Highlights include Lenny Henry’s children’s book debut, the nation’s favourite storyteller Michael Morpurgo with his first new novel in two years, current Waterstones Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell, Tom Gates’ creator Liz Pichon, the legendary Jacqueline Wilson, record-breaking Rob Biddulph, TV vet Luke Gamble, comedians David Baddiel and Ben Miller plus Nadia Shireen, Anna James, Alex Milway, Ross Montgomery and Amy Wilson.
The non-fiction programme is supercharged with Ben Davis, Stuart Lawrence and Isabel Thomas on how small actions can change the world; Maz Evans, MG Leonard and Katherine Woodfine discussing vile villains; Cath Howe, Anna McNuff and Matthew Syed with tips and tricks for How To Be Happy; sports presenter Clare Balding; CBeebies presenter Maddie Moate with mind-boggling facts; Lucy Letherland revealing the most iconic animals and impressive landscapes across the globe; award-winning author Nicola Davies on biology and DNA; palaeontology pro Dr Nick Cumpton; plus Tracey Turner and Andrew Donkin, Craig Glenday with Guinness World Records, A. M. Dassu, Joseph Coelho, Mike Barfield and the original QI Elf, Molly Oldfield.
Poets, musicians and performers pop up across the programme with word-play maestro Jonny Fluffypunk, Blue Peter Award winning Gareth P Jones, James Mayhew will tell stories from the orchestra, acclaimed poet Simon Mole will help unlock creative powers, stand-up poet Joshua Seigal will perform, Tongue Fu for Kids will showcase the power of poetry and music in the fight against climate change, and the winner of this year’s CLiPPA Poetry Prize will be unveiled.
There will be workshops aplenty from Jennifer Killick helping find ideas for scary stories, Mary Richards encouraging interactive nature-journalising, Neill Cameron bringing comic books to life, and go story-hunting with Emma Carroll. Andy Jones will show how to write stories with a serious bite, Helen Stephens will reveal how to draw with sticks and twigs for environment-themed drawings, Freya Hartas will enlist the audience’s help to create a woodland scene, Amy Wilson will share the secret to building magical worlds, plus the team at The Week Junior will divulge their journalist tips.
Little ones will be in for a treat with events from the nation's favourite PE teacher Joe Wicks, award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola, performer Joseph Coelho, illustrator Fiona Lumbers, the extraordinarily talented Spanish author-illustrator Anuska Allepuz, blockbuster Supertato creators Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet plus even more creative escapades from the likes of Tom Percival, Steven Lenton, Caryl Hart, Rashmi Sirdeshpande, Lucy Christopher, Chris Haughton and Jane Riordan, who will celebrate the 95th anniversary of the much-loved children’s classic Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.
And for YA fans, Femi Fadugba will present his highly addictive sci-fi debut The Upper World, soon to be a Netflix film produced by and starring Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya, Malorie Blackman will celebrate 20 years of Noughts and Crosses, plus more from Alex Wheatle, Phil Earle, Holly Jackson, Sue Wallman, Natasha Bowen, Jason Cockcroft and Caroline O'Donoghue.