events

The F Word: Failure is this year’s theme, with speakers invited to reflect on times in their careers where things have fallen apart, deadlines went out the window and defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory. Rather than revel in what didn’t work, CBI is asking how failure can be learned from and used to create something better. The weekend will be opened by Eoin Colfer, Ireland’s third Laureate na nÓg, who will give his first public address as part of the conference.

This year’s line-up includes famous names and new talents, including illustrators such as David Roberts, whose Dirty Bertie books will be familiar to many, and David Mackintosh, whose illustration of a boy mowing loop-the-loops into a lawn is used on our conference poster to reflect our theme of failure, and show that making mistakes often leads to moments of beautiful creativity.

The annual CBI conference is a weekend-long celebration of the very best in books for young people from home and abroad.

Featuring some of the most exciting names in writing, illustration, publishing and criticism, this relaxed and friendly event is an opportunity for teachers, booksellers, librarians, academics, artists and other professionals – or anyone else with a passion for children’s literature – to meet old favourites and discover new voices.