May 2020

Find out about children's book events taking place this May.

All month: May is National Share-a-Story Month so make sure you take the opportunity to enjoy some tales!

2-24 May: It's time for the always-exciting Brighton Festival! Lemn Sissay is the guest director this year, so there will undoubtedly be some treats in store.

3 May: The CHCC YA Fest at Chadwell Heath Community Centre in Romford looks like it will be a great day! With appearances from awesome authors including Patrice Lawrence and Savita Kalhan plus a scavenger hunt, quiz, and a book sale, we reckon it's worth checking out. You can find more information and get tickets here.

7-10 May: The Chiddingstone Literary Festival takes place over these dates - the family day looks like it holds lots of excitement for little ones, including an appearance from Sir Michael Morpurgo and a Tiger Who Came to Tea party.

9-17 May: The Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival will be held, and how could it be anything other than brilliant when it's held in Shakespeare's hometown? Keep an eye on their website for more details.

15-24 May: The Bath Literature Festival is always a treat, so we can't wait to find out what events to expect this time around. It'll certainly get us in the mood for the Children's Literature Festival taking place in Bath in September and October!

15-24 May: Also taking place in mid-May is the International Literature Festival Dublin - we're promised lots of events for children, including appearances from Wonder author RJ Palacio, Kate DiCamillo, Chris Haughton, Francesca Simon, Robin Stevens, Andy Stanton, Ella Okstad and many more.

16-17 May: The 8th biennial Linton Children’s Book Festival in South Cambridgeshire will take place on these dates. Expect great events from top authors including Onjali Q Rauf, Ross Montgomery and Harriet Muncaster along with storytimes, scavenger hunts and more.

17 May: Today is National Children's Day, celebrating the importance of a healthy childhood providing unlimited opportunities for young people.

20-31 May: There are undoubtedly some really fun things planned for little ones as the Edinburgh International Children's Festival takes place. Keep an eye out on their website for further details.

21-31 May: The most anticipated literary festival of the calendar, Hay Festival will be kicking off with another two weeks of top bookish action - it's not to be missed!

25 May: Woohoo, it's Elmer Day! Our favourite patchwork elephant has his very own day, because, well, he's just so awesome.

26 May: The winner of the Jhalak Prize will be announced today.

29-31 May: The Wychwood Festival will be back at Cheltenham Racecourse for more fun - there's normally a great children's literature programme, so keep an eye on their website for information.

Also in May: Look forward to the British Book Industry Awards, the Leeds Book Awards and the Southbank Centre Literature Season.