09h00 – 09h30
Refiloe Moahloli
Best-selling picture book author Refiloe Moahloli is always fun and entertaining as she reads from her much-loved South African bestsellers, How Many Ways Can You Say Goodbye and We Are One.
Age: 3 – 6
Bridget Krone
Small Mercies is a beautiful middle grade novel about an orphaned little girl living in Pietermaritzburg with her eccentric foster aunts in a run-down house. When a strange new lodger arrives he teaches Mercy to stand up for herself and speak her truth.
Age: 8 – 12
Dr Judy Dlamini and Lebohang Masango
What makes a person achieve great things? From Gloria Serobe to Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Zanele Mbeki and Sizwe Nxasana – the 24 leaders in Grow To Be Great were once African children like you, with big dreams for their futures. Learn what made them who they are and how you too, can grow to be great! Facilitated by Sewela Langeni, co-owner of Book Circle Capital.
Age: 7 – 17
09h40 – 10h10
Megan Furniss
Catch The Big Bird Battle, a hilarious rhyming story of two rival gangs – the Hard Hadedas and the Foul Guinea Fowl. Every day the rival birds harass and challenge each other and their noisy scuffles cause a disruption until, finally, they meet their match.
Age: 4 – 8
Emily House
Wherever Bon Bon goes, her beloved blanket goes too. But what happens when a cheeky dog decides he likes her blanket just as much? Poor Bon Bon is in tears and it looks like a disaster but clever dad has the answer! Bonbon and Blanket will charm little readers.
Age: 3 – 6
Jaco Jacobs
South Africa’s ever popular author, Jaco Jacobs will be reading from his bestselling book Grandpa Zombie. Jaco’s books are packed with humour and adventure – and they’re guaranteed to get middle graders reading.
Age: 9 – 12
10h20 – 10h50
Johan Marais
Sssssnakes alive! This is going to be fun. Join Johan Marais, reptile expert and author of many books including Kid’s Snakes of Southern Africa, and a few of his snake friends to learn everything about snakes and how to identify them. Facilitated by Kingsmead Director of Marketing, Alex Bouche.
Age: 5 – 13
Lori-Ann Preston
3 -2 – 1- blast off! In Thabo the Space Dude Log Book 2, Thabo and his family are on their way to Mars. And there’s a chance his two best friends have managed to slip onto the rocket ship too! Asteroids, liquid pizzas and crash landings – you just know there’s going to be trouble. And that’s before the aliens arrive!
Age: 6 – 9
Lebohang Masango and Prof. Claudine Storbeck
In the sequel to Mpumi’s Magic Beads, Mpumi, a hearing girl, meets Jabu, a deaf boy. They learn that even though we are all different, we are also the same in many ways. We love playing and reading, we love smiling and helping our family and friends. Everything about us makes us special. Prof. Claudine Storbeck will sign while Mpumi and Jabu’s Magical Day is read. Facilitated by Tina Akuoko of Ethnikids.
Age: 5 – 8
11h00 – 12h00
How to be a Writer and Self-publish
Do you want to write a book? Come listen to teen author Emily Briggeman, and picture book author Jacqui Wilmot sharing their stories of writing and self-publication. Learn from their tips and advice to decide if this is the path for you. Vanessa Wilson, Publishing Director of Quickfox Publishing will be on hand to offer advice. Facilitated by Amy Heydenrych
Age: 8 – 18
Illustration Workshop with Rob Biddulph
During lockdown, UK author and illustrator Rob Biddulph ran weekly online drawing classes called #DrawWithRob that became so popular, one of his classes made the Guinness Book of Records for the world’s largest online art lesson with 45,611 participants drawing a whale together! Now you can join in the fun too – all you need is a pen and paper!
Age: 4 – 11
Christopher Lloyd’s Britannica All New Children’s Encyclopaedia Quiz Show
Test your knowledge while learning mind-blowing new facts! Based on The Britannica All New Children’s Encyclopedia, this is an interactive, inclusive learning quiz for the whole family from tweens up. Are you ready? Let’s see how well you can do!
Age: 8 – 16
12h10 – 13h10
Sally Partridge
Sally Partridge, award-winning author of Sea Star Summer, a sensitive and empowering story of a young girl discovering her sexual identity will join celebrated clinical psychologist Pam Tudin, to discuss dating in your teens, navigating relationships while finding yourself and why it’s OK not to know what you want right now.
Age: 13+
Sam Beckbessinger
Should you start saving right now? Or should you buy that new jacket? How can you plan for your bright future if you have no financial education? In How to Manage Your Money Like A Grown Up – Teens, best-selling author, Sam Beckbessinger is on a mission to get teens to learn about the basics of money – from making it, spending it, saving it and sharing it.
Age: 12+
Soman Chainani
All the rumours are true – bestselling author of the phenomenally popular School for Good and Evil series, Soman Chainani will be talking exclusively to Branden Grant, Deputy Manager at Exclusive Books Canal Walk and bookstagrammer at readersplayground. Find out all about the upcoming Netflix series, who his favourite characters are, what he eats for breakfast, and more!
Age 10+
