The first Kingston Children’s Literary Festival will launch this year, bringing popular children’s authors to town for intimate readings.

Aimed to appeal to children up to the age of 12, the lineup will include Olaf Falafel (Father Christmas Heard a Parp), Tom McLaughlin (The Accidental Father Christmas), Pier Torday (There May Be a Castle PB), Maudie Powell-Tuck (Last Stop on the Reindeer Express) and Pete Johnson (Louis and the Laugh series).

The 30-minute readings will take place in shops, cafes, theatres and galleries across the centre of Kingston.

Olaf Falafel said: “I can’t wait to teach the children of Kingston the noises that reindeers make when they’ve had too many sprouts.”

The festival will run from Saturday, November 18 to Saturday, December 16.