Authors and illustrators confirmed include Jacqueline Wilson, Morris Gleitzman, Anthony Browne and Axel Scheffler

LONDON, 18 February 2016 —The Barnes Children’s Literature Festival team will soon begin revealing the programme for the Festival’s second year, as they make plans to bring some of the best children’s authors and illustrators to Barnes Pond for a packed weekend of events on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May 2016.

Following the success of the 2015 Festival which featured Axel Scheffler, Sally Gardner, Piers Torday and Britain’s best loved poet, Roger McGough, among others, this year the programme will double in size to offer over fifty events over the weekend, making it London’s largest dedicated children’s book festival.

The full 2016 programme is due to be announced later in March when tickets will go on sale, but the impressive line-up already confirmed includes the former Children’s Laureates Jacqueline Wilson and Anthony Browne, Frances Hardinge, winner of the prestigious Costa Book of the Year Award forThe Lie Tree, Robin Stevens, Jeremy Strong, Holly Webb and Philip Reeve with Axel Scheffler, returning by popular demand.

The full programme will cater for ages from two to teen and their families. Many more authors and illustrators will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Festival is committed to also offering a few treats audiences are unlikely to see anywhere else. Last year it was the UK theatre production premiere of Chris Haughton’s picture book, A Bit Lost. This year the acclaimed Australian author Morris Gleitzman and million copy selling German fantasy writer Cornelia Funke will both be travelling to the UK exclusively for the festival.

The Barnes Children’s Literature Festival is presented in partnership with the Barnes Community Association (BCA) and the Barnes Bookshop. A percentage of all books sold, together with the surplus from ticket sales, is donated to local primary school libraries.