The lineup for the first ever Kingston Children’s Literary Festival has been announced.

Children’s authors will be giving readings at locations such as Bentalls and Kingston Library, including comedian Olaf Falafel reading his best-selling Father Christmas Heard a Parp.

Run by Visit Kingston, a programme by the business improvement district Kingston First, the free events are hoped to encourage people to discover the town as a destination for cultural events.

The festival has been designed to appeal to children up to age 12, and begins this Saturday, November 16.

The full list of events is as follows.

Saturday, November 18

  • Ross Montgomery, Christmas Dinner of Souls
  • Irena Brignull, The Hawkweed Prophecy

Thursday, November 23

  • Pete Johnson, How to update your parents
  • Stacey Turner, I am going to nursery

Saturday, December 2

  • Olaf Falafel, Father Christmas Heard a Parp
  • Doodles and Scribbles, Parrots Don’t Live in the City!
  • Katherine Webber, Wing Jones
  • Lotte Moore, Scooter Fun

Thursday, December 7

  • Tom McLaughlin, The Accidental Father Christmas
  • Maudie Powell-Tuck, Last Stop on the Reindeer Express

Saturday, December 9

  • Katherine Woodfine, The Midnight Peacock
  • Jeremy Davies, The Advent Calendar
  • A. Bello, Emily Knight…I am awakened

Saturday, December 16

  • Piers Torday, There May Be a Castle
  • Christian Darkin, The Present Machine

All events are free, but tickets must be booked in advance at visitkingston.co.uk/events, where you can see a full list of locations and times.