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There are all sorts of exciting and inspiring events running at Seven Stories over the coming months, from Peppa Pig breakfast to Ancient Egypt and Greece, from Storytime Yoga to Northern Ballet Dance Workshops and much more!
Seven Stories is dedicated to the art of childrenโs books and the creativity they inspire. The National Centre for Childrenโs Books is based in a seven-storey listed building in the popular Ouseburn area of Newcastle. Make sure to explore the free exhibitions on level 4 when you visit, which include Enid Blyton’s typewriter, The Gruffalo, Mog, and many more brilliant books and characters, as well as the bookshop and coffee shop.
Peppa Pig Breakfast
๐ Thurs 7th, Thurs 28th, Fri 29th and Sat 30th April 2022
๐ 9.30 am to 10.30 am
๐ ยฃ10.50, book here
๐น Skip the washing up and join us for a family breakfast with Peppa Pig. Tuck into a warming brekkie and enjoy storytime with the VIP (Very Important Pig!) herself.
Suitable for under 5s and their grown ups.
The Magical World of Mushroom Marvellous
๐ 9th and 10th April 2022
๐ 11am
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐ธ Local author and illustrator Kylie Dixon brings you a magical world of mushrooms. Kylie’s book series is set in her dad’s allotment and follows Inkcap a quick-witted mushroom on adventures with friends and foe. An inspiring and interactive 1-hour workshop for children aged 5-10 years.
Kylie is an advocate of helping children believe in their ability to achieve anything they wish and is on a mission to speak to 10,000 children in her school tour currently taking place around the Northeast. Learn about the fascinating world of mushrooms and how these fantastic fungi became Kylie’s inspiration for her characters and join in with your very own illustration of Inkcap.
5-10 year olds. Over 8s can attend without an adult.
Giddy Gods and Mischievous Monsters with Saviour Pirotta
๐ 9th and 10th April 2022
๐ 11am
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐ธ Travel back in time to Ancient Greece with author and storyteller Saviour Pirotta. Meet King Midas who wanted to have more gold than any other king in the world, find out how the dolphins save a travelling poet from the pirates and discover how the Ancient Greeks kept their money safe on the way to the market. The sessions are perfect for children who will revel in the mystery, adventure and stories of Ancient Greece.
Saviour is a Maltese-born British author and playwright who has won many awards for his children’s books, topped bestseller lists and featured inThe Guardian’s Book of the Month. He’s famous for his children’s historical fiction books including The Stolen Spear, The Golden Horsemen of Baghdad and My Cousin the Minotaur. He has over 30 years’ experience visiting schools, libraries, museums and festivals sharing his love of literature and history with children across the country. These sessions are not to be missed!
Suitable for ages 7+. Over 8s can attend without an adult.
Ancient Egyptian Adventure with Saviour Pirotta
๐ 9th and 10th April 2022
๐ 2pm
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐น Let best-selling author and storyteller Saviour Pirotta whisk you back in time to the glorious days of Ancient Egypt. Discover why the gods hid all the facts about the universe at the bottom of the Nile, listen to a story about Egyptโs magical cats and enjoy the incredible tale of how a slave girl became Queen Amasis – perhaps the first Cinderella story in the world. The sessions are perfect for children who will revel in the mystery, adventure and stories of Ancient Egypt.
Saviour is a Maltese-born British author and playwright who has won many awards for his children’s books, topped bestseller lists and featured inThe Guardian’s Book of the Month. He’s famous for his children’s historical fiction books including The Stolen Spear, The Golden Horsemen of Baghdad and My Cousin the Minotaur. He has over 30 years’ experience visiting schools, libraries, museums and festivals sharing his love of literature and history with children across the country. These sessions are not to be missed!
Suitable for ages 7+. Over 8s can attend without an adult.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea Storytime
๐ Dates throughout the Easter holidays
๐ 2pm
๐ ยฃ7.50, book here
๐น Will your tiger eat all of the sandwiches and all of the buns, and drink all of Daddyโs beer? Join us here to celebrate the wonderful world of Judith Kerr and the hungriest tiger we know! In this interactive story time youโll make your very own tiger, visit Sophie and her Mummy just in time for tea and see just how hungry that tiger really is!
This session will include a craft element and interactive story time.
Suitable for all the family.
Mog the Forgetful Cat Storytime
๐ Most dates in the Easter holidays
๐ 11.30am
๐ ยฃ7.50, book here
๐น Join us for a storytime adventure with Mog the Cat who is very, very forgetful. Help Mog and her friends to remember and join in with activities to get you moving. Perfect for pre-school children and their grownups, who love to share great picture books.
Under 5s
Rosieโs Walk
๐ Most dates in the Easter holidays
๐ 10am
๐ ยฃ5.50, book here
๐น Rosie the Hen goes for a walk but a sneaky fox is not far behind.
Join us down on Rosieโs farm for a fun-filled re-telling of the classic tale Rosieโs Walk by Pat Hutchins. Can Rosie make it back home? Or will the cunning fox outwit her?
Full of songs and fun to get you moving, this storytime session is made for pre-school children and their grown-ups.
Under 5s
Introduction to Cartooning
๐ 11th & 23rd April 2022
๐ 11am
๐ ยฃ13.50, book here
๐น A fantastic chance to learn from a professional cartoonist! These sessions will get any 8-12 year old cartooning in just two hours.
If they love drawing already or are just curious about cartoons, get them along to meet Suzy and join in a fun creative workshop to remember. Learn how to draw simple cartoon faces and bodies, experiment with expressions and movement and create your own character to star in their own story. Children aged 8+ can attend without an adult, however adults are welcome. Limited tickets available.
Ages 8-12
Cartoony Critters and Hilarious Humans!
๐ 12th and 21st April 2022
๐ 10.30am session is for 5-8 year olds. 12.30pm session is for 9+ year olds.
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐ธ Learn to draw like a professional illustrator with the amazing Liz Million, local illustrator and author.
Liz will share all of her top tips and design secrets with you as you laugh, learn and draw along together in this fully interactive drawing session. You won’t be able to believe your own drawing skills at the end of this hilarious session!
Into the woods we go…adventure awaits!
๐ Wednesday 13th April 2022
๐ 11am and 2pm
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐น Nothing is more magical than nature and we’re very lucky to have two Easter holiday sessions led by North East Artist and Writer Abbey Scott, author of the Hiddel Brock Wood book series.
This session is a fun, interactive author reading of books from The World of Hiddel Brock Wood series, with woodland activities and crafts ideal for children aged 3-8 years. We’ll also be heading outside into the area around the gallery to connect with our local nature. Expect stories, nature crafts and lots of fun!
3-8 year olds, we request there is one adult per family due to being outdoors for some of this event.
Easter Storytime with Ouseburn Farm **SOLD OUT**
๐ Wednesday 13th April
๐ 10am and 11am
๐ ยฃ5.50, book here
๐น We’ve got a storytime with some very special guests this Easter! Bunnies from Ouseburn Farm will join us for stories and cuddles.
Perfect for under 5s and their grown-ups.
Ask The AuthorโฆAnything!
๐ 14th April 2022
๐ 11am and 2pm
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐น Always wanted to write a children’s book? Already got an idea? Already writing one? Just thinking about it? Are you interested in knowing more about what itโs like being an author? Do you have lots of questions?
ยท How do I get started?
ยท Do I have to be good at spelling?
ยท How long does it take to write a book?
ยท What do you do if you get stuck?
ยท Iโve got an idea for a book what do I do next?
ยท Where do you get your ideas from?
ยท Am I too young or old?
Then come and join award-winning author Richard OโNeill in this fun, interactive workshop at Seven Stories. Bring your questions and a piece of writing youโve been working on or thinking about. Richard OโNeill is the internationally acclaimed author of 18 books, playwright, scriptwriter and teller of stories to many thousands of people every year.
Suitable for all ages from 0-100!
Donโt Be Silly!
๐ 15th April and 18th April 2022
๐ 11am
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐ธ Local childrenโs author Laura Maclennan is on a storytelling mission to help children sprinkle colour and kindness far and wide, with the help of Seth and the Rainbow Monsters!
Seth is building a treehouse, but the monsters wonโt work together! Can Seth convince his rainbow friends that their differences make them better? Come and find out in this interactive 1-hour workshop, whether or not Seth ends the day, with a house in a tree. Design your own Rainbow Monster โ with googly eyes โ and learn about how differences make us better!
4-10 year olds. Over 8s can attend without an adult.
Rhythm and Rhyme Poetry Experience with the Poet from the Peaks
๐ 19th April 2022
๐ 11am
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐น An exciting poetry experience awaits at Seven Stories this Easter!
Share a love of rhythm and rhyme in an exciting, interactive session with the Poet from the Peaks, Andy Tooze. The 1-hr session is perfect for all primary school age children who love reading, writing, rhyme, singing and drama (and their grown-ups).
“The buzz you have created has truly been a joy. You have made connections with some of our children that we would not have thought possible. They have been inspired to write, and that in itself is a wonderful thing!” (from a group after Andy’s session)
About Andy
Andy worked in schools before becoming a poet. His books contain a mixture of the thought-provoking, the amusing, the inspiring and “the downright ludicrous”!
Andy will be signing his books in the bookshop at lunchtime on 19 April, which is a ideal opportunity for your family to ask any questions and take a copy of his book home with you for more rhyming fun!
5-10 year olds
Northern Ballet’s ‘Merlin’ Dance Workshop
๐ 19th and 20th April 2022
๐ ยฃ12.50, book here
๐น This workshop is perfect both for beginners or those who have some ballet experience. Children will work with a Northern Ballet dance artist to learn and practise some basic ballet exercises, to learn some of the movements from Northern Ballet’s Merlin and to create their own short dance phrases based on the production.
About Northern Ballet
Northern Ballet tell inventive and innovative stories through ballet, both on stage and on screen. Alongside the world-class ballet they create, they are committed to inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds to experience dance, in the north of England and within the communities they reach across their tour.
5-9 year olds
Northern Ballet’s ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ Dance Storytime
๐ 19th and 20th April 2022
๐ ยฃ12.50, book here
๐น An entrancing 1-hour session for under 5s based on the classic story Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Expect music, storytelling, interactive activities and relaxation children and adults alike!
About Northern Ballet
Northern Ballet tell inventive and innovative stories through ballet, both on stage and on screen. Alongside the world-class ballet they create, they are committed to inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds to experience dance, in the north of England and within the communities they reach across their tour
Under 5s
‘The Girl who Planted Trees’ Make a Change Workshop
๐ 22nd April 2022
๐ 1pm and 2.30pm
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐น Join author Caryl Hart and hear the true story of Saiman, an Indonesian farmer who planted 11,000 trees all by himself and inspired the book The Girl Who Planted Trees. Discover what it takes to make your dreams a reality and then create a vision and action plan, drawing one thing youโd like to change where you live and how youโd change it.
Ages 5+
Storytime Yoga
๐ 24th April 2022
๐ 2pm (under 5s, 30 mins) and 3pm (5-9 year olds, 45 mins)
๐ ยฃ9.50, book here
๐น Finish your weekend with Beccy and a children’s yoga class – all based around children’s books, including stretching, music and games.
About Rebecca
Rebecca was a doctor before becoming a children’s yoga teacher. She is passionate about supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing, and absolutely loves children’s books. She taught 50 daily yoga classes for children during lockdown last year, all themed around picture books.
Two sessions – one for under 5s and one for 5-9 year olds. If you have a mix of ages in your household please get in touch and we can advise which session all children can enjoy.