The Hong Kong International Young Readers Festival 2014 returns… bookworms, this one’s for you!

As mamas, we all know how important it is to get the kiddos reading, so that’s why we can’t wait for the Hong Kong International Young Readers Festival -the only English-language literary festival for kids in Hong Kong. Designed for children up to fourteen years old, the festival not only encourages children to read through fun and interactive events, but also invites amazing authors from all over the world to join in the fun!

This year the festival will feature some fabulous authors (that children love!) such as Isobelle Carmody, Alan Gibbons, Isabelle Demenge and our personal favourite, Morris Gleitzman! This Aussie author, whose loveable and laughable ‘Toad’ series has made him super popular among little ones, will be on hand with the other fantastic authors for workshops, talks and signings. Local Hong Kong talent will also be showcased, with poetry pro Jennifer Wong and the talented Reenita Malhotra Hora of RTHK taking part in the festival too.

With a fantasy genre theme, the festival will celebrate all things science fiction… so get ready to unleash their imaginations! Ignite your child’s creativity and love of reading at this fabulous event that will be full of family-friendly activities, storytelling and writing workshops. We can’t wait to get our Morris Gleitzman books signed…

We’re such fans of this event we decided we just had to snag some tickets for our Sassy Mamas and their little literary critics! We’ve managed to bag a pair of tickets for the Fun with Collage Poetry Workshop for the kids, and another pair for the Growing With Your Children Panel Discussion for the mamas!

One festival highlight comes in the form of a talk by Alan Gibbons at sky100, ICC on 17 March from 5.30 to 6.30pm. Hosted at the top of Hong Kong’s tallest building, there’s good news in that the usual entrance fees of HK$168/HK$118 (adult/child) have been waived!

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is email [email protected]… remember, it’s one ticket per person! The closing date is Friday 7 March 2014, and the winners will be announced on 11 March 2014. If you’re lucky enough to win, simply collect the tickets on the day at Cyberport Conference & Exhibition Centre!

All the details…

Fun with Collage Poetry (for 5 to 7 years) – Workshop
Learn how to make connections between sound, language and visual experience through the creation of collage art! Jennifer Wong will use interesting materials like stickers, cut-out words and phrases associated with local culture and places.

When: 15 March, 11.30am
Where: Cyberport Conference & Exhibition Centre, Pok fu lam, Hong Kong

Growing With Your Children (For Parents) – Panel Discussion
Join authors Monica Lim, Reenita Malhotra and Theadora Whittington as they share their experiences and family stories about the parent-child relationship with Crystal Kwok from RTHK Radio 3.

When: 15 March, 3.30pm
Where: Cyberport Conference & Exhibition Centre, Pokfulam, Hong Kong