What's On
We will be bringing schools in Maidenhead a wide range of FREE activities, story telling, signed books, authors-meet up and so much more in March 2025.
Big Read InspirationBringing bestselling authors and illustrators, as well as poets, storytellers, sporting heroes, prominent politicians, influential journalists and stars of the screen to share their stories and lives with local schoolchildren.
Have a look at the work some of our participating school students produced at a recent poetry workshop held by Coral Rumble. |
Big Read EnthusiasmFind a comfortable chair and pull out a book. Read to yourself, to your family or friends, or with one of our volunteer readers.
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Teachers may wish to download our updated MBR Ideas for Teachers guide. And if you have any ideas you would like to have included in the guide, please let us know.
Very positive sessions which engaged the children, reached out to reluctant readers and were appropriate for the ages of the children.
MBR weekend theme for March 2025: WINGS
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Find out more about our March 2025 weekend authors below.
Simon Mole
A First Book of Dinosaurs - Family event
Dinosaurs are the best! Join acclaimed children's poet Simon Mole to celebrate some long necked leaf munchers as big as buses, some little feathery fighters with beaks, and all of the rest in between! This 45 minute event for families begins with a performance of poems from Simon's brand new book (a Sunday Times "One to Watch" pick) followed by a range of fun (and quite silly) games and activities to delight dino fans of all ages! Which dinosaur was barely the size of a dog? Which made a noise like a goat playing a didgeridoo? And what could a CHICKEN possibly be doing in a book about dinosaurs?! |
Iszi Lawrence
Iszi Lawrence is a writer, comedian, podcaster and History presenter. Her next novel for 9-12 year olds, City of Spies (Jan 2024), follows the real Culper Spy Ring in New York during the American Revolution. Her first novel, The Unstoppable Letty Pegg (Bloomsbury), was published in 2020 and Billie Swift Takes Flight (Bloomsbury) came out September 2021. Her third novel, Blackbeard’s Treasure, was Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the month (Jan 2023). The next two instalments in her series of books for 6-9 year olds, The Time Machine Next Door, will be released in April 2024.
Iszi will present the history of the Air Transport Auxiliary during WWII, (White Waltham was the headquarters and ferry pool no.1), how it relates to her book Billie Swift Takes Flight and give an interactive talk about the planes and who crashed what, where and when. There will be lots of shouting, joining in and asking questions. Suitable for grown ups too. |
Rob Lloyd Jones
Rob is the well-known author of several children’s novels, as well as Usborne’s best-selling See inside, Look inside and Young Reading books. His books have won several awards including the Week Junior Book of the Year, the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, and the Children’s Literature Festivals Book Award.
Rob's presentation Straight from the mouth of a best-selling author and Egyptologist, Rob’s fun and interactive presentation takes children on a fascinating journey: from how he started writing, to the real-life treasure hunt that inspired his new novel. Rob's workshop Inspired by a childhood meeting with Roald Dahl, Rob’s workshop teaches children how to find story ideas, and then turn them into exciting stories. The group then create their own story together, which Rob promises not to steal… |
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Martin Brown
Martin is best known for illustrating the Horrible Histories series (which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary), but he is also the author of Nell and the Cave Bear - book 2 was published in March 2023.
Horrible Histories and Deadly Drawing Do you like your history with the nasty bits left in? Come and meet mega-selling illustrator and author Martin Brown as he celebrates the phenomenal Horrible Histories series in an action packed and fun-filled event brimming with foul facts, live illustration and audience involvement. ‘A fact-tastic show for the whole family where Martin’s passion for drawing is simply infectious.’ Age range 7-12 years Nell and the Cave Bear. Join Martin Brown, illustrator of the Horrible Histories series, as he brings the stone-age to life with his Nell and the Cave Bear books. It's a world full of adventure for a long-ago little girl and her cave bear best friend. Expect heaps of (pre)history and oodles of doodles. Age range 5-8 years |
Patrice Lawrence
Patrice Lawrence is an award-winning writer. Her debut YA novel, Orangeboy, won the Bookseller YA Prize and the Waterstones Prize for Older Children’s Fiction and was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award. Her subsequent novels have been much acclaimed and frequent visitors to prize lists.
Patrice was born in Brighton, raised in an Italian-Trinidadian family in mid-Sussex, and now lives on the South Coast. Patrice was awarded an MBE for Services to Literature in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021. Patrice's presentation One day, Ava is asked to dress as an inspirational figure for assembly at school, but who should she choose? Granny suggests famous familiar figures such as Winifred Atwell, and Rosa Parks, but Ava’s classmates have got there first – and she must choose someone else. But who? Then Ava finds a mysterious old suitcase – Granny’s “grip” – and Granny begins to share her own history, and how she came to England on the Empire Windrush many years ago. As Ava listens, she realises that there is a hero very close to home that she wants to celebrate more than anyone – her very own brave and beloved granny. Join multi-award-winning author Patrice Lawrence for an incredible event all about her debut picture book Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush. This heart-warming and heartfelt story will help ensure that the struggles and achievements of the Windrush generation are never forgotten. |
Josh Lacey
Josh Lacey is the author of about forty books for children, including The Pet Potato, a picture book illustrated by Momoko Abe, and the ten Dragonsitter books, illustrated by Garry Parsons. His recent books include the Time Travel Twins, a series of historical adventures. His books have been translated into twenty languages.
Discover two sides of history with the Time Travel Twins, an accessible and fun new historical fiction series, perfect for KS2 curriculum topics. Praise for The Viking Attack ‘A time travel adventure story up there with the best… This is one of the best evocations of Viking times I’ve read, all the characters live and breathe on the page, and readers really will feel they’ve been back in time too.’ LoveReading4Kids ‘Packed with facts about life in the ninth century, this story is exciting and informative.’ BookTrust |
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Kate Poels
Kate Poels writes books for children and loves delivering workshops to help young writers make their own stories sparkle.
Her latest book, On Wings to the Stars, is set partly in the world of a contemporary child, and partly on the island of Malta during WW2 which sent her down a magnificent wormhole of research. Workshop description The wonderful world of historical fiction. Combining characters and events from history with imagination and modern story telling can be exciting and fun. This workshop is an interactive introduction to writing tales using history as a starting point. Best suited to writers aged 9-12 |
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Rhian Lynette
Rhian Lynette is a local author and teacher. One of her greatest joys from teaching is enriching children’s lives with the gift of reading and her stories are intended to support a love of books in young children. She is the creative mind behind the heart-warming book Goose & Bear. This charming tale of friendship has captured the hearts of children and adults alike, and it's now available for purchase at multiple locations, including Amazon.
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Check back for more details
We will be updating this page on a regular basis with further session details and times so please check back to keep up to date with the weekend programme.
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