P4-7

The remarkable real-life story of a girl’s journey from war in Bosnia to safety in the UK.

This is the story of a conker that never fell, an interrupted stethoscope, prayer beads, water splashing in a face, cat with no home, a car, a mask, a party hat, a pair of swimming pants, a flying pool ball, a letter, and a photograph. Mostly it’s the story of a girl called Selma and her remarkable real-life story of her journey from war in Bosnia to safety in the UK. It is the tale of an incredible journey, a world turned upside down, loss, friendship, courage - and conkers. It is also the story of Scottish based writer, director and performer Victoria Beesley. Join her as she talks about the story behind the play and how she came to meet and become the friend of the remarkable Selma. Over two episodes, this is the perfect exploration of war, displacement and the human cost told against a backdrop of humour, empathy and kindness.

Vickie is the Associate Director for Learning and Engagement at Horsecross Arts in Perth. She also writes and directs touring theatre productions across Scotland and the rest of the UK, usually inspired by real-life stories, for audiences of children, young people and adults.

Primary 2-5

Sometimes our feelings are so big, our dreams and our worries so wide, that we can’t find the words to express them. These thoughts and questions are explored in You Are The Loveliest by Hans and Monique Hagen. In this event, illustrator Marit and translator, David, take you on a Dutch odyssey to learn about and hear from the poems.

Nursery - P3

Make some memories using your senses with JoJo Gnome in this fun story filled session. Listen to the story “JoJo Gnome & The Sound Walk”. Discover what’s in Jo’s beach memory box. Finish your own story from our story starter. Jo will also show you how to make your very own Senses Memory Book.

LIVE EVENT for ALL AGES

Join author, illustrator and artist, Eilidh Muldoon to colour and doodle your way around the Hebrides! Have pens, pencils and paper at the ready. This event will involve lots of drawing and colouring in, all inspired by Eilidh’s The Hebridean Colouring Book and Boswell’s Tour of the Hebrides. Suitable for all ages and abilities. 

Please have ready a few sheets of A4 paper, some colouring pens, pencils and crayons as well as some scissors 

Eilidh lives close to North Berwick on Scotland’s East Coast and has extensive experience of working with children and grown-ups at book festivals across the country from Borders to Wigtown and including Edinburgh International Book Festival where she was illustrator in residence in 2019 and designed the bookshop merchandise as well as leading a range of workshops including gin-tasting and colouring in!

Nursery – P2

Join podcast creator, Johanna Hall, to create your own flower story exploring your family. Using Jo’s popular podcast character, Jojo the Gnome, the workshop gently questions the concept of what a family ‘looks’ like by hearing the story of Jojo as he realises his friend’s families are different and within families each family member is different too. Then create a story flower to describe yourself. Perhaps even ‘plant’ a whole garden of flowers to show each, individual person in the class. Fun, interactive workshop designed for early years.

This talk will be BSL interpreted

Live event

S1-S3

Internationally bestselling author Liz Kessler’s new novel, When the World Was Ours, is inspired by her father’s true story of escaping Nazi-occupied Europe and the horrors of the Holocaust. Liz’s novel follows three friends in Austria and the three paths their lives take during the Second World War. Liz has done hundreds of school events during her career as a children’s author and talks sensitively and age-appropriately about this topic. She will show photographs and letters from her father’s story and talks about her visits to the sites of concentration camps during her research. Liz will be talking live and there will be plenty of opportunity to interact via the chat function to ask questions.

P5-7

Lauren Burke says “They won’t tell you this in school…” is how my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles began a lot of sentences. What usually followed was an uncomfortable truth, a painful memory, or lesson. In my experience, Black history is mostly an oral history passed down in the community via elders. Once, at a National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) event, my father instructed me to pay close attention to a speaker who began their talk by saying, “They won’t tell you this in school, but Rosa Parks was a radical.” Join American writer and illustrator, Lauren Burke as she introduces her graphic novel It’s Her Story: Rosa Parks celebrating a lifetime of activism versus a single moment in 1955 when Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus to a white passenger. Rosa’s story takes in late nights, setbacks, and moments of doubt but also provides a vital understanding that while change is possible, it doesn’t happen overnight. You have to put in the work.

6+

Live event

Join festival Illustrator in Residence, Julia Vohl as she leads a fun, interactive workshop involving making and decorating your own bird mask. Your mask could take inspiration from the birds in your garden or local park or it could be a complete flight of fancy as you create some wonderful, colourful new species.

Julia loves all forms of drawing especially drawing comics so perhaps there will be inspiration on how to tell your own adventure story based on your mask creation.

To make your mask you will need to have: 

- Egg Carton (a 6-egg carton can make two masks)

- Popsicle Stick or Small Branch

- Glue

- Pen or Pencil

- Scissors

- Any craft paints, craft papers, dried leaves, etc. that may be around for decoration

ALL AGES

Join author Mairi Kidd and illustrator Tom Morgan-Jones as they introduce a brilliant selection showcasing the innovations of Scots -- well-known and less well-known, men and women alike -- throughout the ages and in many different fields: from astronomy, philosophy and lighthouse design to technology, poetry and medicine. An afterword for everyone of ‘an enquiring mind’ offers insight on how are attitudes change through time; for example, conflicts around Victorian exploration.

Who will they introduce today? Join us to find out.

ALL AGES

Join author Mairi Kidd and illustrator Tom Morgan-Jones as they introduce a brilliant selection showcasing the innovations of Scots -- well-known and less well-known, men and women alike -- throughout the ages and in many different fields: from astronomy, philosophy and lighthouse design to technology, poetry and medicine. An afterword for everyone of ‘an enquiring mind’ offers insight on how are attitudes change through time; for example, conflicts around Victorian exploration.

Who will they introduce today? Join us to find out.

ALL AGES

Join author Mairi Kidd and illustrator Tom Morgan-Jones as they introduce a brilliant selection showcasing the innovations of Scots -- well-known and less well-known, men and women alike -- throughout the ages and in many different fields: from astronomy, philosophy and lighthouse design to technology, poetry and medicine. An afterword for everyone of ‘an enquiring mind’ offers insight on how are attitudes change through time; for example, conflicts around Victorian exploration.

Who will they introduce today? Join us to find out.

Poems for children aged 7 to 11

From forgotten jellybeans to sparkling daydreams, Alex Wharton’s poems are both funny and thoughtful, and aim to spark familiarity and inclusion.

AGE P1-4

The true story of the daring escape of Mary, Queen of Scots from the island castle in Lochleven is well-known throughout Scotland and the world. Multi-award-winning author Theresa Breslin, who has carefully researched Mary’s life, has adapted this famous adventure into a picture book for children. Join her as she takes us back through time to learn about this pivotal point in the life of one of the most well-known and controversial monarchs.

This talk will be BSL interpreted.

S1-3

Live event

Join author John Young as he introduces his novel, Farewell Tour of an Eternal Optimist. The story takes the reader on a thrilling journey across Scotland through the eyes of young cancer sufferer Connor Lambert. The very boy who tormented him at school, known as Skeates, accompanies him. They go from hate, to mistrust, to liking each other and ultimately to a point where Connor is relying on Skeates in the end. This is a surprising tale full of excitement, unexpected twists, turns and important life messages throughout. However, this is also a novel inspired by the tragic illness and death of John’s own daughter. In this event he talks of how living through loss and trauma gave him hope, action and creativity. John will be talking live and there will be plenty of opportunity to interact via the chat function to ask questions.

AGE 6+

Adam Murphy is an award-winning comics artist, writer and illustrator. He brings history and folklore to life for readers of all ages through humour, in-depth research and an ongoing curiosity about what makes people tick. In his latest comic book in his Corpse Talk series Dead Good Storytellers, Adam explores the lives and the works of some of the world’s greatest known writers such as Rumi, Mary Shelley, Chaucer and Beatrix Potter. Join him to learn about one of our greatest authors – how to read, draw and research them. Who will it be today? Only one way to find out.

AGE 6+

Adam Murphy is an award-winning comics artist, writer and illustrator. He brings history and folklore to life for readers of all ages through humour, in-depth research and an ongoing curiosity about what makes people tick. In his latest comic book in his Corpse Talk series Dead Good Storytellers, Adam explores the lives and the works of some of the world’s greatest known writers such as Rumi, Mary Shelley, Chaucer and Beatrix Potter. Join him to learn about one of our greatest authors – how to read, draw and research them. Who will it be today? Only one way to find out.

AGE 6+

Adam Murphy is an award-winning comics artist, writer and illustrator. He brings history and folklore to life for readers of all ages through humour, in-depth research and an ongoing curiosity about what makes people tick. In his latest comic book in his Corpse Talk series Dead Good Storytellers, Adam explores the lives and the works of some of the world’s greatest known writers such as Rumi, Mary Shelley, Chaucer and Beatrix Potter. Join him to learn about one of our greatest authors – how to read, draw and research them. Who will it be today? Only one way to find out.

P3-6

“I ran forward, yelling, with all the other Highlanders. I didn’t have time to think about how scared I was.”

Step into the shoes of brother and sister, Rob and Aggie, to find out what it was really like to live in the Scottish Highlands and fight for the Jacobites with author Linda Strachan and illustrator Darren Gate. In this fun, informative and activity packed session, you’ll have the chance to learn about who was Bonnie Prince Charlie? Why were bagpipes classed as a Weapon of War? What really happened at the Battle of Culloden? And how did the Jacobite Risings change Scotland forever?

The Dangerous Lives of the Jacobites includes maps, timelines, family trees and more!

6+

Live event

Join author Vivian French and Festival illustrator in residence, Julia Vohl, for a fun and imaginative story-making session that will describe what Boswell and Johnson’s coach driver experienced as he travelled with the writers around the Highlands and Hebrides in 1773. What did he see, what did he think and what did he hear? There’s no official record so it’s up to you to decide. In this fun, interactive workshop, Vivian French will guide you through creating an exciting adventure story whilst Julia draws the illustrations.

Vivian writes stories for picture books, fiction and non-fiction, poetry and plays. She loves the challenge of making up stories and explaining real things – from frogs, to chocolate, to worms to dinosaurs. She collaborates with many different illustrators from all over the world, enjoys working with editors, and loves meeting her readers in schools and libraries and at festivals all over the world.

Age 3+

Join Jo Hall and JoJo Gnome for a fun session of stories and games. Listen to JoJo Gnome's counting story. Join in as Robbie the robot learns to count and dance. Jo will show you how she draws JoJo Gnome. Then make you own little counting book.