Children's Conference Programme

09:00 - 09:30

MorningBreakfast

09:30 - 09:35

MorningOpening Remarks

Speakers

Molly Flatt

children's conference programmer

The Bookseller

09:35 - 09:50

MorningKEYNOTE: Reading rights

Speakers

Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Waterstones children's laureate 2024-2026

09:50 - 10:10

MorningKEYNOTE: Winning kids back

Speakers

Rebecca McNally

publishing director, children's books

Bloomsbury

10:10 - 10:20

MorningKEYNOTE: Publishers and the reading for enjoyment challenge

Speakers

Caroline Cummins

director of policy & public Affairs

Publisher's Association

10:20 - 10:40

MorningKEYNOTE: Downs and ups - the children's market 2024

Speakers

Philip Stone

senior insight analyst

Nielsen BookData

10:40 - 11:00

MorningKEYNOTE: Changing the mix

Speakers

Jasmine Richards

founder & ceo

Storymix

11:00 - 11:30

MorningTea Break

11:30 - 12:00

Stream 1IN CONVERSATION: The booksellers

Speakers

Nick Campbell

children's campaign manager

Waterstones

Sanchita Basu De Sarkar

owner

Children's Bookshop, Muswell Hill

11:30 - 12:00

Stream 2IN CONVERSATION: The indie publishers

Speakers

Sanjee de Silva

publisher

Sweet Cherry Publishing

Jenny Broom

co-founder & publisher

Magic Cat Publishing

Jasleen Saran

pr manager

Books2Door

Rachel Williams

co-founder & publisher

Magic Cat Publishing

12:05 - 12:20

Stream 2CASE STUDY: Campaign for Little People, BIG DREAMS: Taylor Swift

Speakers

Christopher Ransom

head of children's campaigns

The Quarto Group

Meg Fowler

children’s campaigns manager

The Quarto Group

12:05 - 12:20

Stream 1CASE STUDY: The Reappearance of Rachel Price

Speakers

Emily Sommerfeld

senior marketing manager

Farshore

Olivia Carson

marketing director

Farshore

12:20 - 13:00

Stream 2PANEL: Unleashing purpose-led picture books

Speakers

Dapo Adeola

author & illustrator

Elorine Grant

art director

HarperCollins Children's Books

Helen Weir

senior commissioning editor

Two Hoots

Kiran Satti

deputy principal

Oasis Academy Woodview

12:20 - 13:00

Stream 1PANEL: What next for YA?

Speakers

Ali Dougal

Publishing director

Simon & Schuster Children's Books

Anissa de Gomery

C.e.o and co-founder

FairyLoot

Holly McLoughlin

campaign manager

The Pitch Agency

Lex Croucher

author

13:00 - 14:00

AfternoonLunch

14:00 - 14:40

Stream 1PANEL: Capitalising on audio

Speakers

Jessica Tarrant

Content director

Yoto

Carla Herbertson

co-founder & director

Small Wardour

Kelli Fairbrother

co-founder and c.e.o

xigxag

Rebecca Lundgren

co-founder

Voxblock

14:00 - 14:40

Stream 2PANEL: Reimagining kids events

Speakers

Rachel Fox

children & schools programme director

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Rebekah Polding

c.e.o

Discover Children's Story Centre

Sofia Akel

founder & managing director

Free Books Campaign

Syima Aslam

ceo & artistic director

Bradford Literature Festival

14:40 - 14:50

Stream 1CASE STUDY: Using digital to get people reading

Speakers

Mark Thornton

bookshop partnership manager

Bookshop.org

14:40 - 14:50

Stream 2CASE STUDY: South Asian Book Festival

Speakers

Sanchita Basu De Sarkar

owner

Children's Bookshop, Muswell Hill

Sinéad Gosai

co-founder of SAIL fest, the new South Asian illustration and literature festival

Chitra Soundar

co-founder

SAIL Fest, the new South Asian illustration and literature festival

14:50 - 15:30

Stream 1PANEL: Spreading the graphic revolution

Speakers

Karrie Fransman

comic creator

Ruth Knowles

publishing director

Puffin

Ramzee .

writer & illustrator

14:50 - 15:30

Stream 2PANEL: The enduring heart: Sustaining a career as a creative in kids' publishing

Speakers

Candy Gourlay

journalist & author

Eishar Brar

editorial director

Knights Of

Molly Ker Hawn

managing director

The Bent Agency

Chanté Timothy

children's book illustrator

15:30 - 16:00

AfternoonTea Break

16:00 - 16:10

AfternoonSHOWCASE: Lit in Colour Pioneers Pilot research overview

Speakers

Zaahida Nabagereka

senior social impact manager

Lit in Colour

16:10 - 16:20

AfternoonNational Book Tokens, Read for Good and The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop collaboration

Speakers

Justine Daniels

ceo

Read for Good

16:20 - 17:00

AfternoonROUNDTABLE: The reading crisis: time for solutions

Speakers

Sanjee de Silva

publisher

Sweet Cherry Publishing

Alison David

consumer insight director

HarperCollins Children's Books & Farshore

Martin Galway

head of school programmes

National Literacy Trust

Debbie Hicks

Creative director

The Reading Agency

17:10 - 17:20

AfternoonENDNOTE: Comic timing

Speakers

Jamie Smart

comic creator

17:15 - 18:30

AfternoonClosing remarks & drinks reception

Speakers

Molly Flatt

children's conference programmer

The Bookseller

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