Whitby Lit Fest 2025 Schools Events

Huge thanks go to Simon and his team at East Whitby School, and to Gareth and his team at Whitby School, as well as the National Literacy Trust, and to a NYC Locality grant for helping make our school programme happen.  Maybe we will see some of tomorrow’s authors nurtured through sewing the seeds of interest with these inspirational events.

At East Whitby School

Nancy Wallbank • Thursday 6^th Nov at 10.30am 

Nancy Walbank is running a story and writing workshop starting by telling the story, ‘Hild the Peacemaker’ from her book ‘The Change makers’ (Hodder and Stoughton 2025). about 2 young children who climb the 199 steps and meet up with Caedmon, the poet, and help him write his poem.  The children’s poetry writing will be facilitated by look at and talking about natural world objects from around the Whitby area, such as pebbles, driftwood, seashells, feathers, fossils, and they will get the chance to read some of their own poetry too.

Nancy has over thirty years’ experience in the education sector, and is currently working as a series editor on a primary education resource with Oxford University Press. She is a published children’s author. having written and published two middle reader books for primary children with Hodder, and another book due out in 2026.

Piers Torday • Thursday 6^th Nov at 1.30pm 

In this event, young readers will join Piers in exploring the breathtaking fantasy world of Midnight Treasure, meeting vampires and werewolves along the way. They will learn about the inspirations behind the series, including Dracula and other ‘real’ vampires, the history of Transylvania and Piers’ own journey to uncovering his Romanian family heritage.

Piers began his career in theatre and then television as a producer and writer. His first book for children, The Last Wild, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Award, nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal and is being adapted for the stage by the Unicorn and National Theatre. His second book, The Dark Wild, won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Other titles include There May Be A Castle (People’s Book Award finalist), which was adapted for the stage by the Little Angel Theatre, The Lost Magician (Teach Primary Book Award) and Midnight Treasure, the New Statesman Children’s Book of the Year. He recently adapted The Box of Delights for the RSC. Other stage adaptations include Christmas Carol and The Wind in the Willows (Wilton’s Music Hall).

Kjartan Poskitt • Friday 7^th Nov at 11am

Kjartan Poskitt, author of the Math Maze series and Runaway Pea series, introduces his new Mega Maths Maze full of pathways, traps and creatures. Once you’ve found your way through the river rapids, spooky forest and deep dark caves, you get to unlock the secret doors and go back to learn more about the strange world of numbers. He’ll also show some of the weird tricks and games from his Murderous Maths series including his fabulous flexagons, and how to make a dragon from a cinema ticket!

Kjartan has spent the last 25 years touring the country and appearing on tv and radio demonstrating maths tricks and curiosities from his books. His Murderous Maths series has been translated into over 30 languages, and his other books include five historical stage musicals, plus books on Isaac Newton, Houdini, mazes, codes, magic, puzzles, and over twenty funny novels including the “Agatha Parrot” series. Recently his award-winning “Runaway Pea” picture books were selected for the Booktrust “Time to Read” scheme and were distributed to over 800,000 school-starters across the UK. His Mega Maths Maze was launched across the US and UK in 2025. His lives in York with his wife and daughters, has a room full of noisy synthesisers and is the signalman on the DVLR heritage railway.

Mike Edwards • Friday 7^th Nov at 1.30

Mike Edwards will talk to children about his book, Riverskin. This inspired debut has its roots in a Teeside myth about a green-skinned witch who drags people to their doom from the banks of the river but offers so much more than a retelling of folklore. Using unique and compelling language to give Tess, the main character, a voice unlike any other, Riverskin will drag readers into the world of the turns just as surely as any witch could.  Dare Tess leave the turns to search for the truth? Can she survive away from the river? And, if she finds the truth, what will she do with it?

Mike is a writer, workshop facilitator and performance poet from Teesside. He has an MA in Creative Writing from Northumbria University and is a previous winner of a Northern Writers Award. Riverskin was published by Walker Books in June 2025 and he has a new book coming out in 2026.

At Whitby School for KS3 and 4 students

S.J. Baker • Friday 7^th Nov at 10.30am

S.J. Baker, author of ‘Calm’ is presenting on dystopian fiction and the writer’s journey.  From Handmaids to Hunger Games and beyond, the enduring popularity of dystopian fiction embodies this event, covering a survey of the dystopian genre on YA fiction, and she will discuss her writing journey sharing personal experiences of how to get published as a debut author.

Sue is a secondary school English teacher, and her debut novel ‘Calm’ was published by Neem Tree press in 2024.  She has given many author talks, done book signings and panel work, as well as taking part in the Northern Voices podcast which aired in summer.

Yvette Fielding • Friday 7^th Nov at 1.30pm

Yvette Fielding will be talking about her book ‘The Vampire of Whitby’. The Vampire of Whitby follows the tale of a young archaeologist who disappears during a dig at Whitby Abbey, triggering a terrifying and sinister chain of events. As an eerie fog settles on the town, young ghost hunters Eve, Clovis and Tom come up against the ghost of none other than Vlad the Impaler himself – can they stop the rise of his demonic vampire army?

For a certain generation, Yvette Fielding is the Blue Peter presenter whose trip on a rollercoaster (with fellow presenter Mark Curry) was voted one of the favourite Blue Peter moments of all time.

For today’s youngsters, she is best known her inspiring a generation of ghost-hunters.

Dubbed Stranger Things meets Ghostbusters, the fourth in her bestselling ghost series is (perfectly for us) set in Whitby.