Stellar lineup planned for Children and Young People’s Literature Festival

The Children’s and Young People’s Literature Festival is set to return to Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum this autumn, with some of the UK’s most loved authors including Kate Mosse and Caryl Lewis scheduled to take part.

Taking place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October 2025, the two-day festival will feature storytelling and story-making sessions in both English and Welsh, offering families, schools, and young readers the opportunity to engage with a wide range of contemporary authors and illustrators from Wales and across the UK.

Headlining this year’s programme is bestselling novelist and founder of the Women’s Prizes, Kate Mosse. She will be joined by Manon Steffan Ros, winner of the 2023 Carnegie Medal; Alex Wharton, poet, performer and current Children’s Laureate Wales, and Hanan Issa, National Poet of Wales.

The programme also includes Caryl Lewis, multiple winner of the Literature Wales Book of the Year Award; Lesley Parr, winner of the Tir na n-Og Award (2022, 2024) and Wales Children’s Book of the Year (2023); and 2025 Tir na n-Og winners Claire Fayers and Liz Hyder.

Acclaimed authors

Joining them are a host of other award-winning and prolific children’s and young adult authors, including: Meleri Wyn James, Rebecca F. John, Huw Lewis-Jones, Lee Newbery, Angie Roberts, Emma Smith Barton, Sion Tomos Owen, Darren Chetty and Helen and Thomas Docherty. Together, they will deliver an inspiring programme designed to spark creativity and encourage a lifelong love of books and reading.

In addition to author events, the festival will host free drop-in creative stations each day between 11am and 3pm. Activities will include colouring, story writing, bookmark making, drawing, and face painting. No booking is required for these sessions.

The festival is organised by Swansea University’s Cultural Institute and DylanED programme, in partnership with the Rhys Davies Trust, Storyopolis, Cover to Cover, and Literature Wales’ Inspiring Communities Fund.

Excitement builds

Dr Elaine Canning, Director of the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize and DylanED educational programme, said: “I am delighted that we’re bringing the second edition of the children’s and young people’s literature festival back to Swansea this October.

“With a fantastic line-up of the very best authors from across Wales and the rest of the UK, we’re looking forward to welcoming families and friends to an exciting weekend of storytelling, story making, creative stations and much more.

“Special thanks to all our partners and Swansea University student interns for making this possible through shared vision, passion and energy.”

The Children’s Literature festival is organised by Swansea University’s Cultural Institute and DylanED programme in partnership with Save the Children Cymru, the Rhys Davies Trust, Storyopolis, Cover to Cover and Austin Bailey Foundation.

The aim of this free event is to enable children of all ages to access the wonderful world of words so that they can reach their full potential. For some children this is not always possible, especially with nearly 1 in 4 children currently living in poverty in Wales.  Save the Children, Swansea University’s DylanEd programme and Storyopolis have a range of innovative educational programmes in Swansea and South Wales which focus on reducing inequality and improving the outcomes for all children.

Collaborative project

Dr Pam Muirhead, a longstanding member of the branch for nearly half a century and also the brainchild behind Save the Children’s annual flagship fundraiser Christmas Jumper Day recalls some of the projects which benefited children directly in Swansea.

“Over the years we’ve organised and funded children’s parties held in various communities and also worked with Gypsy and Traveller families in supplying educational resources to the children. Other highlights include a concert at the Brangwyn Hall in 1984 in the presence of HRH Princess Anne, President of Save the Children which raised £47,000 for the Ethiopian famine; and when Mumbles-born Hollywood actress Catherine Zeta Jones took part in the ‘Skip Lunch Campaign’ with Welsh international rugby player Bleddyn Bowen.

“As part of our 50^th anniversary we held a Ball in the Liberty Stadium and raised over £20,000 towards building a new school in the rural township of Kingsville in Liberia, helping children there achieve their dreams.”

Melanie Simmonds, head of Save the Children Cymru added: “Throughout the summer we’ve heard from families who are struggling to give their children the summer they would like, with the costs of days out, food and transport all huge barriers to creating important childhood moments.  We are also very concerned about the impossible choices families will have to make this coming winter which will leave many children cold and hungry, making it even more difficult for them to concentrate and learn at school.

“This Children’s Literature Festival is part of a brilliant collaborative project, that will give children and their families a chance to take part in some fun activity sessions and meet fantastic authors. We’re extremely grateful to all involved for their hard work in making this happen.”

Tickets for the event and author sessions will be available from 4 September.

View the full programme and booking details for author events.