Stroud Book Festival Schools’ Days 2026
Wednesday 4th November: 2 events for KS2 children
Thursday 5th November: 3 events for KS2 children
Friday 6th November: 3 events for KS1 children
Kindly sponsored by
We are delighted to share the exciting line-up for Stroud Book Festival’s Schools’ Days 2026. This year, we are delighted to offer three days of inspiring events at Stroud Subscription Rooms.
Tickets go on sale on Monday 6 July. We encourage schools to book early as most events sold out very quickly last year.
Tickets: £5 per child per event
To book tickets and for further information, please email Bev at The Sub Rooms - bev@thesubrooms.co.uk.
When booking tickets, please include details of the event you'd like to book, the number of children and accompanying adults, and any access requirements.
You can book in-person tickets secure in the knowledge that if you need to cancel in-person tickets for any reason, we will offer you the opportunity to transfer your tickets to digital access. Our in-person ticket booking cancellation policy is below.
Digital only pass: £35 per class per event
While we’re very happy to invite students to join us for live events in The Sub Rooms, we also understand that many schools are not able to join us in person. So we are once again pleased to offer you the opportunity to join us virtually for our live stream instead with the option to rewatch your event for the remainder of the school year!
To purchase digital passes, please email shannon@stroudbookfestival.org.uk, telling us which events you would like to stream, and we will forward payment information, a book list and then streaming links to view on Vimeo.
Read on for details of our fantastic 2026 line-up:
Wednesday 4th November: 2 events for KS2 children
THE GALILEO HEIST
With SAM SEDGMAN
Wednesday 4th November - 11.30am – 12.30pm (Years 3-6)
.Unlock your inner mystery-solver and discover the secrets of science in this interactive fact-packed event as we welcome bestselling author and confirmed nerd Sam Sedgman.
He’ll be uncovering the incredible science that shapes our world and explaining how the magic of light and eclipses inspired his latest book, the third adventure in the Isaac Turner Investigates series. “The Galileo Heist” sees Isaac's summer in Italy go horribly wrong when he becomes embroiled in a heist to clear his grandfather's name.
Mixing STEM topics with a gripping, fast-paced adventure, don’t miss this accessible, fun and friendly introduction to science for the next generation of inventors.
DRACULA & DAUGHTERS
With EMMA CARROLL
Wednesday 4th November - 1.30 – 2.30pm (Years 4-6)
Returning to Stroud Book Festival for the second time, we’re delighted to welcome the brilliant Emma Carroll to present her spellbinding, deliciously new gothic adventure “Dracula & Daughters: School for Slayers” in which her heroines, Mina, Buffy and Bella are called on to investigate a string of strange events at the prestigious Poisonwood School for Boys.
In this interactive event, Emma will treat us to a fang-tastic delve into the dark beginnings of the vampire myth, and share the gothic inspirations - including books, movies, and stories- behind “Dracula & Daughters”. Expect castles, graveyards, garlic and… the unexpected!
Thursday 5th November: 3 events for KS2 children
SOLD OUT
JUMP INTO THE WORLD OF POETRY
With JOSEPH COELHO
Thursday 5th November - 9.30 – 10.30am (Years 3-6)
Jump into the spell-binding world of spoken word poetry in this ghoulish and giggling event with award-winning children’s author and former Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho.(opens in new tab)
In this interactive session, you’ll be wowed by performances from Joseph as he brings you delightful rhymes from his latest poetry compendiums, including “Spooky Poems Aloud: 25 Poems to Frighten and Delight” and "Rapunzel is a Lettuce: Poems to Grow With". You’ll then get to put your own rhyming skills to the test and create your very own tongue twisters, learning how to recite poems loudly across the room, and also softly, in a friend’s ear.
You’ll soon be writing poems that jump off the page and into your mouth!
Digital passes for this event are still available. Please contact shannon@stroudbookfestival.org.uk for further information.
HOW NOT TO BE A PIRATE
With JENNY PEARSON
Thursday 5th November - 11.30am – 12.30pm (Years 3-6)
Cutlasses at the ready for a fun, action-packed event where you'll discover if you have what it takes to be a pirate – or not!
We welcome author, pirate expert and winner of the Laugh Out Loud Book Award, Jenny Pearson who’ll transport you on a hilarious swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, based on her latest book, “How Not to Be a Pirate: The Trouble With Curses”.
Can you survive cursed treasure, rival crews, cannon-blasting battles and booby-trapped islands? Jenny will challenge your pirate knowledge as you go head-to-head in this ultimate gruesome pirate quiz.
ATTACK OF THE SEADOGS
With M G LEONARD
Thursday 5th November - 1.30 – 2.30pm (Years 3-6)
Join multi award-winning author M. G. Leonard for an interactive event perfect for adventure, enthusiasts, budding historians and time travellers alike.
She’ll take us back in time to the year 1587 with her new book “Attack of the Sea Dogs” which combines swashbuckling adventure with thrilling time travel.
With the Spanish Armada threatening, we’ll follow Sim and his friends, Jeopardy and Nelson as they find themselves in very dangerous territory aboard Sir Francis Drake's ship, the Elizabeth Bonaventure. Trapped, the three friends must navigate explosive sea battles and a mysterious masked mercenary, before they can attempt to return to Tudor London and their original mission to search for Sim's father.
Friday 6th November: 3 Events for KS1
THE MAP OF ME
With NICOLA DAVIES
Friday 6th November - 9.30 – 10.30am (Years 1-3)
Discover how maps help us to navigate our way round, help us navigate in time, and can also shape the way we see the future!
We’re delighted to welcome award-winning author and Children’s Laureate for Wales, Nicola Davies as she shares her new book “The Map of Me”, a gentle story about moving, making connections and mapping a better world.
A little girl has moved a long way to a new city. She can't find the way to school or the trees in the park; and worst of all her beloved Granny and pet dog are far away on the other side of the world. But then maps come to her rescue!
WONDERFUL ANIMAL TALES
With PETR HORÁČEK
Friday 6th November - 11.30am – 12.30pm (Years 1-3)
Award-winning author and illustrator Petr Horáĉek is a regular visitor to Stroud Book Festival, and this year he’s back with another brilliant event full of animal magic.
This time Petr introduces us to the wonderful world of animals who star in his picture books, including Greedy Goat, Elephant, the Bears; and also Snail and Green Hippo from his newest ones, “A Surprise for Snail” and “Green Hippo”.
Expect an event full of fun, live drawing and plenty of stories as Petr reveals how he makes his books, and the animals that inspire him to write and illustrate them.
SOLD OUT
DRAW WITH ROB
With ROB BIDDULPH
Friday 6th November - 1.30pm – 2.30pm (Years 1-3)
We’re thrilled to welcome to Stroud Book Festival, the awesome Rob Biddulph(opens in new tab), multi award-winning author and illustrator, and the creative force behind the viral #DrawWithRob phenomenon.
In this fabulous, fun-packed event, Rob will tell us about his latest books including “South”, a heart-warming tale in which you’ll soar to faraway lands with a migrating flock of geese; and “When I Grow Up I’d Like to Be” which explores all the many things you can be when you’re older.
You'll learn about Rob's journey as a children's book creator and this fantastic event will also feature a live episode of Draw With Rob during which everyone will learn how to draw one of his amazing illustrations.
Digital passes for this event are still available. Please contact shannon@stroudbookfestival.org.uk for further information.
BOOKS
A range of books by all our Schools’ Days authors will be available to buy from Yellow-Lighted Bookshop, either in person at the Sub Rooms or online. They provide pre-orders online and can deliver signed pre-ordered books directly to schools after the event, if schools are unable to stay for a book signing.
For further information, please contact Hereward Corbett at Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: schools@ylbooks.co.uk
ABOUT OUR KIND SPONSOR
The Authors Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) is a not-for-profit organisation started by writers, for writers. It campaigns to ensure authors’ rights are recognised in the UK, the EU and internationally. It also produces a wealth of resources for schools which aim to educate young people about copyright: what it means, what it does, and how it benefits creators, readers and viewers. For further information, please see www.alcs.co.uk
SCHOOLS' DAY CANCELLATION POLICY
If you need to cancel your in-person tickets after receiving your formal booking confirmation, we will offer you the opportunity to transfer your tickets to digital access or the following charges will apply:
- Cancellations made on or before 4 October 2026 – Your school will be charged 50% of the total cost of your order.
- Cancellations made after 16 October 2026 – Your school will be charged 100% of the total cost of your order.
The only exception to these charges is if another school on the waiting list is able to take up your tickets.
Invoices must be paid in full before attending Stroud Book Festival Schools’ Day.
If you have any questions, please contact: shannon@stroudbookfestival.org.uk or bev@thesubrooms.co.uk.