The kids are alright!

Quite why Children's Book Week should fall at the exact same time as National Red Squirrel Week elludes me, but, heck, both are happening this week. There clearly should be some form of Squirrel Nutkin synergy, but if there is, I haven't heard of it...so heads should roll (somewhere)!

Anyway, the main events and attractions of National Red Squirrel Week are obscure...unlike those of Children's Book Week: throughout this week there are events aplenty at Hoxton Square which hosts many author readings as part of the festival of children's literature, celebrating the cream of writing for 5--15 year olds. Among particpating authors will be Darren Shan, whose excellent new novel, Hell's Heroes, can, of course, be found in the children's section of WEL Books, along with Jamila Gavin and David Melling, plus many too numerous to mention, so check local press for the full story.

Over at the Royal Festival Hall this Thursday you'll find the Poetry Society celebrating their centenary with a veritable who's who of poetry --including (natch) C A Duffy, R McGough etc etc--particpating in all manner of child-friendly rhyming fun including beach ball haiku if you will.

Finally, who said kids these days don't read/won't write/don't know about anything that's not on Ninetendo Wii or playing in the Premiership? The winners of the John Clare Poetry Prize for 7--18 year olds would beg to differ and quite rightly get to strut their stuff (ie read their winning entries) at Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey this week. There should be prizes for this sort of admirble stuff...oh, wait a minute, there are!