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Age Guideline 7-11, 11-13
About the Event
In 2022, award winning author, Elle McNicoll, started a prize.The Adrien Prize, named after a character in her book Show Us Who You Are, celebrates and honours disability in Children’s Literature. In this special event Elle McNicoll will be joined by shortlisted authors Lisette Auton and Cerrie Burnell and the winner of the prize Aisha Bushby to chat about their fabulous books full of magic, myth, family and fairy tales and the importance of joyful and authentic representation.
About the Authors
Lisette Auton is a disabled writer, activist, poet, novelist, spoken-word artist,actor, film & theatre-maker and creative practitioner. She's an award-winning poet who has performed at Northern Stage, ARC, TheSouthbank Centre and the Sage, in pubs, in a crypt, at festivals, indoors, outdoors, on a bridge and in a launderette. The Secret of Haven Point is her debut novel.
Cerrie Burnell is an author, actor and activist, best known for work on CBeebies. A role which has earned her critical recognition and a devoted fan base. During her time on CBeebies she has broken down barriers, challenged stereotypes and overcome discrimination.Alongside this Cerrie has worked closely with a number of charitable organisations linked to childhood and diversity, which she is passionate about.
She is the author of thirteen children’s books including Snowflakes, which she adapted for the stage with Oxford Playhouse in 2016. Also the Harper series, which was a World Book Day title in 2016. As well as creating her one woman show the Magical Playroom which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013. Her latest book Wilder Than Midnight was Indie Book of the Month for May 2022.
Aisha Bushby was born in Bahrain and has lived in Kuwait, England and Canada. Now she mostly lives in the worlds of her children’s books. Aisha was a contributing author in the Stripes anthology A Change is Gonna Come, alongside writers including Patrice Lawrence, Tanya Byrne and Nikesh Shukla. The anthology was awarded a YA Book Prize Special Achievement Award. Aisha’s debut novel A Pocketful of Stars was longlisted for the Carnegie medal and shortlisted for the Branford Boase award. Aisha’s books are always full of heart and have a sprinkling of magic in them.
Elle McNicoll is an award-winning Scottish children’s author. Her debut novel, A Kind of Spark, won the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and was adapted for television, appearing on CBBC in spring 2023. She is an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing and in 2022 founded The Adrien Prize, to recognise children’s fiction that explores the disability experience. She lives in London.
Buy the Books here:
About the Festival Partner
This event has been programmed by Bath Children’s Literature Festival
Bath Festivals is a charity that brings you the Bath Children’s Literature Festival, Europe’s largest dedicated children’s literature festival with a vibrant array of talks and activities for children. They are also responsible for The Bath Festival in the summer which bring the city alive with a celebration of music and books in the beautiful venues and spaces of the world heritage city. By creating innovative and diverse programmes, their festivals inspire and provide unique experiences for residents and visitors to Bath and surrounding areas. Their year-round creative learning programme of hands-on music and literature projects gives children and young people opportunities to gain real-world experience, building their inner confidence and improving communication skills through the arts.