Essex Book Festival is a month of literary and book events across 45 venues in Thurrock, Essex and Southend.
On Tuesday 26 March, Duncan Barrett will be at Corringham Library talking about East End London in the 1950s and the Tate and Lyle factory. On Thursday 28 March, join super-seller crime author Kimberley Chambers at Belhus Library in the South Ockendon Centre.
Check the full festival programme and buy your tickets online for these and other events.
Reading throughout the summer is very important for children. Last year, a total of 761,758 children across the UK took part in the 'Animal Agents' Summer Reading Challenge. More than 3,000 children took part in Thurrock – more than half of whom half managed to read 6 or more books and get a medal.
The Mischief Makers Summer Reading Challenge takes place at Thurrock libraries from 14 July until 15 September 2018. This year's challenge celebrates 80 years of the Beano comic.
Take up the challenge of reading 6 books over 6 weeks to collect special Beano stickers – including some smelly stickers! – for your BeanoTown Library map.
If you complete the 6-book challenge you'll be awarded a medal and certificate. Certificates are sent to primary schools during the autumn term. If you manage to read 8 books, you'll also get a limited edition 'Mischief Makers' bag too!
Children who are not yet at school can take part in the mini-challenge where they collect stickers for each book they share at home. They can earn a sticky gold medal of their own, and a certificate that can be collected directly from their library.
If you are aged 10 to 18 years-old you can join the ImagiNation Challenge, in which you read 2 books and review them using a special 'belly band' that wraps around the books' covers.
Reviews can also be uploaded to the ImagiNation East blog.
Everyone who completes the Imagination Challenge will be entered into a draw to win some exciting prizes. 3 lucky winners will each win a Fire Kindle donated by Amazon UK. Winners will be notified during National Libraries Week, from 8 October to 13 October.
