Venues across Bewdley to host star-studded children’s book festival

Bewdley will play host to Step Into Stories, a one-day festival on Saturday, April 13 which will feature an array of children’s authors, poets and storytellers at a series of venues across the town.

Among the names to watch out for are authors Clare Helen Welsh and Giles Trigg, renowned for their striking picture books, along with the junior fiction authors Ben Davis, Chrissie Sains, and Serena Patel.

Read more: Winterfold young apprentices raise record £9,000 for partner school

M.G. Leonard and award-winning author Simon James Green will also attend.

Leonard will share her Adventures on Trains series aboard a Severn Valley Railway carriage as it travels between Kidderminster and Bewdley.

The festival has something to offer for children of all age groups.

The lineup includes Neill Cameron with his illustrated comic book adventure and poets Ate Lime and Joshua Seigal.

Imogen Cooper, the founder of The Golden Egg Academy, will give a presentation diving into the inner workings of the children’s publishing world.

Author appearances will take place at the Bewdley Museum, St George’s Hall, and the Bewdley Library.

Jubilee Gardens will host storytelling sessions.

Youngsters can also participate in a mystery-solving Story Tale Trail, with a chance to receive their very own goodie bag for the first 100 children to complete.

Ruth Stevenson, a Bewdley teacher and festival organiser, said: “Reading for pleasure is such an important part of childhood and the stories we read help to shape us as we grow, so this festival aims to promote a love of stories in all their forms.

“There’s something to suit every age and every pocket, and thanks to our sponsors Edshed and The Elmley FoundaƟon we are even able to offer a number of the day’s events for free.”

Visit www.stepintostories.org.uk to buy tickets.