4-9 FEBRUARY 2020InterContinental, Dubai Festival City emirateslitfest.com

CHILDREN’S & YOUNG ADULTS’ PROGRAMME

What will I read

tomorrow?

Thursday 6 February008Santa Montefiore and Kate Hindley: The Royal Rabbits of London

16:30 - 17:30Age: 6+ | English | AED 39

Even the smallest rabbit can be a hero with luck, a moist carrot, a wet nose and a slice of mad courage! Hop along and join author Santa Montefiore and illustrator Kate Hindley as they introduce the adventure-packed series The Royal Rabbits of London.

864Let’s Do Drama: Workshop with Julia Johnson

16:30 - 18:00Age: 8-11 | English | AED 149

Is tomorrow beyond your imagination? Perhaps something totally unexpected and surprising will happen, perhaps you’ll make a discovery which could change the world. Tomorrow could be the most important day of your life, so come and join in the drama and be part of tomorrow’s adventure.

There are so many fun-filled sessions every day that the choice can be overwhelming. So here are some top tips for each age group, but check the full programme to see what else is on offer!

Fun for the 7 and under age groupLet’s get the little ones hooked on books as soon as possible! Start your weekend by meeting Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain as she entertains us with her delightful new book My Monster and Me! Oliver Jeffers is a master of illustration and storytelling, so don’t miss his event, and be sure to stay to find out why it doesn’t matter if your hair is curly or straight with Maryam Al Serkal. We have a treat in store for those who love a little marvellous mayhem with their stories! Magic Phil will be entertaining everyone with his blend of fun and storytelling, and there will be more fantastic creativity with Ross Collins, with bears in chairs and other animal antics. Get inspired and join Kate Hindley for a drawing workshop where you can create an original work of art (numbers strictly limited for this one!) and please don’t miss Dubai’s very own Julia Johnson with her latest Lizard and Toad story.

Let’s get reading – inspiring authors for the 7+ age group!Kickstart the weekend with the opening events for children on Thursday 6 February – meet the Royal Rabbits of London, with not just the amazing Santa Montefiore as the author but also the brilliant Kate Hindley as illustrator! A winning combination! Stay and investigate what tomorrow might bring with Julia Johnson’s popular drama workshop and then pop back for the rest of the weekend’s events. So much to keep you busy, from science – Christopher Lloyd with Humanimals and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock’s Grand Tour of the Solar System – to the hysterical adventures of Zanib Mian’s hero Omar, mythological delights with Maz Evans (also look out for writing workshops from Maz and Zanib!) and Roald Dahl-inspired tomfoolery with Rotsome and Repulsant words from performers Fiona Ross and Sara-Jane Arbury. Take time to ponder and draw breath with Lucy Strange and Onjali Q. Raúf, whose awesome storytelling talents will leave you wanting more, and get creative with poetry and art to explore the world around us with Martin Kiszko and Jeannie Baker.

Book your tickets on tickets.emirateslitfest.com for an unforgettable Festival experience for the whole family. There’s lots to enjoy in both Arabic and English — remember to check the session language before you book.

Children below the age of 12 need to be accompanied by an adult. The adult must also purchase a ticket for any standard children’s session, although workshops for younger children include access for an accompanying adult.

Please don’t think we have forgotten our Older Readers and Young Adults!Remember you will love Lucy Strange’s new book, and please don’t miss Tamsin Winter’s wonderful novels and her awe-inspiring characters. Discover Joshua Raven’s thrilling world of 5fingers plus his workshop for aspiring journalists and indulge in Alwyn Hamilton’s world of fantasy – not only her event with Rehan Khan but also a writing workshop.

Children’s sessions Workshops2 3

Children’s sessions Workshops All ages Prize giving4 5

Friday 7 February821Let’s Write a Story: Workshop with Zanib Mian

09:30 - 10:30Age: 9-11 | English | AED 99

How do you start to write a story? And how do you give it a great ending? Zanib Mian is the creator of the Planet Omar series. She has tremendous expertise in crafting a plot and creating a superb story, so come and discover her top tips!

019Oliver Jeffers: Drawing Pictures and Telling Stories

12:00 - 12:45Age: 3+ | English | AED 39

Come and meet award-winning Oliver Jeffers, one of the world’s most-loved authors and illustrators! There will be something for everyone as Oliver entertains his many fans of all ages with stories and live drawing.

049Christopher Lloyd: Humanimal – Incredible Ways Animals are Just Like Us

12:00 - 13:00Age: 6+ | English | AED 39

So you think you’re special because you’re a human? Time to think again! Join author and storyteller Christopher Lloyd on an entertaining journey to discover how slime moulds can help navigate a maze, how rats tickle and laugh out loud, and lots more!

833Building a Fantasy World: Workshop with Alwyn Hamilton

11:00 - 12:00Age: 12-14 | English | AED 99

Would you like to find out how a top writer builds a whole world and makes it credible to the reader? Join Alwyn Hamilton and learn how she achieves this, and take note of her tips to create your own story worlds.

824Creating Headlines: Journalism Workshop with Joshua Raven

12:00 – 13:00Age: 14+ | English | AED 99

Whether you plan a career in journalism or want to improve your writing by learning how journalists work, this is the workshop for you!Using his 5fingers novels as a starting point, Joshua Raven will lead interactive exercises and teach some of the techniques that separate the great reporters from the rest of the press pack.

030Five Fun Ways to Save the World! With Martin Kiszko, BOSH!, Jeannie Baker & Harry and Chris

14:00 - 15:15All ages | English | AED 39

How are we going to protect the environment for future generations? In this lively family-friendly event, international authors share their ideas for long-term solutions that will make the world of tomorrow one we want to live in!

062Zanib Mian: Planet Omar

14:00 - 15:00Age: 7+ | English | AED 39

Zanib Mian is the creator of Omar (who has a huge imagination) and his wonderful family. Join Zanib as she brings her characters to life and discover just why Omar is an Accidental Trouble Magnet, and why being different is a very positive thing!

098Tamsin Winter: Jemima Small Versus The Universe

14:00 - 15:00Age: 11+ | English | AED 39

Have you ever felt that you don’t belong? Have you ever been bullied? How did you cope? Join Tamsin Winter to find out how her characters deal with these issues, and discover just how brilliant a writer she is!

034Maryam Al Serkal: Mira’s Curly Hair

15:30 - 16:15Age: 3+ | English | AED 39

Mira wishes her curly hair was straight like her mama’s, until one day, when the weather is damp, she discovers that maybe she isn’t quite so different from her mother as she thought. Come and find out why it doesn’t really matter whether our hair is dark or light, curly or straight!

830Cooking up a Story Stew: Workshop with Maz Evans

15:30 - 16:30Age: 8-11 | English | AED 99

Everyone can write stories! Creative writing isn’t a mystical art – it is a science with a bit of magic thrown in. Join the talented Maz Evans and discover how to use a basic story structure along with your imagination to celebrate the joy of telling a tale.

Children’s sessions Workshops4

015Nadiya Hussain: My Monster & Me

10:00 - 10:45Age: 4+ | English | AED 39

Join TV presenter, cook and bestselling author Nadiya Hussain for an event featuring her latest picture book My Monster and Me – as well as being great fun this book gives parents the tools they need to talk about anxiety.

Children’s sessions Workshops All ages Prize giving6 7

031Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock: Dr Maggie’s Grand Tour of the Solar System

16:00 - 17:00Age: 7+ | English | AED 39

Visit the magnificent sights and spectacles that outer space has to offer with space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, discovering the planets that surround us, and the moons, asteroids, comets, space stations and satellites that hover beyond the stratosphere.

100Rania Zaghir: Fikriya

18:00 - 19:00Age: 5-7 | Arabic | AED 39

Fikriya wants to write her best story ever, but she can’t think of the perfect idea. As she searches everywhere for inspiration, and discovers so many new possibilities, will she be able to find it? Join writer Rania Zaghir on Fikriya’s journey of exploration.

041Joshua Raven: The Thrilling World of 5fingers

17:00 - 18:00Age: 10+ | English | AED 39

Come and explore the world of 5fingers in the company of its creator, and decide whether you would have as much courage as the characters who fight for freedom against an enemy with a multitude of faces.

099Maria Dadouch: Do You Like Stripes with Spots?

15:30 - 16:30Age: 5-7 | Arabic | AED 39

Abu Malkat can’t bear seeing stripes and spots together. His friend wants to help him see the bigger picture. Will he succeed in changing Abu Malkat’s mind and encouraging him to accept the different things around him? Join author Maria Dadouch to find out!

Descent into darkness

Descent into darkness

JOSHUA RAVEN

1

Adult/Teen Fiction

U.K. £8.99

available

The ultimate David and Goliath story - on a global scale.

In 5fingers: initiation, 16-year-old Rachel Race, is hurled into a world of darkness and mystery and forced to carry out a series of assignments against her will.

As Rachel fights for freedom against an enemy with many faces, can she and budding news reporter Lake Emerson wrestle back control before it’s too late?

This is a book with vast landscapes painted with an artist’s touch, pacey dialogue and well-developed characters who will draw you into their lives and become part of yours.

ABOUT 5FINGERS An explosive, cinematic, plot-driven series of five dystopian thrillers, packed with adventure, action and mystery. In 5fingers, a lonely teen finds herself out of her depth in a supernatural world. The ebb and flow of its intensity will carry you through the pages to its dramatic conclusion.

“WOW!!! Seriously good stuff!! I loved it!”

“This is the next Hunger Games.”

“The whole book is mysterious and exciting. It’s got suspense on almost every page. I like the realistic characters and well-described villains. The book is very detailed and credible.” Dr. David Norris, former English Literature Lecturer.

Saturday 8 February046Taaleem Prize Giving

09:15 - 10:00Open to all | Arabic/English

Join us to celebrate the winners of this year’s Taaleem Award as they receive their prizes from some of our top authors.

081Magic Phil: Magic Phil’s Colourful World of Books

09:15 - 10:00Age: 3+| English | Free

Why does the camel love red while the dog prefers blue? Join Magic Phil, one of Dubai’s best-known entertainers, at an event to get your LitFest day off to an amazingly lively start as he conjures up not only some amazing magical marvels but also some super colourful storytelling!

047Martin Kiszko: Green Poems for a Blue Planet

10:00 - 11:00Age: 8+ | English with sim. Arabic translation | AED 39

From disappearing tigers to lost whales, this performance has it all, and Martin Kiszko, the UK’s Green Poet says, “I hope this show will provoke a thought, raise a smile, start a conversation, spark an idea, turn on a few ‘green lights’ and spur us into action.” Come and be inspired by Martin’s verse for the earth!

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104Rania Zaghir: Drawing with Proverbs

10:00 - 11:00Age: 7-9 | Arabic | AED 39

As a small girl takes us through a day in her life, she needs a big imagination to understand the Emirati proverbs her mother uses to describe her adventures! Rania Zaghir brings the ideas and proverbs in her book to life, and finds fun ways to turn them into drawings.

Children’s sessions Workshops All ages Prize giving8 9

018Onjali Q. Raúf: The Star Outside my Window

12:00 - 13:00Age: 9+ | English | AED 39

Mystery, warmth and humour shine through Onjali Q. Raúf’s writing as she explores topics that are dear to her heart. Join us to hear how she found her inspiration for her novels; ultimately stories about friendship, hope and dealing with adversity.

105Julia Johnson: Stories ofLizard and Toad

11:30 - 12:15Age: 4+ | English | AED 39

Dubai-based Festival favourite Julia Johnson is back! Come along to meet Lizard and Toad and hear about their adventures – they both live in a wadi in the mountains of Arabia; Toad loves to swim in his pool while Lizard prefers to sunbathe, but they both like to eat juicy bugs!

056Jeannie Baker: See the World Through New Eyes

12:00 - 13:00Age: 7+ | English | AED 39

Artist, author and film maker Jeannie Baker takes a look at the world around us, using collage to explore the environment and see it through new eyes. Discover not only Jeannie’s artistic techniques but also her desire to make us look at our world afresh.

058Hussain Al Mutawaa: I Dream of Being a Concrete Mixer

12:00 - 13:00Age: 9+ | Arabic | AED 39

Young dreamer Haddam refuses to listen to the advice of others, and is determined to go ahead with his ambition to become a concrete mixer! Will he succeed? Join Hussain Al Mutawaa as he tells Haddam’s story and inspires you to discover the distinctive qualities of your own character.

059Oxford University Press Story Writing Prize Giving

13:15 - 14:00Open to all | Arabic/English

Join us to celebrate the winners of this year’s Oxford University Press Story Writing Competition as they receive their prizes from some of our top authors.

060Roald Dahl’s Rotsome and Repulsant Words: Fiona Ross & Sara-Jane Arbury

14:00 - 15:00Age: 7+ | English | AED 39

Calling all human beans! Join word wizards Sara-Jane Arbury and Fiona Ross and get ready to be goose-gruggled and fluckgungled with gobblefunk as you discover Roald Dahl’s redunculously rude and rotsome words!

055Maz Evans: The Who Let the Gods Out Show

10:00 - 11:00Age: 10+ | English | AED 39

Maz Evans presents a fun-filled family fiasco as she introduces Greek Mythology – as you’ve never seen it before. The show is both entertaining and educational, so look no further for an epic dose of mythological mayhem!

841Drawing Story Characters:Workshop with Simar Halwany

10:00 - 11:00Age: 6+ | Arabic | AED 59

Join Simar Halwany in an adventure with her friends Lina and Boo and experience a magical world of beautiful creatures, shapes and colours. Set your imagination and creativity free while turning simple geometric shapes into friendly characters like Boo, with his cheerful colours and laughter.

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107Lucy Strange: Our Castle by the Sea

15:00 - 16:00Age: 9+ | English | AED 39

Join Lucy Strange as she talks about her latest gripping novel Our Castle by the Sea. In an entertaining and enthralling event, discover the inspiration for her latest story, set in Second World War England, where fate, family, myth and adventure combine to keep the reader turning the pages.

852Listen and Draw: Workshop with Raouf Karray

16:30 - 17:30Age: 9+ | Arabic | AED 59

Unleash your imagination in this art-filled workshop. Illustrator Raouf Karray will teach you how to draw by listening to a moving piece of music, and capturing your impressions of it spontaneously on paper.

859Crafting a Successful Mystery: Workshop with Fatima Sharafeddine

16:30 - 17:30Age: 10+ | Arabic | AED 99

Are you into writing mystery and thrillers? In this workshop, Fatima Sharafeddine will guide you through identifying the structure and timeline of your story, then show you how to create the characters, develop the plot, reveal the evidence, and reach a thrilling conclusion.

090Alwyn Hamilton & Rehan Khan: A Fantastical Writing Conversation

16:30 - 17:30Age: 12+ | English | AED 39

Alwyn Hamilton created the epic Rebel of the Sands series, where campfire stories inspire adventure but danger is always close at hand. Rehan Khan features characters who face mystery and conspiracy on a quest to locate a fabled suit of armour. Join these two authors to discover how they build their worlds of adventure and derring-do!

025Ross Collins: Animal Antics!

14:00 - 15:00Age: 4+ | English | AED 39

Award-winning author and illustrator Ross Collins is here to talk about Bears, Chairs, Tigers, Dogs and all sorts of nonsense. Draw along with Ross as he tries to remember what an anteater eats. Warning: this event may get very silly.

850Have Fun with Drawing: Workshop with Kate Hindley

13:30 - 14:30Age: 5-7 | English | AED 99

Do you love to draw? So does Kate Hindley! Come along and have fun with the illustrator of The Royal Rabbits of London series, and many fantastic picture books, including the wonderful Treacle Street. Creative fun is guaranteed – numbers are limited for this interactive workshop, so book soon!

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