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 Inspiration

Bringing 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 Enthusiasm

Find a comfortable chair and pull out a book. Read to yourself, to your family or friends, or with one of our volunteer readers.     

Our Sponsors
​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

Find out more about our March 2025 weekend authors below.

Catherine Bruton

Catherine Bruton is a multi-award winning children's author  of critically acclaimed titles including 'No Ballet Shoes in Syria', 'Another Twist in the Tale' and her latest 'Birdboy' (shortlisted for the 2025 Nero Awards)  which explores themes of conservation, migration and healing through nature. As a teacher she   sees first hand the impact stories can have on young readers -opening their eyes, expanding their horizons, making them ask questions, see the world differently and switch on lightbulbs in their heads

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. 

Philip Kavvadias

Philip is an author, playwright, poet, illustrator and screenwriter. In his day job he works on Sustainability, helping decarbonize world-wide supply chains. Philip has been working with children as a Cubs Leader for quite a few years. His mission is to get more kids reading, especially boys, whose reading stats are the lowest ever. His Microraptor series is the first step.
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Nick Arnold

Nick Arnold is one of the world’s most successful science writers for young readers. He has
written more than 50 books and sold more than 25 million books in 40 languages. The books
have inspired TV series by ITV and BBC. Nick presents Horrible Science shows all over the
world and became the first children’s author to tour of China. He was the founder and first
Director of the Appledore Book Festival and is the only British author to have saved a public
library from closure and organized its complete refurbishment.

Join Nick Arnold for flight-featured hair-raising highlights from the world's bestselling kids;
science series - HORRIBLE SCIENCE. With crazy challenges, foul facts, putrid poems and
queasy quizzes - this show is rib-tickling, roof-raising, rip-roaring flying family fun. The Skies
the Limit and Science has never been so SQUISHY!

Zak Simmonds-Hurn

Zak is a Bedfordshire-based comic artist who has worked for a variety of comics and publishers.
Currently he works for The Phoenix as the artist of 'Know Your Monsters', 'Legacy' and 'Dragon Guard'!

Rhian Lynette

More Information Coming Soon

Charlotte Milner

More Information coming Soon

Ruth Burgess

Ruth loves to dance, act and tell stories. She was a teacher of English, dance and drama before coming to London to work for the Unicorn Theatre for children. Here she staged many children’s community productions all over Westminster. Ruth has travelled extensively taking groups of children to perform in World Theatre festivals where she has run workshops and told many stories. She continues to enjoy teaching through drama, story and dance.
 
Dinosaur Sessions
 
Doctor Dino – (suggested age 5 -7)
Doctor Dino is looking for a team to go back to the age of the dinosaurs in her time machine. Do you know enough about dinosaurs to join her? Can you help her collect evidence of how and where they lived, and what they ate? Will you be able to help her get a hair from a Prosauropod, a tooth from a Stegosaurus and a piece of horn from a Triceratops?
 
Doctosaurus – based on book by Emi-Lou May
(suggested age 3 – 5)
Hear about the adventures of Doctosaurus as she helps injured and sick dinosaurs. She may need your assistance in finding the right medicines and in fixing bandages. Are you ready to help?

Alice Hemming

Alice Hemming is the author of over sixty books for children, including the bestselling Dark Unicorns series (Scholastic). Her award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling picture book, The Leaf Thief with illustrator Nicola Slater (Scholastic 2020), has sold across the world and been translated into twenty-three languages.
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Alice lives in Hertford, just north of London, with her husband and two children. She works in a writing shed at the top of her garden.

Once Upon a Bus

Once Upon a Bus celebrate the storytelling craft with entertaining, educational sessions on a beautiful customized double-decker bus.
Specially developed to allow young people to enjoy and explore the magic of storytelling in an interactive, immersive environment.
Designed to deliver an out-of-this-world experience, the storytelling bus transforms learning into an unforgettable adventure ...
“Through the deep dark forests, over soaring mountains, tranquil villages, bustling towns and endless oceans of the imagination!”
Once Upon a Bus operate regular storytelling sessions in the community  and specialize in providing  services to schools and PTAs, delivering exciting learning experiences in a flexible, mobile space that will delight minds of all ages, and unleash the creativity within all that step aboard .

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.