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A Leeds bookshop is hosting two famous Children’s Laureates this summer.

The Little Bookshop, located in Chapel Allerton, will be hosting Dame Jacqueline Wilson, author of more than 100 books including The Story of Tracy Beaker on Wednesday, May 24 as well as Cressida Cowell, author of How to Train Your Dragon on Thursday, June 8.

Cheryl Duffield, owner of The Little Bookshop, said: “We have had some great authors in the earlier days but Covid set us back a fair bit. In 2022, I wanted to step up our events programme so I hired a member of staff to do that and it has really paid off. Over the last nine months we have had a full programme of events for children and adults, with a mixture of well-known writers and debut authors, as well as community events such as open mic poetry evenings and teacher information evenings.”

The bookshop, which opened in 2017 selling fiction and non-fiction for babies to young adults, has hired the nearby Seven Arts as an event space to accommodate a larger audience. Cheryl added: “It is great to have a venue like Seven Arts so close by. It can hold up to 100 people and is only moments from the shop. And it is another independent business, which of course Chapel Allerton is well-known for.”

The Little Bookshop owner Cheryl Duffield is pictured here with some customers. The bookshop, located in Chapel Allerton, will be hosting Jacqueline Wilson for a book signing and Cressida Cowell for a talk this summer. Photo: Dan Burton

Jacqueline Wilson will be signing her new book The Magic Faraway Tree: A New Adventure. Meanwhile, Cressida Cowell will be giving a talk on dragons, magic and her childhood inspiration on an uninhabited island as well as sharing some creativity tips.

Bookings can be made on The Little Bookshop website.

How to Train Your Dragon author and Jacqueline Wilson to visit Leeds bookshop in Chapel Allerton