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Latest Release
For immediate release:
GUILDFORD BOOK FESTIVAL AND WATTS GALLERY LAUNCH THE
CHILDREN’S SUMMER BOOK FESTIVAL
23 – 29 August 2026
Guildford Book Festival and Watts Gallery today announce details of the line-up for their first Children’s Summer Book Festival, taking place at Watts Gallery between 23 and 29 August 2026.
With a fun-filled programme of inspiring author and illustrator events, from magical hands-on experiments and interactive storytelling to lively performances, creative workshops and more, the Festival is being introduced for children and families to discover new books, spark imaginations, and celebrate the joy of reading together.
Highlights include: special sessions for wizards-in-training with First Class Wizard and bestselling author A.J. Wood, creator of the acclaimed Ologies series; an enchanting butterfly workshop with renowned author and illustrator Jonny Lambert, and an interactive drawing session with award-winning author-illustrator Emma Dodd, creator of the much-loved Love You series.
Plus a bouncy hour of giggles, riddles, songs and rhymes with madcap musician and children’s writer James Carter, and a sea shanty sing‑along, penguin drawalong and chance to learn the hornpipe with hugely popular Alex Milway.
Yuval Zommer will share amazing bug facts and tips on how to become a young bug spotter, and Adam Stower will reveal how he created his new picture book Little Acorn.
Children – and accompanying grown-ups who wanted to be astronauts when they grew up – will enjoy an interactive session with Catherine Cawthorne, author of We’re Moving To The Moon.
At the heart of the Festival stands a magnificent giant bell tent, transformed into a magical children's marquee and located on the Gallery Lawn – where there’ll also be games to play and a Pop-Up selling drinks and ice-creams.
The nearby Verey Playwood provides families with plenty of space to explore and play, and the Watts Café and Shop will be open for lunches, afternoon tea, gifts and souvenirs.
Alex Andrews, Director, Guildford Book Festival, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching our first Children’s Book Festival with Watts Gallery. Children’s events are always hugely popular at our annual Festival, and we also deliver a programme of author and illustrator talks for local schools throughout the year – this year reaching over 5,000 students across the Borough’s schools.”
“A Children’s Book Festival was a natural next step and Watts Gallery the ideal home! On behalf of us both, we want to thank our sponsor, The Old Dungate Press, and also Magic Cat Publishing for supporting this event.”
Charlie Betts, Curator of the Family Programme at Watts Gallery, said: “Watts Gallery is a wonderful place for families, with a wealth of creative activities along with beautiful gardens and woodland to discover and explore. We’re delighted to add to this the Children’s Book Festival, in partnership with Guildford Book Festival, and are looking forward to a summer of creative fun!”
The Children's Book Festival takes place at Watts Gallery between 23 and 29 August 2026. Tickets are on sale now. To book: https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/events/childrens-summer-book-festival
For further press information:
Tamsin Williams – tamsin@tamsin-williams.com – 07939 651252
Notes to Editors
Guildford Book Festival
Established in 1989, Guildford Book Festival is staged annually each October across venues within the town. Many bestselling authors have appeared at the Festival – which is a registered charity - including Jodi Picoult, Joanna Trollope, Louis De Bernières, Patrick Gale and Bernard Cornwall alongside household names such as Richard Osman, Nigella Lawson, David Suchet, Jeremy Paxman, Mel C, Graham Norton, Noel Fitzpatrick and Gyles Brandreth.
Through its Schools Programme, the charity takes authors and illustrators into local schools to inspire a lifelong love of reading, writing and illustrating. In 2026, Guildford Book Festival Schools Programme will reach over 5,000 students.
Watts Gallery
Watts Gallery was established in 1904 by artist-couple George Frederic Watts (1817-1904) and Mary Seton Watts (1849-1938). Following G F Watts’s death later that year Mary Seton Watts went on to found Watts Gallery Trust, the charity responsible for the preservation of the buildings and collections visitors experience today.
G F Watts OM RA was widely considered to be one of the greatest painters of the Victorian age. He became the first living artist to have a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the artist’s ‘gift to the Nation’ made a significant contribution to the founding collections of Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery.
Mary Watts was an artist, designer, writer, businesswoman and philanthropist. Her art supported and inspired the people around her, involving local communities in her projects. She was the creative powerhouse behind two significant enterprises: the Watts Chapel and the Compton Potters’ Arts Guild.
Today, Watts Gallery Trust upholds George and Mary Watts's vision to make art accessible to all, and through a dynamic and multi-sensory programme of creativity, exhibitions, contemporary art projects and community engagement the charity keeps their extraordinary legacy alive.
“Thank you to local author Ally Sherrick for her inspirational talk to Year 7. The insight into her historical research surrounding the book Black Powder and how she has interwoven this into the story greatly impressed the students. The time Ally Sherrick took into preparing the interactive PowerPoint and the props she brought in, the time she gave up to sign books was such an act of kindness to our students. We are very grateful to Guildford Book Festival for the smooth organisation of this event and for their excellent communication surrounding the whole visit.”
“It’s wonderful to be taking authors into schools once again, and our Schools’ programme is at the heart of our charity – which was established over 30 years ago to inspire a love of reading, writing and illustrating among all.”
“Funds raised through ticket sales at our main Festival events – which this year take place between 2 and 16 October – enable our charity to take authors into the Borough’s schools free of charge, ensuring as many young people as possible can take part.”
She added:
“We know that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on young people’s literacy and learning, and our Schools’ Programme is more important now than ever before.”
