Churchill Square’s Big Summer Read 2014

An impressive list of authors has been confirmed for Churchill Square’s Big Summer Read 2014, beginning on Friday 8 August. The authors will be taking part in a whole host of readings, book singings and special events, and it’s all free and drop-in!

Kicking things off will be Cbeebies star, Sid Sloane, who will visit Churchill Square to read – on film – three of his favourite books, including The Gruffalo and Room on a Broom. The film will be screened throughout the two-week event. The line up of authors taking part will include Brighton’s very own literary star Emily Gravett – twice winner of the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for best-illustrated book (Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears); Chris Bradford – the man behind the award-winning Young Samurai series; the award-winning mother and daughter duo of AJ Foxx, responsible for creating the Mr Hendrix series of books; Joanna Simmons – author of the Pip Street series of books, who will also be doing a reading; writer Abbie Longstaff who will be talking about her best-selling series of books, The Fairytale Hairdresser; Eastbourne author Jenny McLachlan – whose debut novel Flirty Dancing is set in Brighton will be doing a fun event for teens; and Brighton based best-selling illustrator Sue Hendra will be using her new book Spider Sandwiches as inspiration for a whole host of craft activities.

With visits from children’s authors, story telling sessions, reading workshops, early years specialists on hand with help and advice on getting started, story telling treasure hunts, games, story-writing events, a whole host of lovable characters to meet, a book exchange and library corner, The Big Summer Read 2014 is designed to inspire people of all ages to get reading.

The full two-week schedule will run as follows:

Tues 12 August
Time: 2.30pm
AJ Foxx: Mr Hendricks and the House that Talked
Winner of The People’s Book Prize for children’s fiction; the mother and daughter team will be at Churchill Square to read and sign copies of Mr Hendrix and the House that Talked. Mr Hendrix – the Pomeranian puppy upon which the books are based – will also join the authors (Jennifer and Anji) on the day for a special appearance. Visitors will also get the opportunity to take part in an arts and crafts session with the authors.

Wed 13 August
Emily Gravett: Little Mouses’s Big Book of Beasts
Time: 2.30pm
Critically acclaimed author and illustrator, Emily Gravett, will be talking about her award-winning children’s books, as well as holding a drop-in craft session. On the day, Brighton-born Gravett will encourage visitors to construct their own beast hats.

Sat 16 August
Chris Bradford: Young Samurai series
Time: 2.30pm
Chris Bradford – author, professional musician and black-belt martial artist – will be dishing out self-defence tips to visitors (as part of his talk about the Bodyguard series).

Mon 18 August
Joanna Simmons: The Pip Street series
Time: 2.30pm
Brighton-based Joanna Simmons has written four books in the Pip Street series and is currently working on her fifth. She will be dropping in to The Big Summer Read to read and talk about her books, while also entertaining visitors with an interactive session and quizzes.

Tues 19 August
Jenny McLachlan: Flirty Dancing
Time: 2.30pm
This laugh-out-loud series for readers aged 12+ is about a group of four (ex-) best friends (Bea, Betty, Kat and Pearl) known as the Ladybirds and is set in Brighton. Think Geek Girl meets Dirty Dancing (with a bit of Louise Rennison’s Tights). Flirty Dancing is sure to appeal to fans of Strictly Come Dancing, Britain’s Got Talent and The X-Factor.

Wed 20 August
Abi Longstaff: The Fairytale Hairdresser series
Time: 2.30pm
Author of the best-selling children’s series The Fairytale Hairdresser, Abi Longstaff will take you into a modern fairy tale world where the Big Bad Wolf runs the opticians and Red Riding Hood has a skateboard shop. Abi will also be bringing along dolls so Big Read visitors can practise their fairytale hairdressing skills.

Thurs 21 August
Illustrator Sue Hendra: Spider Sandwiches (written by Claire Freedman)
Time: 2.30pm
Spider Sandwiches is the first offering from the partnership of Claire Freedman and Brighton based illustrator Sue Hendra. Kids will laugh out loud at Max’s monstrous mealtimes and terrible tastes in this silly, funny, gloopy, gunky picture book. Sue has also illustrated Barry the Fish with Fingers and Norman the Slug wih the Silly Shell.