A WEEK long series of events for children at Cirencester’s Children’s Literary Festival culminated last Saturday with author, Piers Torday, entertaining a crowd in Octavia’s Bookshop with his new book, The Wild Beyond.

Throughout the week, hundreds of children and their parents visited the bookshop, Cirencester Library and Bingham Gallery, for a series of fun, activity-filled events with award-winning authors and illustrators.

Highlights included Ian Whybrow, author of the children’s favourite Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs series and Kristina Stephenson with the daring Sir Charlie Stinky Socks, including a giant pop-up book and pirate songs.

Nicola Davies opened the Festival with fascinating tales of her travels to study wild animals.

The organisers of the Literary Festival hope the events will encourage children of all ages to keep reading.

Marilyn Lane, Locality Librarian at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We were thrilled to welcome the LitFest15 authors and storytellers to Cirencester Library. Children and adults alike really enjoyed meeting some of their favourite authors and characters – and it was a great way for families to learn together.”

Author Ian Whybrow stressed the importance of parents reading too. He said: “Unless a child sees someone he loves and admires enjoying books, there's very little that a school or an author can do to persuade him or her that it's worth doing.”

This was the third year of the Festival which is sponsored by the Bingham Library Trust.

The proceeds of the event go back to the Trust which supports, encourages and provides for the promotion of education in the appreciation of art, including music, of persons under the age of 30 years resident in Cirencester.

Some of the events included drawing competitions and local author, Sophie E Tallis, held an illustration masterclass in the Bingham, Gallery. The artwork produced by illustrators and children during the week can be seen in a special showing at the Gallery in Bingham House, Dyer Street on Saturday, August 8 from 10am – 2pm.