Three Laureates, One Festival
Jersey Festival of Words has announced an exceptional gathering of literary talent for its 2026 programme, with three former Children's Laureates - all familiar faces to Festival audiences - set to return this September. Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell, three of Britain's most beloved storytellers, will be returning to Jersey to appear at respective events at St Helier’s Freedom Centre.
Michael Morpurgo returns on Friday September 25th for a remarkable third visit to discuss his greatly anticipated new adult book – details of which will be made public later this month.
On the same day Michael Rosen, a previous festival favourite, will celebrate his eightieth year with an evening of poetry, wit and storytelling reflecting on a career spanning five decades and over 200 books - before joining performer Christian Foley the following day for The Poetry Playground, a raucous family event of raps, rhymes and riddles.
Completing the trio at an event on Saturday 26th September, Chris Riddell returns alongside Jersey's own Story Beast, John Henry Falle, for a live-illustrated exploration of Norman history marking 1,000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror - with vivid resonance for Island audiences. Chris will be live-drawing at two further events – for students as part of the Festival’s schools programme, and at a public evening event of folk singing and sea shanties with the popular band Winterfalle.
“Not only is it a privilege to host this remarkable ‘gathering of laureates’, but it also feels like a landmark moment for the festival to have all three appearing as part of the same programme,” says Festival Director Pippa Le Quesne. “Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell have each won major literary honours during their careers, and their books have brought enormous joy to children and adults alike. I would urge everyone to come to see them — they are among the very best live performers on the festival circuit, and their events are utterly spellbinding.”
