A new chapter for young readers as Bovey Tracey launches its first children’s Book Festival

Bovey Tracey may be best known for its craft heritage, but this spring the town is turning the spotlight firmly onto stories. On Saturday 14 March 2026, the town will host the inaugural Bovey Book Fest, a brand-new children’s book festival designed to celebrate the joy of reading and inspire young imaginations aged 4 to 14.

Running from 10am to 5pm across two venues, the one-day festival brings together award-winning authors and illustrators from across the UK alongside local writers, libraries and community groups. With ticketed author sessions, hands-on activities and a free community programme, the festival aims to make reading accessible, exciting and social for families.

The festival is the brainchild of First Draft Books, Bovey Tracey’s independent bookshop, working in partnership with The Rebel Reading Society. For shop owner Leslie Leggett, the idea grew directly out of conversations with young customers.

Inspired by the enthusiasm of local children and recognising a lack of literary events for young readers in the region, First Draft Books decided it was time to create something new. As Leslie puts it:

“2026 is the National Year of Reading. I can think of no better way to celebrate and share the love of reading with our community than to get together with friends and family and some of the most engaging, creative storytellers in the UK.”

The main speaker programme will take place at Wickham Hall on Ashburton Road, hosting a packed schedule of talks, readings and interactive sessions throughout the day. Among the headline guests are Devon-based duo Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre, who will be launching the eighth book in their hugely popular Adventuremice series. Reeve, best known for Mortal Engines and Here Lies Arthur, and McIntyre, creator of Grumpycorn and Dinosaur Firefighters, now live locally and often dream up new stories while hiking on Dartmoor.

Also appearing is Mikey Please, the BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated animator behind Robin Robin, who will introduce children to the richly imaginative worlds of The Café at the Edge of the Woods and The Cave Downwind of the Café. Serena Patel, author of the award-winning Anisha, Accidental Detective series, will unveil her new Pia’s Pet Club books in an interactive, pet-themed session, while Zohra Nabi, bestselling author of The Kingdom Over the Sea and Deep Dark, will help young readers craft their own stories inspired by local legends. Rounding out the line-up is cartoonist Neill Cameron, creator of Mega Robo Bros and Donut Squad, bringing comics, chaos and creativity to the festival programme.

James, founder of The Rebel Reading Society, says the partnership reflects a shared mission to put reading back at the heart of children’s lives:

“We are super excited to be working in partnership with First Draft Books and to put on such an exciting day for young readers. Our line-up consists of some of the best children’s authors in the UK and we have created a programme that will leave all young people and their families totally inspired to read more books. Never before has promoting reading been so important and we hope that our festival will help support The National Year of Reading campaign and bring huge amounts of reading positivity to Devon.”

Alongside the ticketed events, a free community space will run from 10am to 4pm at the Bovey Tracey Cricket Club Pavilion on Newton Road. Families can drop in to enjoy storytelling sessions with local children’s authors, including Luke Marchant, Erin Allgrove, Anthea Simmons, Clive Pig and Jenny Moore, as well as book-themed crafts with Bovey Tracey Library, interactive community projects and a festival bookstall.

Tickets for the speaker sessions are priced at £3 per person per session (plus booking fees), while all community events are free and open to all. The festival has been made possible with support from Teignbridge District Council, Bovey Futures, the Bovey Tracey Almshouse Trust and the Bovey Tracey Cricket Club.

As the National Year of Reading seeks to reverse a decline in reading among children and adults alike, Bovey Book Fest offers a timely reminder that stories are best shared together, in halls, pavilions and communities where imagination can flourish.