MK Schools Lit Fest
Tuesday 7 October 2025
9.00am - 3.30pm; Free
Thornton College, Thornton,
Milton Keynes MK17 0HJ
(NB: Event open only to pre-booked school parties)
For more information and to book your school's place, contact Jo Scott at Thornton College.
Thornton College will be hosting the second MK Schools Lit Fest on Tuesday 7 October, giving students from visiting primary and secondary schools the opportunity to meet amazing authors and revel in the wonders of words, language and stories! We're delighted to be collaborating with them - and with Waterstones Milton Keynes - to bring writers and their books into classrooms and into young lives.
9.15am: Years 1-2
Steve Cole – Astrosaurs: Mission to Infinity
Blast Off with the Astrosaurs with bestselling author Steve Cole!
Join us for a laugh-a-minute, high energy, ukulele-accompanied event to celebrate the launch of Astrosaurs: Mission to Infinity, the all-new graphic novel reimagining the iconic Astrosaurs series loved by millions. Steve will share songs, stories and secret writing tips to help you leap into new adventures in creative writing!
Steve Cole is the bestselling author of over 200 books, of which sales exceed three million copies. As well ass the hugely successful Astrosaurs series, his original fiction includes titles for Doctor Who, the Young Bond series and Swarm Rising, co-authored with astronaut Tim Peake. Steve lives and works in Buckinghamshire.
More about Steve:
10am: Years 3-6
Nat Harrison – The Girl Who Raced the World
Are you ready to race around the globe? Join Nat Harrison, author of the brilliant The Girl Who Raced the World, as she takes you on a thrilling literary voyage inspired by Jules Verne’s classic adventure Around the World in Eighty Days. Discover the magic of exploration, travel, and friendship, and find out what inspired Nat to weave together one of the greatest adventure stories of all time with relatable characters. Write your own adventures and imagine new globe trotting journeys!
Nat Harrison was born on the tiny volcanic island of Ascension, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. She spent her childhood having adventures in England and Hong Kong and has since journeyed to every continent except Antarctica (it's next on the list). She's based in Richmond but can usually be found exploring with her husband, and her best dog Shadow, who loves a good story. The one constant across continents is Nat's love of reading and writing (and living!) adventure stories.
More about Nat:
11.15am: Years 7-9
Bex Hogan – Nettle and Owl King
Join author Bex Hogan for an event steeped in faery tales and folklore as she introduces you to Nettle and Owl King, stories packed with glittering beauty, deception, and trickery.
Learn all about some of the most fascinating Cornish folktales and uncover the lesser-told history of faery tales and their forgotten origins. With a captivating knowledge of all things folklore, Bex will transport you to the Faery Realms – and you’ll never want to leave.
Bex Hogan has always loved fantasy and faery tales, particularly the dangerous and unsettling ones which left her feeling thrilled and scared. Writing her stories down was a natural progression and she enjoys sharing her time between the real world and escaping to her imagination. A Cornish girl at heart, Bex now lives in Cambridgeshire with her family. She has previously published the Isles of Storm and Sorrow trilogy and Black Heat with Hachette. Nettle and Owl King are her first faery tales in the new Faery Realms series.
More about Bex:
1.30pm: Years 10-13
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn – The Re-Write
What does it take to make a career telling the stories you’ve longed to read but never seen in print? British-Nigerian writer Lizzie Damilola Blackburn has done exactly that, publishing bestselling Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? followed by this year’s The Re-Write. Her positive stories explore the challenges of family, social media, self-confidence, young carers, masculinity, romance and more, all with a witty and heartfelt voice.
From finding inspiration in her charity work and everyday life, and getting a publishing deal to overcoming the difficulties of writing a second book after a bestselling debut, Lizzie shares the rollercoaster of her career so far.
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn is a British-Nigerian charity worker turned author who grew up in south London and now lives with her husband and young son in Milton Keynes. Yinka, Where is your Huzband? was selected by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai as a Literati book club pick, and by Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson as one of her top five books that made a difference. Lizzie was also a runner-up for a Diverse Book Award in 2023.
More about Lizzie: