WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S LAUREATE, LAUREN CHILD TO HEADLINE LOOGABAROOGA 18-24 OCTOBER 2017 (Press Release)



NEW WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S LAUREATE, LAUREN CHILD TO HEADLINE LOOGABAROOGA 2017

Major Children’s Illustrated Literature Festival returns to Loughborough for 3 year from 18-24 October 2017

Newly-appointed Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Lauren Child will be headlining this year’s Loogabarooga Festival of Children’s Illustrated Literature in Loughborough from 18-24 October 2017.

Lauren Child is a multi-award-winning, bestselling writer and artist, and is the creator of the famous Charlie and Lola, and Clarice Bean characters. She was crowned as the 10th Waterstones Children’s Laureate in June 2017 to champion children and reading nationwide.

Lauren will be appearing in her own show at Loogabarooga 2017 to talk about the ‘stories behind the stories’ and there will also be a rare chance to see a selection of original work, specially picked by Lauren Child from her private collection in ‘The Art of Lauren Child – Adventures with Charlie and Lola and friends’ exhibition at Charnwood Museum.

The Loogabarooga Festival is for families who love books and illustrated literature. This year, it will include new book trails, free creative drop-in workshops, storytelling sessions, a comic fair, and advice on how to write and illustrate your own book. There will also be appearances from some of the nation’s favourite children’s authors and illustrators.

The unique, hand-painted Book Benches will also return, featuring cover artwork from some of the nation’s favourite Ladybird children’s stories including Shopping with Mother, Cinderella and Bunnikins Picnic Party. This year will also see a Lauren Child Clarice Bean book bench, on loan from the National Literacy Trust for the duration of the festival. The benches will be located throughout the town centre.

More details of the programme will be published in July 2017 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/loogabarooga, on Twitter @loogabarooga17 or on the website at www.loogabarooga.com

Lauren Child commented: ““I'm thrilled to be taking part in Loogabarooga this year and to be having an exhibition at Charnwood Museum. I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone at the festival."

Chris Traill, Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing at Charnwood Borough Council, said: “This year marks the third annual Loogabarooga Festival in our wonderful town of Loughborough. We’re delighted to announce the appearance of the award-winning author of Charlie and Lola, Lauren Child, appearing here for the first time.

“Lauren’s talk and exhibition are just two of the many highlights at Loogabarooga 2017. We’re also supporting new talent through workshops and have lots of great interactive authors and illustrators, events and workshops to ignite and inspire young imaginations.”

The Loogabarooga Festival will be organised by Leicestershire Promotions and Charnwood Borough Council, in partnership with Leicestershire County Council and supported by Love Loughborough.

Loughborough has had a long association with children’s literature since the very first Ladybird book was produced by a jobbing printer called Wills & Hepworth in the town during the First World War. Ladybird books were printed at Angel Yard in Loughborough from 1915-1973 and the first Loogabarooga Festival in 2015 coincided with Ladybird Books’ centenary.

Lauren Child burst onto the children’s books scene in 1999 and has since published many bestselling and award-winning books, including those featuring the hugely popular Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and Ruby Redfort series. She has won numerous awards including the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal and the Smarties Gold Award. Her books have been made into an award-winning TV series and have sold in many languages with runaway success. In June 2017, she became the 10th Waterstones Children’s Laureate.

This autumn, there is a rare chance to see a selection of original work, specially picked by Lauren Child from her private collection at ‘The Art of Lauren Child – Adventures with Charlie and Lola and friends’ exhibition, to be held at Charnwood Museum in Loughborough as part of Loogabarooga 2017.

People can follow the Town Trail to the Charnwood Museum, where they will see original artwork from their favourite Lauren Child books; Charlie and Lola and their friends, Clarice Bean, Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent and more. The exhibition also includes richly detailed collages from the hundredth anniversary edition of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Lauren’s iconic images and the utterly imaginative worlds she creates with her signature collage technique will fascinate and delight both children and adults.

At Loogabarooga 2017, the multi-award-winning author and artist will also discuss her influences and creative process and some of her best-loved characters. Find out the stories behind Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and the amazing spy-kid, code-cracker Ruby Redfort. In an illustrated talk, Lauren will share her fascination with sibling relationships, how watching television as a child shaped her artistic vision and the pleasure of daydreaming.

Lauren will also be introducing her latest Charlie and Lola book, A Dog with Nice Ears

“Silly, surprising, thoughtful and fun, Charlie and Lola are on top form in this fantastically funny story, packed full of dogs of every shape, size and colour.”

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