A stellar line-up of award-winning children’s authors will descend on Barrow for the town’s first BookTastic Children’s Book Festival this month.
Hundreds of primary pupils will have a chance to be inspired face-to-face by their literary heroes at the event running at Barrow Town Hall from June 16 to June 20.
Schoolchildren chose their favourite authors from a longlist submitted by top publishers in a pupil-led vote last year.
The line-up includes author-illustrator Sophy Henn, known for the Bad Nana series, disability advocate Patrick Kane author of Human 2.0, multi-award-winning author of Orangeboy Patrice Lawrence MBE and celebrated poet and children’s author AF Harrold.
BookTastic is a national literacy movement founded by Barrow-born Rachael Rogan, a passionate literacy advocate. Having launched BookTastic in Bedford in response to local literacy needs, Rachael said she was thrilled to bring the initiative home.
She said: “Barrow has a fierce spirit and a strong sense of community. It’s the perfect place to show how books can bridge gaps, open doors, and bring people together,” she said. “The children helped pick the authors – they’ve had a real say in what the festival looks like. That sense of ownership is what makes this so magical.”
Leading the Barrow launch is assistant headteacher of Ormsgill Primary School Laura Reid, who won the Love Barrow Teacher of the Year Award in 2023 for her work to promote literacy and a love of reading through founding the Ormsgill Book Festival.
She said she was delighted that the event she began at Ormsgill School, which is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, has grown into something much bigger and will be open to even more children across Furness.
She said: “Meeting a favourite author is often the moment a child starts seeing themselves as a reader – or even a writer. These incredible authors will not only inspire, they’ll empower children to believe they belong in the world of books and ideas.”
For the event, Barrow Town Hall will be transformed into a vibrant literary landscape with bespoke storybook-style designs by local artist Hannah Willetts, creating an immersive experience.
BookTastic is part of a wider mission to raise literacy levels and promote a love of reading across the community. Each child will receive a free, signed copy of the author’s book to take home.
The event is supported by Team Barrow, which is a partnership between Government, Westmorland and Furness Council and BAE Systems, established to help transform the town, including delivering improvements across education.
Other partners include Furness Education & Skills Partnership (FESP) and the Westmorland and Furness Library Service, which are contributing resources and expertise.
