A brand new children’s bookshop is opening in Herne Hill, in place of one that closed last year.
The Words + Pictures Children’s Bookshop will soon replace Tales on Moon Lane (at 25 Half Moon Lane) which relocated up north last September after twenty years of business.
The new shop will be run by multi-award-winning children’s author/illustrator, Frann Preston Gannon, together with business partner, Anja Stobbart.
Frann, who lives in the area, has been celebrated internationally for highly acclaimed works including I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree and The Journey Home.
She told us: “We are delighted to be bringing a children’s bookshop back to Herne Hill, and launching through this partnership with the incredible Stepping Into Stories Kids’ Lit Fest, which takes Herne Hill by storm every February.
“Having lived in the area for seventeen years, I know just how vital books and stories are to the local community, and can’t wait to inspire children from all backgrounds to celebrate reading, creativity and stories in all their rich array.”
Before opening officially this spring, they will host a week-long pop-up shop in Station Hall during the Stepping Into Stories Kids’ Literature Festival.
The annual festival, featuring a story-telling competition and talks from best-selling authors, is from January 30 to February 4.
There are over sixty events set to take place.
The Words + Pictures Bookshop is providing sales of signed books across the festival programme, including to the many schools taking part throughout the week.
As Anja notes, “We have already had fantastic sales and support from participating schools, and this is so important as a new business starting out.
“This exciting collaboration with the festival gives us a great boost as we launch the bookshop, making us visible to the many thousands of people who take part each year, and putting us firmly on the map as a fantastic local bookshop led by a team with knowledge, experience and passion.”
To learn more about the team and their CrowdFunder campaign in advance of the launch, click here.
Frann will also be running a book event at the Stepping Into Stories Festival, for children aged 3+, where she will celebrate her latest publication, The Eco Family Book, in a fun, interactive storytelling event perfect for little nature lovers.
This is part of an action-packed weekend of events for booklovers of all ages, with other celebrated names including Sam Sedgman (Clockwork Conspiracy); James Catchpole (You’re So Amazing!); Erika Meza (The Other Side); Kelechi Okafor (Strong Like Me); Rashmi Sirdeshpande (Yes You Can, Cow!), Xavier Leopold (Art For The Heart) and many more.
For the full Stepping Into Stories Festival programme and to book tickets, please visit www.steppingintostories.org.
Tickets are £4-12, with accompanying adults going free. Further concessions are available.
The festival is supported by Arts Council England and Sir Walter St John’s.