Sedbergh Book Town is gearing up to kick off the New Year with a weekend of book-related events and activities aimed at the whole family. Throughout the weekend of 12th – 14th February the Book Town Buzz will present a selection of entertaining events and creative workshops that are designed to encourage children, young people and parents to read and write more within the family.

The festival includes family poetry and book readings from some of Britain’s foremost writers for children, plus workshops for young people on the theme of Drawing Cartoons & Making Comics, where experienced professionals will show how to create and draw crazy characters and add the whizz factor to a comic strip!

The newly appointed Storyteller Laureate, Taffy Thomas, will be entertaining young and old with traditional tales and stories from his huge repertoire, and for St Valentine’s Day there will be a choice of poetry events on the theme of love and romance.

Plus a further two creative workshops in Making Musical Instruments from Junk. Nick Penny brings his best-selling book to life to show how everyone in the family can make and play a musical instrument. We’ll provide all the junk…but you can bring some of your own!

Book Town Buzz is supported by Arts Council England and Spar. More information, including a brochure giving full details of events and bookings, can be found at the Tourist Information Centre in Main Street (email tic@sedbergh.org.uk or call 015396 20125) or on line at www.sedbergh.org.uk/booktownbuzz

Please note that places on the creative workshops (the Cartoons & Comics and Junk Instruments events) are limited so please ensure you book early. For further information concerning the programme of events, please call John Rice on 015396 20929, or poetjohnrice@btinternet.com

PS The organiser, John Rice lives in Sedbergh but is currently Scottish Arts Council’s Poet-in-Residence. If you’d like to see his work so far, visit the residency web pages on www.spt.co.uk/culture/poetry