What a Children's Book Festival Should Be

Daphne Lee's Children's Book Festival (which I first mentioned here in March) has had to be postponed to next year. In Starmag she explains why and gives her take on what such an event shouldn't be like ... and what it should:

A children’s book festival should be a place where children can immerse themselves in the joy and magic of books, reading and storytelling. ... They should be introduced to a wide range of books, storytelling styles and subject matter. They should be given a chance to create and tell their own stories, in words or pictures, or even in mime. They should be introduced to local writers, illustrators, storytellers and stories. ... A book festival should be an exciting, engaging, interactive experience that will stimulate their imagination, rouse their curiosity and leave them eager for more.

I really hope that this comes off, because isn't this exactly what we need to encourage kids to read?

But getting the event together is bound to be an exhausting, stressful business for its organisers. (Been there, done that, had the breakdown.) Daphne - all the best, and please shout if there's any help I (we?) can offer.