10:00- Are You Sitting Comfortably? 10:30 RBS Story Box, Free: Book in Advance All Ages Join us for a quick, magical dip into the world of words with our free morning events for children of all ages. It might be a story, a poem, songs and rhymes or a reading with one of our Festival authors. Appearing today: Vivian French.10:00 Friendship and Magic with Jo Hodgkinson RBS Imagination Lab, £4.50 Age 2 - 5 Billy rescues Nigel the snail from his parents' smelly magic spells and they become the best of friends. Join picture book writer and illustrator, Jo Hodgkinson, as she talks about her warm and endearing new picture book, My Friend Nigel, telling a tale of magic and how friendship can pop up in the most unexpected way. Tickets admit 1 child and 1 accompanying adult. Adult supervision recommended. 10:30 David Melling RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 4 - 7 Hugless Douglas is very excited about Rabbit's sleepover, but he collects so many friends along the way that soon it's a big squash in Rabbit's small burrow! How will they ever get to sleep? Join David Melling for this heart-warming third adventure for funny Douglas. There will be stories, pictures and the chance to meet Douglas himself! 11:30- Bookbug 12:00 RBS Imagination Lab, Free: Book in Advance Age 0 - 3 Sing along with traditional nursery songs and action rhymes. The event is hosted by Edinburgh City Libraries and is part of the Scottish Book Trust's Early Years programme. 12:00 Meet the Buttons Family with Vivian French & Sue Heap RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 4 - 7 Writer Vivian French and author-illustrator Sue Heap introduce their new series of six picture books all about the Buttons family. Each tale looks at a different first experience for little people from first day at playschool to staying with grandparents for the first time. Vivian tells the stories as Sue draws all the characters. The perfect event for a first-time Book Festival visit! 14:00 Be Yourself with Sara Sheridan RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 3 - 7 Who wants to be a princess, a pirate or a witch's cat? Come and meet Imogen, the little girl in Sara Sheridan's beautiful picture book, I'm Me! Imogen has a huge imagination and is always being somebody else but sometimes she does just want to be herself. Come along for a very interactive event with Sara and dance and movement artist, Skye Reynolds.14:00- Bookbug 14:30 RBS Imagination Lab, Free: Book in Advance Age 0 - 3 Sing along with traditional nursery songs and action rhymes. The event is hosted by Edinburgh City Libraries and is part of the Scottish Book Trust's Early Years programme. 15:00 Jonathan Emmett RBS Imagination Lab, £4.50 Age 5 - 8 One birthday, Callum receives a special present - a construction kit. The possibilities are endless and Callum finds himself building all sorts of fantastic things. But what happens if you build so many things your house falls down? If you like making things more than you like reading then Callum's Incredible Construction Kit is the book for you. So, come and join author Jonathan Emmett to learn more and find out how the story ends. 15:30 John Fardell RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Families & 4+ 'The monsters are scary but it works out okay in the end.' That's the verdict on writer and illustrator John Fardell's latest picture book The Day Louis Got Eaten. John is the creator of comic strips for a range of publications, picture books and novels. This is an opportunity to see an award-winning writer at work, explore his latest story and to join in with making a new story. 16:30 Piratical Grannies with Val McDermid RBS Imagination Lab, £4.50 Age 2 - 5 Crime writer Val McDermid's first children's book is a bold and colourful mix of the fantastical and the ordinary. Granny is a pirate whose exciting daytime adventures always get her home in time to tell her tales. It's lovely to have a grandparent as a hero and pirate Granny is certainly that. Val tells you all about Granny including exactly what she can do with the skilful wielding of her handbag. Tickets admit 1 child and 1 accompanying adult. Adult supervision recommended. 17:00 The WelLcome Trust Event The Gift of Dyslexia RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 12+ It is time to stop classifying dyslexia as a disability argues Vivian French; we need to start appreciating that different brain-wiring and neurobiological patterns allow people to process information in unique ways. Although dyslexia may cause difficulties with reading and writing, people with it prefer thinking in narrative form, often making them natural storytellers and actors. An ability to visualize 3D structures also means many are gifted artists. Vivian leads the discussion with Dr John Rack, Head of Research, Development and Policy at Dyslexia Action and actor, playwright and songwriter Matthew McVarish.Wed 15 AugustGUEST SELECTOR: VIVIAN FRENCH'Summer!' Molly squealed, as a greyhound, a wolfhound, a foxhound, a cocker spaniel and a springer spaniel pulled her arms in five different directions. Anna Wilson, Puppy Party, 12:00GUEST SELECTOR: VIVIAN FRENCHVal McDermid, 16:30Latecomers will not be admitted after the start of events and no refunds will be given.Events are 1 hour long unless otherwise stated and take place in Charlotte Square Gardens.67

GUEST SELECTOR: VIVIAN FRENCH10:00- Are You Sitting Comfortably? 10:30 RBS Story Box, Free: Book in Advance All Ages Join us for a quick, magical dip into the world of words with our free morning events for children of all ages. It might be a story, a poem, songs and rhymes or a reading with one of our Festival authors. Appearing today: Sue Heap. 10:00 Claire McNicol RBS Imagination Lab, £4.50 Age 3 - 7 Claire McNicol tells Scottish and Irish stories all animated by her little puppets and props. She tells tales of the seal people, the wee folk and the giants, all gathered from the many places she has visited. Join her for stories and songs - a perfect way to begin the day. Tickets admit 1 child and 1 accompanying adult. Adult supervision recommended. 10:30 Jan Fearnley RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 5 - 8 Jan Fearnley is a multi award-winning author-illustrator. Her Mr Wolf picture books are much loved as are her other works such as A Perfect Day For It, Arthur and the Meanies and Little Robin Red Vest. Join Jan as she tells her new story, Harry and the Jaggedy Daggers and revisits some old favourites. 11:30- Scots Rhymes 12:00 RBS Imagination Lab, Free: Book in Advance Age 0 - 3 Craigmillar Books for Babies returns with their ever-popular sing-along event stappit fu of Scots rhymes. A lovely, playful half-hour which helps to develop language, rhythm and co-ordination skills through motion and gesture. 12:00 Mio Shapley RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 3 - 10 Mio Shapley is a skillful storyteller who loves to tell stories which celebrate the wonder, mystery, wisdom and magic of the natural world in all its many colours and shapes, enriched by her playing of the clàrsach. 12:30- Magic Carpet Stories 13:00 RBS Imagination Lab, Free: Tickets available from the Box Office on the day of the event Age 0 - 3 The National Museum of Scotland's Magic Carpet will be flying in to Charlotte Square Gardens to introduce little ones to fantastic stories, songs and activities. Come and be transported to exciting places and meet a host of characters. Tickets admit 1 child and 1 accompanying adult. Adult supervision recommended. 13:30- Scots Rhymes 14:00 RBS Imagination Lab, Free: Book in Advance Age 0 - 3 Craigmillar Books for Babies returns with their ever-popular sing-along event stappit fu of Scots rhymes. A lovely, playful half-hour which helps to develop language, rhythm and co-ordination skills through motion and gesture. 14:00 Meet the Buttons Family with Vivian French & Sue Heap RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 4 - 7 Writer Vivian French and author-illustrator Sue Heap introduce their new series of six picture books all about the Buttons family. Each tale looks at a different first experience for little people from first day at playschool to staying with grandparents for the first time. Vivian tells the stories as Sue draws all the characters. The perfect event for a first-time visit to the Book Festival! 14:30- Magic Carpet Stories 15:00 RBS Imagination Lab, Free: Tickets available from the Box Office on the day of the event Age 0 - 3 The National Museum of Scotland's Magic Carpet will be flying in to Charlotte Square Gardens to introduce little ones to fantastic stories, songs and activities. Come and be transported to exciting places and meet a host of characters. Tickets admit 1 child and 1 accompanying adult. Adult supervision recommended. 15:30 Philip Ardagh & Axel Scheffler RBS Corner Theatre, £4.50 Age 7 - 10 Come and meet the Grunts, a slightly disgusting and very unusual family. The ridiculously tall and beardy author Philip Ardagh introduces his new stories while illustrator Axel Scheffler demonstrates how he came up with what they all look like. This event is guaranteed to be icky, entertaining and, as Philip would say, 'FUN just doesn't express it.' 15:30- Magic Carpet Stories 16:00 RBS Imagination Lab, Free: Tickets available from the Box Office on the day of the event Age 0 - 3 The National Museum of Scotland's Magic Carpet will be flying in to Charlotte Square Gardens to introduce little ones to fantastic stories, songs and activities. Come and be transported to exciting places and meet a host of characters. Tickets admit 1 child and 1 accompanying adult. Adult supervision recommended . 17:00 Patrick Ness RBS Corner Theatre, £7 (£5) Age 12 - 16 The multiple award-winning author Patrick Ness is one of our leading writers for young adults. His Chaos Walking trilogy is en route to the silver screen and his latest novel, A Monster Calls, has been shortlisted for both the Carnegie and the Kate Greenaway Medals. An incredibly versatile writer, moving with ease from fantasy to family drama, Patrick has a lightness of touch that goes deep, so that once read his novels are never forgotten. Chaired by Keith Gray. Thurs 16 August'Don't you want one of Gran's surprise breakfasts?' Mum asked. 'No,' said Charlie, 'I only like porridge.'Vivian French, The Buttons Family, Staying with Gran, 14:00Patrick Ness, 17:0068