Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust and over 180 volunteers around the country are gearing up for the 17^th annual Storylines Free Family Days, to be held in Wellington, Christchurch, Whangarei and Auckland in the second half of August.

Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust and over 180 volunteers around the country are gearing up for the 17^th annual Storylines Free Family Days, to be held in Wellington, Christchurch, Whangarei and Auckland in the second half of August.

With a focus on the very best in New Zealand writing and book illustration for children, each day has key guests, sure to attract big crowds. In Christchurch, Margaret Mahy will be guest of honour and appear alongside a phalanx of other authors, illustrators, storytellers and performance groups.

In Wellington, David Elliot and Fifi Colston headline a strong contingent of authors, illustrators, and performers who will entertain and talk to visitors at The Wellington Town Hall and Capital E. Children from Raroa, Cannons Creek and Thorndon Schools will perform some well known books that will delight audiences of all ages. Capital E will again host the Storylines Exhibition, which runs from 1- 30 August.

In Auckland, at the Aotea Centre on 22 August, 30 authors, storytellers, performers and illustrators provide focal points for a huge range of activities, from photography to experimentation with kites, creating comic books, book marks or your own book illustrations. All day, performances from schools and professional drama companies bring new and favourite books to life. A large non-fiction area caters to kids of al ages who are interested in the way books tell real stories about ourselves and the world around us.

The Puffin Short Story Writing competition holds its prizegiving at 1pm alongside Puffin’s 70^th anniversary exhibition featuring book covers from the last 40 years. Across the bridge, Takapuna Library plays host to The House That Jack Built Exhibition by children’s illustrator Gavin Bishop. Further north, the Whangarei Library and Old Library Arts Centre play host to a similar lien up of activities and performances on August 21, with Tessa Duder and locla Northland writers among the guests

Add book launches, the chance to meet favourite authors and illustrators, the opportunity to hear favourite books read aloud, writing and illustration competitions, plus book talks, artists at work and book signing sessions and the Storylines Family Days promise to be a real celebration of New Zealand kids’ books of all kinds and an opportunity to share with others the joy and magic in the thousands of books and stories on display.

Storylines Free Family Days:

Wellington (Wellington Town Hall and Capital E) and Christchurch (Christchurch Town Hall) Sunday 15 August 2010, 10am-3pm

Whangarei (Whangarei Central Library and Old Library Arts Centre) Saturday 21 August 2010, 10am-2pm

Auckland (Aotea Centre, THE EDGE^®) Sunday 22 August 10am-3pm