Linton is a small town near Cambridge. It's very pretty, has a great community spirit, and is the perfect size, with one of everything you need - including one of the best children's book festivals around.I've taken part in the festival for several years now and was thrilled to be asked to be Honorary Patron this year. I had such a time at the festival I could go on for pages, but have managed to boil it down to my Top Ten in-no-particular-order Highlights (OK, it was meant to be ten but there were so many that somehow it turned into fourteen !)
1. Presenting a Mystery and Mayhem talk for the first time with partner in crime, Robin Stevens - complete with co-ordinating nails and book cover, of course.
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| Photograph, Robin Stevens |
2. Listening to an inspiring talk by SF Said, author of Varjak Paw, one of my sons' favourite books.
3. Halls full of children (and adults) roaring with laughter as they listened to AF Harrald and James Campbell. Funny books are great!
4. All the fantastic volunteers and organisers who made everything run so smoothly.
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| photograph: Josephine Paterson |
5. Children of all ages sitting around a table, chatting happily about books as they drew manga cartoons.
6. Eating jammie dodgers and meeting the Phonics Fairy in the Green Room.
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| photograph: Josephine Paterson |
7. Eating cake on a break with author Chitra Soundar and translator Helen Wang.
9. Posing with Brian the Lion and the library cats.
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| photograph: Josephine Paterson |
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| photograph: Ruth Keys |
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| photograph: Josephine Paterson |
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| photograph: Josephine Paterson |
12. The delightful festival-week maze and story telling event in Balsham. A perfect summery afternoon in an old-fashioned English garden. Thank you to Janet Bingham, Katie Dale and Yasmin Finch for joining in the story-telling fun.
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| Photograph: Josephine Paterson |
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| Photograph: Josephine Paterson |
13. Children running around on the lawns outside and exploring the Science Centre actvities in the breaks between talks.
14. Children excitedly picking out books to buy in the brilliant Heffers festival bookshop and then standing in line to have them signed by their favourite authors.
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| photograph: Josephine Paterson |
If you missed the fun you can see what it's all about in this short video.
Hope to see you in 2018.