Age guideline 7-11
About the event
Join celebrated children’s author Anna Wilson as she talks about the natural world around us and how it can conjure up the most magical of stories. She also talks about meeting a seal while swimming and about how we can help clear up the planet by taking part in The Two-Minute Beach, Park or Street Clean, picking up litter in our neighbourhood. Anna lives in Cornwall, a place that is steeped in myth and legend. She will introduce you to her spooky mansion by the sea, her friendly neighbourhood seal, and Vlad – the cutest little boy who also happens to be the world’s worst vampire. But more than anything, she will tell you about why we should cherish and care for the world in which we live, as well as all its stories, and how you can keep a track of nature through her inspirational almanac Nature Month-by-Month.
How to access the event
This event has moved to our collection of Past Event Videos where you can access all past festival events for a small one-off fee of £5. Please click here to sign up or log in if you are already a member. Teacher Resource
Are there any unusual stories about the place you live? Can you use your street, school, local park as a setting? What is unique about those places?
What plants and animals can you find in your local environment? How many different species can you find? You could create a journal of photos or drawings of your discoveries. Notice how things change month by month.
Anna’s Month by Month book is packed with great ideas of activities you can do. Here are some other links to organisations conserving nature and wildlife that have more ideas for you to explore.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nature-and-wildlife
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/schools
https://www.edenproject.com/learn
The Reader Teacher’s Top Tip
Thanks to Scott Evans, The Reader Teacher, for this top teacher tip:
‘This event is wonderful to use when teaching about the natural world and conservation in geography, stories with familiar settings in English and plants and animals in science in the curriculum, using Anna’s beautiful book as a superb source of inspiration.’ @MrEPrimary
About the author
Anna Wilson was born in Kent but has lived all over the place including London, Clermont-Ferrand, Orleans and Bath. She now lives near Penzance in Cornwall fulfilling one of her life's ambitions: to live by the sea. She has written numerous wonderful picture books and fiction titles for Pan Macmillan, HarperCollins and Stripes. A keen wild swimmer, Anna's passion for animals and the natural world shines through in all her work, and she is passionate about introducing children to nature and wildlife. She enjoyed a suburban but nature-packed childhood, making mini gardens and rose petal perfume with a grandmother who also taught her to cook and sew; pond dipping with her grandfather and examining mini beasts under her father’s microscope.
Twitter: @ACWilsonWriter
Instagram: @ACWilsonWriter
Facebook: /ACWilsonWriter
About the festival partner
This event has been programmed by North Cornwall Book Festival.
The North Cornwall Book Festival is one of the south west’s leading literary events, led by internationally acclaimed Cornwall-based novelist Patrick Gale. It normally takes place in October, bringing together the best of both adult and children’s authors over four days in the idyllic setting of St Endellion on the north coast. ncornbookfest.org