WHAT IS set to be the biggest children’s literature event in the UK this year will get under way in Dunfermline next weekend.

The Carnegie Children’s Book Festival, to be opened by the Prime Minister’s wife Sarah, will be staged in the town between Saturday and Monday to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the building of the world’s first Carnegie library in Dunfermline.

The original library is now one of around 3000 built around the world.

The festival will also mark the 70th year of the most prestigious English language prize for children’s literature, the Carnegie Medal for Children’s Books, and the commissioning of Scotland’s newest library at Duloch Park on Dunfermline’s eastern expansion.

The Carnegie UK Trust’s chief executive Charlie McConnell unveiled details of the festival, which will include visits from internationally acclaimed authors Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell and former Carnegie medal winners Theresa Breslin, Jennifer Donnelly, Mal Peet, Marcus Sedgwick, Jane Nissen and Gillian Cross.

There will also be a host of readings and talks from authors.

In addition to a packed programme taking place in the Dunfermline Carnegie and Duloch Park libraries, there will be a specially built Spiegeltent and traditional Indian tipi village which will house a variety of storytelling sessions and inter-active learning events for children.

Activities will include mask making, clay modelling and stop frame animation workshops.

One of the highlights will be an Orcadian ceilidh in the Spiegeltent on Saturday where the guest of honour, Mollie Hunter, will make a rare public appearance.

The BBC’s Ken MacDonald will host a star-studded question time panel with James Naughtie from BBC Radio 4 and his wife, the award-winning children’s author Eleanor Updale, newspaper critic Joyce MacMillan and some guest panellists who will discuss their favourite children’s books and answer questions from the audience.

Also taking part will be former Skids singer Richard Jobson, who penned many of the band’s lyrics.

Mr McConnell, who is chairing the festival’s planning group, said, “It is appropriate that this, the largest children’s literature festival in the country this year is taking place in Dunfermline, the birthplace of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

“We are hoping that it will renew children’s interest in libraries, in reading and indeed in writing.

“We are also planning this festival as the first of an annual Carnegie Festival of Imagination to be held in Dunfermline.”

Linda Thomson, who managed Fife Council’s major events funding programme, said the wide programme of activities was certain to draw significant audiences to the area.

And Alex Baird, plant installation manager at Shell UK’s Fife NGL plant, added that the company was delighted to support the event.

“We see this as a tremendous opportunity to promote an extremely important initiative,” he added.

Details of the festival are available at www.carnegiechildrensbookfestival.co.uk.