Fantastic Free Children's Events
at MK Indie Book Fair
Saturday 25 October from 10am
Middleton Hall, centre:mk
Milton Keynes MK9 3EP
Free
Age: all events family friendly - see individual workshops for details
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult
Join us for a day of fantastic free children’s events at the MK Indie Book Fair 2025 in Middleton Hall, centre:mk on Saturday 25 October!
There will be exciting and interactive workshops, readings and storytelling throughout the day, and all the authors’ books will be available in the Children’s Zone in the Book Fair. You can even get your own signed copy! (And there’ll be books for mums and dads too!)
You can book free family places now for the children’s workshops, to enjoy creating characters, learning about recycling and the environment (and a little French too), exploring Daniel Dinosaur's dilemmas, discovering the life of a Mayor’s Bear, sharing Grumpy Rosetta's adventures, or going into space to explore science with Jaz.
Or just come along on the day to join in the fun – we can’t wait to see you there!
11.15am: Character creation workshop with Murray Fisher
(Ages 9 -13)
Learn how to create your own character by writing, drawing or combining both approaches. Discover how Murray Fisher, author of the exciting sci-fi adventure Underlings: The Spark Engine, brings characters to life, with tips on how you can do the same. Go from blank page to believable character in this fun workshop. Will you create a hero, a villain, a human, a mech or something else?
Murray Fisher is a writer and film producer living in the picturesque village of Finchingfield with his wife, daughter, and an unusually large cat. He was shortlisted for Write Mentor’s Flash Fiction competition and longlisted for their Children’s Novel competition in 2021, longlisted for the Times/Chicken House Award in 2022, and longlisted for the Oxford Pushkin Fantasy Prize in 2023. Underlings: The Spark Engine is his debut novel, published in September 2025 by Toller Press Ltd.
More about Murray:
12.00pm: 2Lingual Stories: Let’s Recycle Together!
(Ages 6+)
Join Isabelle Clement for a fun, hands-on bilingual workshop designed for children aged 6 and up! After listening to a story about the environment, children will take part in engaging games and activities on recycling — from colouring re-usable waste to matching items with the right recycling bins. Along the way, they’ll also learn a few French words about recycling and take home a special colouring page as a reminder to care for our planet!
Isabelle Clement is French-British and a passionate advocate for bilingual education. When her children were little, she noticed a lack of bilingual books for young readers. This inspired her to create stories in French and English, which soon expanded into other languages. Today, she writes, edit, and publishes bilingual children’s books in English with French, Somali, German, Arabic, Russian, and Spanish, focusing on language learning, cultural connection, and nurturing curiosity through engaging, meaningful stories.
More about 2Lingual Stories:
12.35pm: Meet Daniel Dinosaur with Stacey Gittens
(All ages)
Explore emotions with Daniel Dinosaur and his friends while unleashing your creativity. There’ll be singing, acting, and designing during this epic, all-ages-welcome, rhyme-time adventure. Visit Stacey Gittens at the Faithful Stories stand before the workshop to snap up related resources, posters, and stickers (while stocks last).
Born in Australia, Stacey Gittens performed on the stage and screen in Australia before becoming a teacher, author, and creative consultant. Her products inspire budding authors/illustrators and especially cater for SEND needs.
More about Stacey:
1.45pm: The Mayor’s Bear - exploring the story with Jon Harvey
(Ages 7 - 11)
Come along to hear the author read some extracts from The Mayor's Bear: a family book about when Mayor Roxie Riverbloom loses her Chain of Office and how a magimistical bear called Strumbold helps her to find it again. It's a story of hope, joy and delicious cake - and about not giving up.
After the reading, we'll explore what you think Town Mayors where you live should be doing. And we'll think about what you hope Mayor Roxie might do next in her town. You can help write her next story!
When Jon Harvey was Mayor of Buckingham, he was asked to open a new school's library. After not finding a book about a Town Mayor that he liked (to read to them), he decided to write one. Now, he visits primary schools and helps the youngsters think about becoming the next generation of local councillors. We also talk lots about teddy bears, kindness and how to write our own stories.
More about Jon:
2.30pm: Introducing Grumpy Rosetta with Juliet Timpson
(Ages 4- 7)
Introducing Grumpy Rosetta, a little witch who does not feel like she fits in - but luckily she stumbles into a world of possibilities. Grumpy Rosetta and the Rainbow Castle is the first story of Rosetta’s adventures - a captivating journey of self discovery, acceptance, family, love and friendship. Interactive storytelling with enthusiasm and props, with colouring sheets of these loveable characters.
Juliet Timpson grew up with a rich world of imaginary stories and her own children benefitted from our family tradition of storytelling. Working in Early years settings for many years allowed her storytelling to continue and Grumpy Rosetta was brought to life. She goes to local primary schools on her day off, dressed as a witch, with her self published books, a bag full of props and a fun filled interactive experience for all.
More about Juliet:
These events are supported by
3.10pm: Guess What with Joan K. Asante
(Ages 4- 10)
Join Joan Asante, author of Guess What, for a fun-filled book reading and children’s colouring session. Guess What follows Jaz, a bright and curious boy whose imagination takes him into space. Blending fun space facts with family warmth, this delightful story celebrates curiosity and discovery. Ideal for children aged 4–10 who love to learn, imagine, and explore through stories, creativity, and hands-on activities.
Joan Asante is the author of Guess What Books and the founder of Bright ideas! Her dream is to inspire and encourage diversity in STEM subjects and in the books we read to our children. Our global society is diverse in culture and people, and more and more books should reflect this.
More about Joan: