EAST MIDLANDS
Waterstones Children's Book Festival
- Dates: 14–16 February 2025
- Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire
- Description: A family-friendly festival featuring bestselling children's authors, workshops, storytelling, and craft activities across various venues in Lincoln. Waterstones
Nottingham Children's Storytelling Festival
- Dates: 10–12 April 2025
- Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
- Description: A vibrant festival celebrating children's literature with interactive storytelling sessions, author meet-and-greets, and creative workshops.
Leicester Kids' Lit Fest
- Dates: 22–24 May 2025
- Location: Leicester, Leicestershire
- Description: An engaging event featuring local and national authors, storytelling performances, and activities promoting reading among children.
Derby Children's Book Week
- Dates: 1–7 June 2025
- Location: Derby, Derbyshire
- Description: A week-long celebration with daily storytelling sessions, book signings, and workshops aimed at inspiring young readers.
Lincolnshire Storytelling Festival
- Dates: 15–17 August 2025
- Location: Skegness, Lincolnshire
- Description: A seaside festival offering storytelling events, puppet shows, and interactive activities for children of all ages.
Northampton Children's Literature Festival
- Dates: 5–7 September 2025
- Location: Northampton, Northamptonshire
- Description: Featuring a lineup of children's authors, illustrators, and storytellers, this festival includes workshops and readings to encourage a love for books.
LONDON
Stepping Into Stories Kids’ Lit Fest
- Dates: 4–9 February 2025
- Location: Herne Hill, London
- Description: A week-long celebration of children's literature with over 50 authors and illustrators, including Robin Stevens, offering public and school events, workshops, and performances. Brixton Buzz
London Children's Book Fair
- Dates: 20–22 March 2025
- Location: Southbank Centre, London
- Description: An annual fair featuring book stalls, author signings, storytelling sessions, and creative workshops for children and families.
Greenwich Book Festival - Children's Day
- Date: 25 April 2025
- Location: Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
- Description: A dedicated day for children's literature within the larger festival, offering interactive storytelling, crafts, and author events.
Imagine Children's Festival
- Dates: 10–21 February 2025
- Location: Southbank Centre, London
- Description: A multi-day festival featuring a wide range of events, including storytelling, theatre performances, and creative workshops for children.
Barnes Children's Literature Festival
- Dates: 9–10 May 2025
- Location: Barnes, London
- Description: The UK's largest dedicated children's literature festival, featuring author talks, workshops, and performances aimed at inspiring young readers.
Hackney Children's Book Festival
- Dates: 12–14 June 2025
- Location: Hackney, London
- Description: A community-focused festival offering storytelling sessions, creative writing workshops, and opportunities to meet children's authors and illustrators.
SOUTH OF ENGLAND
Brighton book Festival
- Dates: 18-22 June 2025
- Location: Brighton, East Sussex
- Description: A place where writers from underrepresented backgrounds are the main event, and where diverse audiences can see themselves reflected. A space that gathers together authors, poets, illustrators, musicians and other creatives from the UK and around the world for a book festival like no other.
Canterbury Tales Children's Festival
- Dates: 20–22 July 2025
- Location: Canterbury, Kent
- Description: A festival inspired by Chaucer's tales, with medieval-themed storytelling sessions, creative writing workshops, and historical re-enactments for children and families.
Oxford Children’s Literature Celebration
- Dates: 5–7 April 2025
- Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Description: Hosted by the historic Bodleian Library, this festival features talks and workshops by children’s authors and illustrators, storytelling sessions, and a focus on the history of children’s literature.
Reading Children's Book Festival
- Dates: 10–12 October 2025
- Location: Reading, Berkshire
- Description: A family-friendly festival in the heart of Reading with author meet-and-greets, live performances, and hands-on activities aimed at sparking a love for books in children.
Southampton Stories
- Dates: 8–10 August 2025
- Location: Southampton, Hampshire
- Description: A dynamic festival combining storytelling, theatre, and music, with events in parks, libraries, and community centers across the city.
SCOTLAND
Edinburgh International Children's Festival
- Dates: 24 May – 1 June 2025
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Description: Showcasing the best of children's theatre and dance from around the world, with performances and workshops for young audiences.
Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour with Sam Sedgman
- Dates: 24–27 February 2025
- Locations: Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City, Moray
- Description: Sam Sedgman, bestselling author known for train-themed mysteries, will visit primary schools to share his work and inspire young readers.
Inclusive Stories Tour with Lucy Rogers
- Dates: 17–21 March 2025
- Locations: Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire
- Description: Deaf illustrator Lucy Rogers leads events focusing on inclusive representation in children's literature, aiming to inspire students through art and storytelling.
Aberdeen Storytelling Festival
- Dates: 15–17 August 2025