BookTrust Annual Lecture 2017 and Bookstart 25th anniversary celebrations: Relive the evening in pictures
Published on: 20 October 2017 Author: Catriona Wightman
Authors, illustrators and members of the publishing industry gathered in London last night to hear Lauren Child deliver BookTrust's Annual Lecture and celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bookstart.
Lauren - the current Waterstones Children's Laureate - titled her lecture 'What do you think about when you think about nothing?' and spoke about the importance of allowing children to daydream.
She also touched on the importance of diversity in children's books and suggested that writing and illustrations for young people should be valued and taken more seriously as an art form.
Guests including authors such as Ed Vere, Andy Stanton and Nadia Shireen then celebrated the 25th anniversary of BookTrust's flagship Bookstart programme, which gifts free books to every child in the country.
During the event, Bookstart founder Wendy Cooling was presented with a special Outstanding Contribution award by BookTrust's CEO Diana Gerald and chair of trustees Karen Brown.
Relive the evening with our gallery of photos and video of some of Lauren's speech below:
Relive the BookTrust Annual Lecture 2017 and Bookstart 25th celebrations
RIBA in London was the venue for our BookTrust Annual Lecture and Bookstart 25 celebration
The BookTrust lecture was held at the beautiful RIBA in London
The BookTrust lecture was held at the beautiful RIBA in London
BookTrust CEO Diana Gerald opens the lecture
BookTrust CEO Diana Gerald opens the lecture
Lauren Child spoke about the importance of having time to be creative
Lauren shared many of the ideas that have inspired her during the lecture
Lauren used Jaws to point to the power of illustration - it stopped a generation of children from swimming!
The audience enjoying Lauren's lecture
Lauren Child called for children's illustration to be taken more seriously
Lauren opened up about her childhood fears - including rabies! - and explained that books can be a reassurance to children
BookTrust's Emily Drabble hosted a Q&A with Emily after the lecture
The audience had time to ask Lauren questions
BookTrust's head of books Emily Drabble hosted a Q&A with Lauren after the lecture
BookTrust CEO Diana Gerald and head of books Emily Drabble celebrate with Lauren Child
BookTrust chair of trustees Karen Brown honours Bookstart founder Wendy Cooling
Guests watch Wendy Cooling being presented with an Outstanding Contribution award
BookTrust chair of trustees Karen Brown honours Bookstart founder Wendy Cooling with an award
Wendy Cooling spoke movingly about founding Bookstart
Wendy Cooling spoke movingly about founding Bookstart
Karen Brown, Wendy Cooling and BookTrust CEO Diana Gerald celebrate 25 years of Bookstart
Bookstart founder Wendy Cooling and BookTrust's disability consultant Alex Strick enjoy the celebrations
Nadia Shireen, author of Time To Read book The Bumblebear, was among the guests
Lauren Child enjoys the Bookstart celebrations
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