Closing days of Reading is Magic Festival update
Wow! Time really does fly when you're having fun. Thank you so much to every one of you who joined us for Reading is Magic Festival. Thousands of people all over the world tuned in live and all of the events* are now available to watch on demand until the end of 2020.
It's been heartwarming seeing pictures and videos of chidren (and grown-ups!) getting involved in the magic this week. Make sure you check out our Creators Gallery here and do keep in touch as you catch up on what you missed or re-watch your favourites!
We're feeling inspired with lots of new ideas and book recommendations. As Cressida Cowell said during a live Q&A: 'Endings sometimes are just the beginning of something new and magical'
*Please note, due to rights permissions, Clean Up with Dapo Adeola and Nathan Bryon is only available on demand until 6 October.
Here’s a quick summary of Wednesday to Friday. To read about Sunday to Tuesday, click here. Don’t forget you can view Reading is Magic Festival events on demand at school or at home for free until the end of 2020!
On Wednesday it was all about representation – about a child being able to see themselves in a book.
There was Storytime with Jessica Love and Julian Is a Mermaid, a great podcast on reflecting realities with YA writers Anthony McGowan and Phil Earle and a chat with author Elle McNicoll on creating characters based on your own story. Robin Stevens, Sharna Jackson, Serena Patel and Katherine Woodfine came together to talk about why we love a whodunnit and recommended some great mystery reads. Finally, in the Assembly event, Eunice Olumide from Scotland and Malizah from Bristol, talked about their own experiences and the Black Curriculum in a live Q&A.
Thursday’s theme was have advice from a trained librarian or bookseller. It’ was also National Poetry Day.
The Bookshop Band, coming to us from a shop with books in, brought uplifting songs, tunes and rhymes to begin the day. Perhaps there’s a book that makes you want to write a song about it? To mark National Poetry Day last year’s National Poetry Day ambassador Joseph Coelho talked about his love of libraries and read fun tongue twisters from his own poetry. Maybe the autumn weather will also inspire you to make pictures with words?
Acclaimed YA novelist Alex Wheatle spoke about rediscovering reading when he was in prison after the Brixton Riots and continuing his self-taught path through many hours spent at Brixton Library. He also reed a powerful extract from his new book Cane Warriors, inspired by a historic slave rebellion.
Illustrator Chris Riddell drew favourite characters from The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland while four expert librarians and booksellers recommended titles for Alice, White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat and Queen of Hearts. By the magic of technology we were transported into the home of Canadian writer David A. Robertson, where he chatted to Welsh writer Eloise Williams in her home. They talked about their shared love of myth and folklore before a live Q&A.
And finally on Friday we celebrated reading for the joy of it.
The day started with the next part of the Letters to the Earth project, exploring how we get our messages read and our voices heard. In an inspiring podcast, authors Jasbinder Bilan and Kiran Milwood Hargrave talked about what inspires their own tales where magic nudges up against our world. Friday’s storytime saw teachers laughing along with pupils as they enjoyed a cheeky, fast-paced one-woman show brought to us from the writing shed of Pamela Butchart. She talked about the school dinners that changed her life before reading an extract from new latest book, Icarus Was Ridiculous.
More laughter and fun next with The Big Draw-Off. In the format of a quiz show hosted by author Steven Butler, with contestants Steven Lenton and Sophy Henn competing to see who can do the best drawings in the quickest time!
Our final Assembly event was with Waterstones Children's Laureate Cressida Cowell and USA Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds, chaired by Nicolette Jones. The best-selling writers found that on both sides of the Atlantic, there are similarities in how they are working to win children over to books before a fascinating live Q&A where they shared their inspirations and writing processes.
Catch up all of the events on demand now and don’t forget to let us know what you’re watching on social media using #ReadingIsMagicFest