CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

WRITING WORKSHOP and COMPETITION

Join us for a fun morning on Saturday June 6th when the Festival celebrates the fiction writing of young authors. Local school pupils have been encouraged to submit their stories based on four topics assigned to different age categories. Hear the prize-winning entries chosen from the four age groups, read aloud by Zohra Nabi. Congratulate the prize-winners and runners up in each category. The prizes will be presented by Zohra and local MP Adam Dance whose interest in children’s reading is well documented. Adam’s experience of living and working with dyslexia has led to his ongoing work in parliament and beyond which aims to make sure that children with dyslexia are recognised and supported at the earliest opportunity.

This event is open to all at no charge. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an appropriate adult.

ZOHRA NABI grew up inventing stories for her two younger sisters. She studied law at Cambridge and Oxford universities, but secretly dreamed of being an author. Now she lives in London, browsing bookshops and writing magical adventures. She’s the author of The Kingdom Over the Sea series. Witch Light, the fourth book, came out in 2026. Zohra will give a short reading from her own work showing children how thoughts and creativity can turn into real books.

As part of the Children’s Festival, IONA RANGELEY will hold a writing workshop at Herne View School, Ilminster, on Wednesday 3 June. Iona grew up in Norfolk and started writing at an early age, producing works like Sam the Pig and Adventures at Spider School. She continued writing, while studying at Oxford, with the intention of ‘never having to get a real job’. She wrote Einstein the Penguin:The Case of the Fishy Detective in her third year. Einstein the Penguin featured in The Times online list of the 33 best books for children 2022. Since then she has written two further Einstein books and the first book in a trilogy of spy stories, Cecily Sawyer: How to Be a Spy. She will be speaking about Cecily Sawyer at the children’s writing workshop and answering children’s questions about both the book and about being an author.