mudlarking adventures and discoveries and much more.

To book your place please click here.

About the book~

Long heralded as a city treasure herself, expert "mudlarker" Lara Maiklem is uniquely trained in the art of seeking. Tirelessly trekking across miles of the Thames' muddy shores, where others only see the detritus of city life, Maiklem unearths evidence of England's captivating, if sometimes murky, history-with some objects dating back to 43 AD, when London was but an outpost of the Roman Empire. From medieval mail worn by warriors on English battlefields to nineteenth-century glass marbles mass-produced for the nation's first soda bottles, Maiklem deduces the historical significance of these artifacts with the quirky enthusiasm and sharp-sightedness of a twenty-first century Sherlock Holmes.

Seamlessly interweaving reflections from her own life with meditations on the art of wandering, Maiklem ultimately delivers-for Anglophiles and history lovers alike-a memorable treatise on the objects we leave in our wake, and the stories they can reveal if only we take a moment to look.

We are delighted to welcome author Claire Fuller who will be talking to us about her new book 'Unsettled Ground', how she found the writing process, her inspiration for the book, and much more.

To book your place please click here.

About the book~

You live on the edge of society, it only takes one step to fall between the cracks Twins Jeanie and Julius have always been different from other people. At 51 years old, they still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation and poverty.

Inside the walls of their old cottage they make music, and in the garden they grow (and sometimes kill) everything they need for sustenance. But when Dot dies suddenly, threats to their livelihood start raining down. Jeanie and Julius would do anything to preserve their small sanctuary against the perils of the outside world, even as their mother's secrets begin to unravel, putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake.

Unsettled Ground is a powerful novel of betrayal and resilience, love and survival. It is a portrait of life on the fringes of society that explores with dazzling emotional power how we can build our lives on broken foundations, and spin light from darkness.

This event has been cancelled.

Who do you want to fly with, and where do you want to fly?
Join Maria for a storytelling yoga class, where we will use yoga poses to help a golden eagle, a flying horse, or a dragon on a special adventure where you choose what happens!

Based on Once Upon a Time, You... a yoga adventure where you choose what happens! by Maria Oliver.

This event is suitable for families with children aged 3 to 12 years. We will meet at the bookshop and walk across to Verulam Park but if on the day the weather is not suitable we will be holding the Yoga inside the shop.

We have two time slots available for this event with our first slot taking place from 10:30 am to 11:00 am and our last slots running 12pm to 12:30pm. Each ticket allows entry for one child and one adult.

About Maria~

British Wheel of Yoga Level 4 Diploma (500 hours) British Wheel of Yoga modules in Pregnancy Yoga and Postnatal Yoga.

On 6th July at 7pm we will be releasing our podcast with author and artist Owen Grant Innes where we will be talking about his book Duty: A Love Letter to Queen Elizabeth II, his inspiration for the book, and the techniques used to create the 27 paintings featured in the book.

To listen please click here.

About the book~

The artist and author, Owen Grant Innes, began life in Nova Scotia, 'the most British of the Canadian provinces.' As a young boy in the 1960s, Innes felt an enormous sense of not belonging and found that through history, culture, and Queen Elizabeth II, he was connected to a wider world and, in that, found a sense of belonging. This book is a product of the unique relationship between sovereign and subject, acting as a 'love letter' to the Queen. Including 27 beautiful artworks dedicated to the Queen's life, from her birth to coronation, to the recent passing of her husband, Prince Philip.

Alongside each painting is a quotation from Her Majesty or a reflection from the author. This book is a wonderful ode to the monarch and a tribute to the impact of her long reign.

Join us on the 5th July at 7pm where we will be talking to author Michael Stewart about his new book ‘Walking The invisible’, how he found the writing process, his inspiration for the book, and much more.

Book your place here.

About the book~

See through the eyes of the Brontes as you immerse yourself in their lives and landscapes, wandering the very same paths they each would have walked in search of the inspiration behind their novels and poetry. In his journey to get closer to the Brontes, award-winning author Michael Stewart began walking the historic paths they trod while writing their most famous works. From Liverpool to Scarborough, across wild, windy, and often unforgiving scenery, he discovered echoes of the siblings' novels.

And with the help of an unlikely cast of Yorkshire's inhabitants, Michael found himself falling further into their lives and writings than he could ever have imagined. Vivid and evocative, and including a series of beautiful maps of walks Michael devised when creating the iconic Bronte Stones project, Walking the Invisible invites you to experience the lives and landscapes that inspired the Brontes as they've never been experienced before. Along the way, you'll find yourself getting closer to classics such as Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and Agnes Grey, discovering the real locations behind their fictional settings, and uncovering the myths that surround this much acclaimed and wholly unique family.

We are delighted to welcome author Charlie Corbett who will be talking to us about his new book '12 Birds to Save Your Life', how he found the writing process, his inspiration for the book, and much more.

To book your place please click here.

About the book~

After the tragic loss of his mother, Charlie Corbett felt trapped by his pain. Having lost all hope and perspective he took to the countryside in search of solace.

There, he heard the soaring, cascading song of the skylark - a sound that pulled him from the depths of despair and into the calm of the natural world. Weaving his journey through grief with a remarkable portrait of the birds living right on our doorstep, 12 Birds to Save Your Life is an invitation to stop, step outside, and listen. By following Charlie's path, opening your eyes and ears to what has been there all along, you will discover how nature can set you free.

Join us on the 3rd July at 2:30pm where we will be talking to author Annie Garthwaite about her new book ‘Cecily’, how she found the writing process, her inspiration for the book, and much more.

This is a special treat for us in St Albans as two of the battles mentioned in Cecily take place in St Albans and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester is buried in St Albans Cathedral.

Book your place here.

About the book~

1431 is a dangerous time for a woman to be defiant. England has been fighting France for 100 years. At home, power-hungry men within a corrupt government manipulate a weak king - and name Cecily's husband, York's loyal duke, an enemy.

As the king's grasp on sanity weakens, plots to destroy York take root... It will take all of Cecily's courage and cunning to save her family. But when the will to survive becomes ambition for a crown, will she risk treason to secure it? Inside closed bedchambers and upon bloody battlefields, Cecily portrays war as women fight it.

Immerse yourself in our morning drawing session taking place in our Reading Rooms with local artist Sarah Hewitt.

Using your chosen medium, either charcoal or pencil, and an image of your choosing you will be invited to develop your skills to create a piece of art that you can take home.

This event is ideal for beginners, as Sarah will discuss some basic principles of drawing, how to approach a new reference piece and the best techniques for using charcoal and pencil. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the session.

Places are limited so to avoid disappointment we do recommend booking your place here.

Materials~

We encourage you to bring a selection of the materials listed below:

• At least five sheets of paper (A4 or larger), either loose or in a sketchbook/pad

• At least two graphite pencils, preferably of different grades but not essential (e.g. HB & 4B)

• At least one pack of charcoal

• A rubber

• A photograph of a landscape or townscape to draw (if you have a preferred image, otherwise a selection will be provided on the day by Sarah).

Some materials will be available on the day but we advise you to bring your own so that you can continue creating artwork after this introductory session.

About this event~

Here at Books On The Hill, we love all things books so thought it would be great to get people together over breakfast to have a chat about books. Discussions will be around books you love or books you are currently reading and how you are finding them. So if you love to talk about books, but don't have the time to read a set text, join us at 10 am in store for a fun-filled morning.

This event is charged but you will be gifted a £10 gift voucher to spend in store when you arrive*. This event is suitable for adults only.

Book here.

*You will only be gifted one of our gift vouchers if you attend the event.

During the event, the team may ask if we can take pictures of the event to promote future events held in store. By purchasing a ticket you are consenting to the team using these pictures for our social media channels but you are able to withdraw your consent at any time during the event.

Are you a writer or hoping to be and wish to share your work in a fun and safe environment? Then why not join us in our Reading Rooms located above the bookshop where we will be hosting an open mic afternoon. The event will consist of writers sharing their work with the room, this can be anything from stories (both fiction and non-fiction), poetry, or screenplays.

This event is suitable for ages 14+ (under 16s should be accompanied by an adult).

Tea & coffee will be available for purchase during the event.

To reserve your place please book your ticket/s here.

If you would like to perform please select the performer ticket when using checkout.

This is a free event and once spaces have sold out we will not be able to add additional tickets so please do book your place to avoid disappointment.

We are delighted to welcome Mike Pitts who will be talking to us about Stonehenge in reference to his latest book ‘How to Build Stonehenge’.

Drawing on a lifetime's study and a decade of new research to address the first question that every visitor asks: how was Stonehenge built?

To book your place please click here.

About the book~

Icon of the New Stone Age, sculptural and engineering marvel, symbol of national pride: there is nothing quite like Stonehenge. These great sarsen and bluestone slabs, arranged with simple, graphic genius, attract visitors from across the world. The monument stands silent in the face of the questions its unlikely existence raises: who built it? Why? How? There has been endless speculation about why Stonehenge was built, inspiring theories ranging from the academically credible to the improbable, but far less investigation into how.

In the millennia since its creation, pieces of Stonehenge have been knocked over by heavy machinery, found their way to Florida (and back again), and been exposed to radioactive sodium, but the seemingly impossible endeavour of raising the stones with Neolithic technology has remained inexplicable - until now. In the past decade ground-breaking discoveries, made possible by cutting-edge scientific techniques, have traced the precise provenance of the bluestones in Wales, but can we plot their journeys to the Salisbury Plain? And how might teams of labourers lacking machinery or even pack animals have dragged them 150 miles to the site? How did they carve joints into the sarsen boulders, among the hardest stones in the world, and then raise them into place? Mike Pitts draws on a lifetime's study to answer these questions, revealing how Stonehenge stood not in austere isolation, as we see it today, but as part of a wider world, the focus of a megalithic cosmology of belief, ritual and creativity. With 109 illustrations.

Join us for a delightful morning where author Elena Mannion will be reading from her book ‘Happy Hedgerow’. After reading Elena will invite the children to colour in a picture, a bird, a leaf, or an insect, which will be used to make up part of our hedgerow display in store.

To reserve your space please click here.

About the book~

Nestled in the countryside, lies a barley field surrounded by hedgerows and woods. Old Oak stands amidst his own beloved hedgerow, which teems with contented wildlife. One day the farmer decides to get rid of one of the hedgerows: the old Oak watches in sorrow as his dear friend Beech's hedgerow is pulled up and destroyed. Now the soil dribbles down the hill when it rains, and the wind blows away the top soil. The crops will no longer thrive in this huge new field. But hope is returned when a new farmer comes to plant saplings one cold winter morning. By showing children just how empty our countryside would be without these wonderful, ancient habitats, the story engenders a lasting affection and appreciation of our hedgerows. Illustrated in a charming style, with accurate details of flora and fauna.

This event has been cancelled due to the author having a family emergency.

We are delighted to welcome Conn Iggulden to discuss how Pericles shaped the legend of Ancient Greece that we’re familiar with today, with references to his latest book ‘Lion’.

To book your place please click here.

About the book~

After the gods, after the myths and legends, came the world of men and in the front rank stood Pericles. Enter Pericles the Lion of Athens. Behind him lies the greatest city of the ancient world. Before him stands the ferocious Persian army. Both sides are spoiling for war. But Pericles knows one thing: to fight a war you must first win the peace. It's time for a hero to rise. For his enemies to tremble. And for a city to shine like a beacon

Due to the author being unwell and unable to attend we have had to cancel this event.

Join us for an exciting morning where author and illustrator Harry Woodgate will read to the children from their book Grandad’s Camper. After a reading, Woodgate will help the children to create and decorate their own mini camper vans which they can take home.

We highly recommend reserving your ticket here to avoid disappointment. Each ticket includes access for one child as well as their parents/guardians.

About Grandad’s Camper~

Celebrate love in all its forms, as Grandad tells his granddaughter about the adventures he used to have with Gramps. A long time ago, Grandad and Gramps spent many happy days travelling the world together in a camper van. But now Gramps isn't around any more, Grandad doesn't feel much like having adventures. As she listens to his wonderful stories, Grandad's granddaughter has an idea to cheer him up...

Do you enjoy solving quizzes? Then join us for our live Book Quiz with Quizmaster Gary Wigglesworth, author of ‘The Book Lover’s Quiz’ for an incredible evening in our new event space at the bookshop. The evening will consist of a book quiz, which features multiple-choice questions and pictures rounds, and our shop raffle, where every ticket purchased for our quiz will be entered with more entries being available for purchase on the evening. The lucky winner will receive a two-month Book Subscription (see our children’s and adult subscriptions available here).

The Quiz will start at 7pm and there will be a few breaks throughout. Tea & coffee will be available for free on the night. Please feel free to bring your own alcoholic drinks with you (glasses will be provided).

To reserve your place book your tickets here.

About Gary-

“I'm a book lover to the core, I was a bookseller for 16 years and I now work in publishing. I also like a good quiz but I've found it's very rare to find a quiz just about books - music yes, films yes, but books not so much. So I started writing and hosting them, first at the bookshop I worked in (Blackwell's Charing Cross Road/Holborn) then in bars and pubs too. Currently, I host a monthly book quiz at The Betsey Trotwood in Farringdon, London.”

Join us on Sunday 15th at 17.00pm where we will be talking to Vanessa Onwuemezi about her upcoming book ‘Dark Neighbourhood’ which is published this October 2021. We will be asking Vanessa how she found the writing process, her inspiration for the book, and much more.

There will be time reserved for Q&A at the end of the event. To reserve your place please book here.

About the book~

In her brilliantly inventive debut collection, Vanessa Onwuemezi takes readers on a surreal and haunting journey through a landscape on the edge of time. At the border with another world, a line of people wait for the gates to open; on the floor of a lonely room, a Born Winner runs through his life's achievements and losses; in a suburban garden, a man witnesses a murder that pushes him out into the community. Struggling to realize the human ideals of love and freedom, the characters of DARK NEIGHBOURHOOD roam instead the depths of alienation, loss and shame.

With a detached eye and hallucinatory vision, they observe their own worlds as the line between dream and reality dissolves and they themselves begin to fragment. Electrifying and heady, and written with a masterful lyrical precision, DARK NEIGHBOURHOOD heralds the arrival of a strikingly original new voice in fiction.

Join us for our crime panel, where we will be joined by crime writing authors Greg Buchanan, Nadine Matheson, and Rachael Blok. During the event, we will be asking the authors about what sparked their love of crime writing, how they found the writing process, their inspiration for their books, and much more.

This event is being held in the historic courtroom in St Albans Museum + Gallery.

To reserve your place please book your ticket/s here.

To purchase our crime panel bundle for 20% off please see here.

About the authors~

Greg Buchanan was born in 1989 and lives in the Scottish Borders. He studied English at the University of Cambridge and completed a PhD at King’s College London in identification and ethics. He is a graduate of UEA’s Creative Writing MA. His Sunday Times Bestselling Literary Thriller Novel ‘Sixteen Horses’ is soon to be turned into a television series.

Nadine Matheson has always been passionate about writing and storytelling. She was born and lives in London and works as a Criminal Solicitor.  In 2016, she won the City University Crime Writing Competition and completed the Creative Writing (Crime/Thriller Novels) MA at City University of London with Distinction in 2018. 

Rachael Blok writes a psychological crime series set in the cathedral city of St Albans. Here, DCI Maarten Jansen struggles against his plain-speaking Dutch upbringing when faced with the seemingly polite world of the picturesque city.

Join children’s author Tamsin Mori for an exciting afternoon where she will be reading from her book ‘The Weather Weaver’.

This event is suitable for children aged 9+.

To reserve your tickets please book here. *

About the book-

What if you could befriend a cloud? What weather would you choose? What if the weather matched itself to your mood, whether you wanted it to, or not?

11-year-old Stella has returned home to Shetland to spend the summer with her Grandpa, but it's nothing like she remembers. Grandpa is lost in his grief for Gran, the island is bleak and Stella feels trapped, until she encounters an old woman, Tamar, who can spin rainbows and call hurricanes. With the help of Nimbus, a feisty young storm cloud, Stella begins to learn the craft of weather weaving.

But when her cloud brain-fogs Grandpa and The Haken (a sea witch) starts to close in, she realises that magic comes with big responsibilities. It will take all her heart and courage to face the coming storm... THE WEATHER WEAVER is essentially a Moana tale for Shetland; a coming of age story, intertwined with island myths and hidden magic.

At its heart, the novel tackles the following themes: independence, the meaning of home, and the fallibility of grown-ups.

*Parents can stand at the back of the event for free and there is space outside the Marquee for a limited amount of pushchairs.

Join us on Sunday 15th at 14.30pm on Zoom where we will be talking to Jeanine Cummins about her book ‘American Dirt’. We will be asking Jeanine how she found the writing process, her inspiration for the book, and much more.

To reserve your tickets please book here.

About the book~

An extraordinary story of the lengths a mother will go to to save her son. It's time to read what you've been missing. Lydia Perez owns a bookshop in Acapulco, Mexico, and is married to a fearless journalist. Luca, their eight-year-old son, completes the picture. But it only takes a bullet to rip them apart. In a city in the grip of a drug cartel, friends become enemies overnight, and Lydia has no choice but to flee with Luca at her side. North for the border... whatever it takes to stay alive. The journey is dangerous - not only for them, but for those they encounter along the way. Who can be trusted? And what sacrifices is Lydia prepared to make.

Join us on Sunday 15th August where award-winning poet and playwright Inua Ellams (Barber Shop Chronicles, The Half-God of Rainfall) brings his chaotic, audience-led poetry event to St Albans Festival (Written and performed by Inua Ellams).

This event is suitable for ages 16+.

To reserve your place please book your ticket here.

About the event~

Pick a word, any word. Prompted by audience suggestions, Inua Ellams will search through his extensive archive of work and perform a reactive and spontaneous selection. Each show is unique and special.

Inua Ellams’s first play, The 14th Tale, debuted at Arcola in 2010 and later transferred to the National Theatre; his KnightWatch: South’Story was also produced here in 2012. Barber Shop Chronicles has played two sell-out runs at the National Theatre and a world tour. Across his work, Inua mixes the old with the new: traditional African storytelling with contemporary poetry, pencil with pixel, texture with vector images, with an emphasis on themes of identity, displacement and destiny.

Join Children’s author Elle McNicoll for a fun filled morning where she will be reading from her book ‘Show Us Who You Are’, her second book after ‘A Kind Of Spark’.

This event is suitable for children aged 6+.

To reserve your tickets please book here. *

About the book~

“The second book from the author of A Kind Of Spark, with Neurodivergent characters you'll root for and a moving friendship at its heart. When Cora's brother drags her along to his boss's house, she doesn't expect to strike up a friendship with Adrien, son of the intimidating CEO of Pomegranate Technologies. As she becomes part of Adrien's life, she is also drawn into the mysterious projects at Pomegranate.

At first, she's intrigued by them - Pomegranate is using AI to recreate real people in hologram form. As she digs deeper, however, she uncovers darker secrets... Cora knows she must unravel their plans, but can she fight to make her voice heard, whilst never losing sight of herself?”

*Parents can stand at the back of the event for free and there is space outside the Marquee for a limited amount of pushchairs.

Have you always wanted to learn more about the world of poetry? Then join Dan Simpson on 15th August for ‘An Introduction to Poetry’ where Dan will be explaining the methods and inspiration that he uses in his own work and how to get started with writing poetry.

This event is suitable for ages 16+.

This event will be held at St Albans Cathedral. To reserve your place please book your ticket here.

About Dan~

Dan Simpson is a writer, performer, producer, and educator. He makes highly engaging and contemporary work that is entertaining, intelligent, and thought-provoking. His subjects include science and technology; history and place; art and culture; people and poetry. 

A former Canterbury Laureate, Dan has been Poet-in-Residence at Glastonbury Festival, Waterloo Station, National Trust Stowe, Imperial College London, and St Albans Cathedral. His two collections of poetry are Applied Mathematics and Totally Cultured (Burning Eye Books) - with the latter touring to 15 UK cities. Dan has performed around the world including at Glastonbury Festival, Chicago’s Uptown Poetry Slam, Sofar Sounds Auckland, and on the BBC. He has taken five solo shows to Edinburgh Fringe and won commissions from Southbank Centre, Free Word, and Corinium Museum.

Join us on Sunday 15th August where we will be talking to Dr Elinor Cleghorn about her incredible new book ‘Unwell Women - A Journey Through Medicine And Myth in a Man-Made World’. We will be asking Elinor about her inspiration for her book, her writing process, and much more. There will also be time for Q&A.

This event is suitable for ages 16+.

To reserve your place please book your ticket here.

About the book~

We are taught that medicine is the art of solving our body's mysteries. And as a science, we expect medicine to uphold the principles of evidence and impartiality. We want our doctors to listen to us and care for us as people, but we also need their assessments of our pain and fevers, aches and exhaustion to be free of any prejudice about who we are, our gender, or the colour of our skin. But medicine carries the burden of its own troubling history. The history of medicine, of illness, is a history of people, of their bodies and their lives, not just physicians, surgeons, clinicians and researchers.

And medical progress has always reflected the realities of a changing world, and the meanings of being human. In ‘Unwell Women’, Elinor Cleghorn unpacks the roots of the perpetual misunderstanding, mystification and misdiagnosis of women's bodies, and traces the journey from the 'wandering womb' of ancient Greece, the rise of witch trials in Medieval Europe, through the dawn of Hysteria, to modern day understandings of autoimmune diseases, the menopause and conditions like endometriosis. Packed with character studies of women who have suffered, challenged and rewritten medical orthodoxy - and drawing on her own experience of un-diagnosed Lupus disease - this is a ground-breaking and timely expose of the medical world and woman's place within it.

Join us on Sunday 15th August as we speak to Juliet Jaques about her new book ‘Variations’ and how she found the writing process, her inspiration for the book, and much more.

To reserve your place please book your ticket here.

About the book~

‘Variations’ is the debut short story collection from one of Britain's most compelling voices, Juliet Jacques. Using fiction inspired by found material and real-life events, ‘Variations’ explores the history of transgender Britain with lyrical, acerbic wit. ‘Variations’ travels from Oscar Wilde's London to austerity-era Belfast via inter-war Cardiff, a drag bar in Liverpool just after the decriminalisation of homosexuality, Manchester's protests against Clause 28, and Brighton in the 2000s.

Through diary entries of an illicit love affair, an oral history of a contemporary political collective; a 1920s academic paper to a 1990s film script; a 1950s memoir to a series of 2014 blog posts, Jacques rewrites and reinvigorates a history so often relegated to stale police records and sensationalist news headlines. Innovative and fresh, ‘Variations’ is a bold and beautiful book of stories unheard; until now.

Join children’s author Ross Montgomery for a monstrously fun and interactive event to celebrate the release of his new counting book with a twist, ‘Ten Delicious Teachers’. This is a fun and interactive storytelling event perfect for young children!

This event is suitable for ages 3+

To reserve your place please book your ticket here. *

About the book ‘Ten Delicious Teachers’~

An irreverent and zany counting book that is gently thrilling and written in a deliciously infectious rhyme with witty and whimsical illustrations. Ten very foolish teachers have missed the last bus home. But LOOK - a shortcut through the forest! They'll be back in time for tea! Off they skip, unaware that in the woods a hungry horde of mischievous and hilariously goofy monsters is waiting...

*Parents can stand at the back of the event for free and there is space outside the Marquee for a limited amount of pushchairs.

Join award-winning poet John Mole for a family-friendly morning of poetry. John will be reading out a selection of his own poems as well as some riddles for the family to solve together.

This event is suitable for families with children aged 4+.

To reserve your ticket please book here. *

About John~

“In addition to writing poetry for both children and adults, John Mole (b. 1941) is an accomplished jazz clarinettist, and has been known to combine poetry and jazz with other poet-musicians such as Roy Fisher and John Lucas. He has won several prizes for his poetry, including an Eric Gregory award, the Cholmondeley Award and the Signal Award, and has been Writer in Residence at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He trained as a teacher and has worked in both America and Britain, and still often returns to schools to lead poetry workshops and readings.” ~ Poetry Archive

*Parents can stand at the back of the event for free and there is space outside the Marquee for a limited amount of pushchairs.