dlr Children's Book Festival - events for children and families

Event type: Make your own story with Dave Rudden, Catherine Doyle and Graham Tugwell

Event type: Live event on zoom 

Age suitability: Family Event, all ages welcome (age 8+) 

Date: Saturday 3rd October

Time: 4pm to 5pm 

Book here: librarybookings@dlrcoco.ie

This Children’s Book Festival, let us bring the library to you!

Greetings Heroes: The Impossible Library gives students a glimpse into the creative process by having three award-winning authors – Dave Rudden (Knights of the Borrowed Dark) Cat Doyle (The Stormkeeper’s Island)and Graham Tugwell (Everything is Always Wrong) improvise a story in real time.

How It Works

Like a choose-your-own-adventure-book, or world-famous role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, Graham will act as storyteller, guiding characters played by Dave & Cat through a series of exciting and deadly challenges, where their choices dictate the chances of success or survival. Will they make their way to the heart of the Impossible Library, or will they suffer a terrible fate? Only their decisions – and the dice – will decide.

Not only that, but we are making the rules and character sheets downloadable so that students can play from home.

About the Authors:

Graham Tugwell is a writer, performer and Dungeon Master extraordinaire. He has brought the Greetings Heroes live show to over fifty schools, libraries and festivals.

Dave Rudden is the author of Knights of the Borrowed Dark, and the Doctor Who anthology Twelve Angels Weeping. He enjoys cats, adventure and being cruel to fictional children.

Cat Doyle is the author of several children's books including The Storm Keeper's Island, The Lost Tide Warriors and the forthcoming Christmas novel, The Miracle on Ebenezer Street. She enjoys movies, yoga, and writing about herself in the third person. 

To the Island with Patricia Forde

Event type: Dual language live workshop on zoom 

Age suitability:  1st/2nd class 

Date: Tuesday 6th October

Times: 11-11.30am and 12pm-12.30pm, 1 class per workshop

Book here: librarybookings@dlrcoco.ie

Step 1: Join Patricia to watch the pre-recorded book and music video featuring Patricia’s new picturebook, To the Island (the book is available in both Irish and English) on the class whiteboard.

Step 2: Patricia will then inspire the children to imagine their own mystical island. An interactive workshop full of invention and creativity.   

About the author:

Patricia Forde is an award winning writer from Galway. She writes for all ages and has written both picture books and novels.  She is bi-lingual, writing in English and in Irish. She has written four picture books in Irish and To The Island is her first picture book written in English though also available as Gaeilge. It is illustrated by Nicola Bernardelli. The book was commissioned by Galway 2020 European Capital of Cultureand published byLittle Island. It is based on the legend of Hy Brasil, a mysterious island said to appear off the coast of Galway once every seven years.

Wondrous Shapes, story and art workshop with Ashwin Chacko

Type of event: Pre-recorded video with downloadable activity book

Date: Available from 5th October to 23 October. Please click here.

Video duration 12 minutes 

Suitable for: 1st to 3rd class 

This workshop can be done at the teacher’s chosen time

DOWNLOADABLE ACTIVITY BOOK AVAILABLE TO ACCOMPANY THE WORKSHOP – please download here before the workshop and have a copy available for each child

You will need –paper, markers or colouring pencils

Ashwin has prepared a short 12 minute video workshop around his new book ‘What Wondrous Shapes’, which celebrates shapes of all kinds! 

Watch Ashwin’s pre-recorded video about his new book, ‘What Wondrous Shapes’ and learn how to create characters and animals from shapes. You might even meet a puppet friend!

About the author:

Ashwin Chacko is an illustrator, designer, hand-letterer and writer living and working in Dublin. His first book is called What Wondrous Shapes We Are and can be bought on his website: www.whackochacko.com

Gordon is Back! with Gordon D’Arcy and Paul Howard

Event type: Live webinar on Crowdcast 

Age suitability: 4th class to 6th class (or age 9+) 

Date and Time:  Tuesday 13 October, 10.00-11.00am

Book here: librarybookings@dlrcoco.ie

Join Gordon and Paul as they share their new book, Gordon is Back!

Ask them questions about their books and find out what it takes to be a brilliant rugby player or writer. 

About the authors:

Gordon D'Arcy is a former Leinster, Ireland and Lions rugby player.  He received his first cap in 1999 and played inside centre for most of his career. He was part of teams that won three European Cups, two Six Nations Championships, and the historic Grand Slam of 2009. He retired from rugby in 2015.

Paul Howard is an author, journalist and comedy writer best known as the creator of the Ross O'Carroll-Kelly series. He has won a record four Irish Book Awards and is a former Irish Sports Journalist of Year and Irish Newspaper Columnist of the Year.

Gordon’s Game was both Paul and Gordon’s children’s debut and went straight to Children’s No. 1 in Ireland when it published last year. It was also the bestselling Irish debut children’s fiction book of 2019.

Why the moon travels with Oein De Bhairduin and Leanne McDonagh

Event type: Live event on zoom 

Age suitability 5th/6thclass

Date:  Tuesday 20th Oct, 11am-12pm

Bookings: librarybookings@dlrcoco.ie

Hear how Oein put together his book of Irish Traveller tales, Why the Moon Travels and how Leanne illustrated it. Brave vixens, strong horses, owls that can tell the future – find out about these creatures and also giants and fairies – and draw your own animals in this interactive workshop. 

About the author and illustrator:

Oein DeBhairduin is the manager of an education centre and a long-time board member of several Mincéirí community groups. He loves poetry, writing, and preserving the beauty of Traveller tales. 

Leanne McDonagh began practicing art at Crawford College of Art & Design in 2007 and five years later she graduated with an Honours Degree in Fine Art as well as a Higher Diploma in Art & Design Education.