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 2026.
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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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 2026: GET MOVING
Join us on Saturday 7th March & Sunday 8th March, no advance booking required.
🎉 A Sneak Peek at Our 2026 Line-Up! 🎉
Our 2026 programme is very nearly ready, and we couldn’t resist letting you in on a few exciting details. Get ready to welcome back some much-loved local legends alongside brilliant authors and illustrators from further afield.
🌟 Returning Local Legends We’re thrilled to announce the return of:
Simon Mole – our very own MBR Patron, acclaimed children’s poet and author, and National Poetry Day Ambassador
Coral Rumble – popular, multi-award-winning author and poet
And joining them:
Ruth Burgess – children’s author and storyteller, bringing a lively and engaging story time
Richard Poad, Chair of Maidenhead Heritage Centre – talking about The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, who was born in Henley and lived in Cookham for many years
✨ Authors & Illustrators from Further Afield We’re also delighted to welcome:
Catherine Barr – ecologist and author, sharing her passion for the natural world and taking us on journeys with bears, whales, and turtles
Dave Shelton – illustrator of Good Dog, Bad Dog and The Boy and a Bear in a Boat
Tom Tinn-Disbury – author and illustrator of Duck Delivers and Brian the Dancing Lion, with stories and live drawing Vanessa Taylor – reading from her football-themed books, including the Baller Boys series
Get drawing with Dave Shelton – hands-on illustration fun …and that’s just to get you started!
🎈 Activities for Everyone Alongside our author events, we’ll be running a packed programme of activities, including:
The Great Big Poetry Party, led by Simon Mole, featuring performance and hosting for Gecko, and joined by Coral Rumble to bring poetry, books, and music together
Open Mic sessions for children to read their own prose and poetry
Stories from Maidenhead United (The Magpies) – hear footballers share their experiences
Once Upon a Bus – hop aboard for a fabulous story time
The Story Corner – a cosy place to share wonderful stories
Creative craft sessions The Big Read Treasure Hunt – follow the clues!
Maidenhead Heritage Centre – drop in for some fascinating discoveries
💛 Free for Everyone Thanks to our generous sponsors, all MBR sessions are completely free – no booking required, just turn up and join in. We’ll be keeping you fully in the know right here with details of what’s happening and when. So fire up the group chat, block out the calendar, and get ready to party with books in 2026! 📚✨
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Find out more about our March 2026 weekend authors below.
Catherine BarrCatherine Barr is wrote her first book The Story of Life on evolution after searching in vain for the story (rather than a text book) of evolution for her two girls, then at primary school. So she unexpectedly became an author… with co-author and science teacher Steve Williams. Her ongoing series includes The Story of Climate Change, The Story of Conservation and The Story of Dinosaurs. She has written over 35 true stories about nature to share with children and grown-ups.
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Simon MoleSimon Mole is an acclaimed children’s writer, performer and National Poetry Day ambassador, with over ten years of experience using poetry with children and families.
Former poet in residence for the National Literacy Trust, Simon works in schools and libraries across the country and overseas. The videos on his YouTube channel are used by hundreds of thousands of children and teachers across the world each year and have been featured on the BBC. A First Book of Dinosaurs was followed by the recent publication of A First Book of Bugs. Simon’s other books are picture books Kites illustrated by Oamul Lu, I Love My Bike (shortlisted for The Sunday Times Children’s Sports Book of the Year) and I Love My Cat, illustrated by Sam Usher. |
Dave SheltonDave Shelton is an author, illustrator, comic-maker and occasionally a cover designer for books for children ranging from middle grade to young adult. With a decade's experience of visits to schools, libraries, colleges and festivals he very much enjoy his days of talking, running workshops, and meeting readers of all ages.
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Venessa TaylorVenessa Taylor is the author behind new junior reader series, All Cultures United: Baller Boys
Venessa Taylor brings two decades of experience as an inner-city primary school teacher and assistant headteacher to the creation of the Baller Boys series. Aimed at encouraging young boys to find pleasure in reading, the football-themed stories are written with young readers in mind. Born and raised in London, Venessa continues her legacy and passion as a literacy leader through her creative writing. One of her proudest career achievements was successfully raising the standards of reading across KS2, with a focus on reluctant readers and improving boy’s engagement in reading for pleasure. |
Tom Tinn-DisburyTom Tinn-Disbury is a freelance illustrator based in Rugby, Warwickshire.
He creates art, picture books and all manner of illustrator-y things. |
Ruth BurgessRuth 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. In the last 3 years, she has published her first two children’s books for 7 -11 year olds, “Jill’s Rocket Adventure” and the sequel, “Jasper’s Rescue”. Ruth will read from the Bad Tempered Ladybird. Using creative props and models, the Bad Tempered Ladybird sets out on a journey in a fiery temper, but on encountering a variety of other insects and animals, learns that being angry and aggressive achieves very little! This engaging classic tales introduces the concepts of time and size. Come and meet the characters and help tell the story yourselves. |
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Coral RumbleCoral Rumble is a popular, Multi-award winning poet and author. She has worked as a poet and performer for many years, and now specializes in writing and performing for children. She was featured in Favourite Poets published by Hodder Children’s Books. Michael Rosen has commented, “Rumble has a dash and delight about her work”.
Coral has had five collections published – Creatures, Teachers and Family Features, Breaking the Rules, My Teacher’s as Wild as a Bison, Riding a Lion and Things That Should Be in a Poem. |
Richard PoadListen to local historian Richard Poad as he brings the world
of The Wind in the Willows to life |
Once Upon a BusOnce 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 . 
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Maidenhead MagpiesMaidenhead Magpies will join for some fantastic sporty poems and stories
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