Children and teenagers will be able to join sessions with current writers, sessions on the graphic novel, the comic, lyric and scriptwriting workshops, play improvisation, magic, storytelling, parties and workshops having fun with reading! Festival favourites Philip Ardagh, Dame Shirley Hughes, Michael Morpurgo and Francesca Simon return.

Teenagers will delight in Malorie Blackman, Louise Rennison, Chris Higgins and Helena Pielichaty and Penny Dolan.

There will be a sneak preview of BBC’s Horrible Histories series with the author Terry Deary and the production team.

Events for children aged under-six include Emma Dodd with Miaow Said the Cow, Miriam Moss with Matty in a Mess, Andy Ellis with When Lulu Went to the Zoo, Emma Chichester Clark with Minty and Tink, Ben Cort Aliens Love Underpants and Nick and Annette Butterworth with Jake the Good Bad Dog.

Interactive events include Elmer’s Party, Glitterwings Academy, Bob the Builder, Postman Pat and Jess, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Reading Quest workshops , musical fun in the Cathedral, Beast Quest Adventures and the chance to vote for heroes or villains with Mark Walden and Andy Briggs.

It is almost impossible to pick out highlights in a gallery of such enticing events, but teenagers should head for best-selling author Malorie Blackman (April 5) who will introduce the fourth title in her provocative and stimulating Noughts & Crosses series, called Double Cross.

This series has won many awards including the Fantastic Fiction Award.

Noughts & Crosses was also voted as one of the nation's 100 favourite books in the BBC Big Read survey.

Louise Rennison (April 3) reveals some of the hilarious anecdotes from drama queen Georgia Nicholson in her latest book in the Confessions series – Stop in the Name of Pants, described as Bridget Jones for teenagers only funnier. Her book Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging was recently made into a successful feature film.

The more technically-minded will be fascinated by The Robot Roadshow, with The Gadget Show presenter Jason Bradbury and intrigued by philosopher Stephen Law’s investigation of magic.

The hugely influential and popular graphic novel illustrator Dave McKean will be appearing with the award winning David Almond talking about their book The Savage.

For those wanting to join in more actively 14-16 year-old can spend Saturday, April 4, at the Oxford Playhouse improvising, devising and rehearsing with professional theatre practitioners leading up to a performance in the Burton Taylor Theatre that same evening.

Places are limited and tickets are free so it is essential to pre-book to avoid disappointment. To participate contact Heidi Vaughan on 01865 305366.

This event is being held in memory of Humphrey Carpenter, who was a founding patron of The Oxford Literary Festival.

Teenagers aged 15-19 can join a scriptwriting workshop with Tessa Walker from Paines Plough Theatre company on March 28 or come and have a session on lyric writing (15+) with musician Robin Bennett, one of the organisers of Oxfordshire’s Truck Festival, and creative writing guru Jenny Lewis on 4 April.

Other free treats include the final of the Oxfordshire Secondary Schools’ A Question of Words Competition which will be hotly contested at the Playhouse on April 1 and a visit from a team from the Roald Dahl Museum, who will be putting on activities and story-telling sessions in the Blackwell bookshop marquee on April 4 between 10am and 4pm.

On April 4-5 at 11.30am and 3.30pm the winning team of the Oxon/Berks heat of the International Kids Lit Quiz will be ‘soap-boxing’ their favourite books (for 11-12 year-olds) at 11.30am and 3.30pm.

For the first time the festival has produced a brochure for children and young people. For your copy call 01865 286074.