Award-winning authors are heading to schools and libraries as part of this year’s Paisley Book Festival.
The 2026 Paisley Book Festival Schools Programme will run from May 11 to 15 and aims to inspire pupils across Renfrewshire through a mix of live events, workshops and interactive sessions.
Open to pupils from P3 to S3, the programme brings major literary voices directly to young audiences at Paisley Town Hall, as well as through outreach events at 21 schools and public libraries across the area.
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Clare Hemsworth, library support coordinator (schools) at festival organisers OneRen, said: “Our Schools Programme is a cornerstone of Paisley Book Festival’s mission to connect young people with literature and creativity.
“By bringing authors to Paisley Town Hall and libraries, we aim to nurture creativity and lifelong passion for books.
“We have a fantastic line-up of writers taking part this year, who are sure to inspire and excite our young audiences.”
The 2026 programme is themed Everyday Heroes, Everlasting Icons, with sessions set to explore topics ranging from history and adventure to poetry and performance.
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Among this year’s featured authors is Maisie Chan, whose debut children’s novel Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths won both the Jhalak Prize and the Branford Boase Award.
Maisie also writes the Tiger Warrior series and has contributed to the best-selling anthology The Very Merry Murder Club.
Other writers taking part include Alastair Chisholm, author of sci-fi titles including I Am Wolf and Orion Lost; Margaret McDonald, the youngest-ever winner of the Carnegie Medal for Writing; and Mike Garry, a poet who has toured with John Cooper Clark since 2011 and who regularly performs in mental health units, prisons and children’s homes.
The line-up also includes Azerbaijani-British writer and linguist Fidan Meikle, best known for her debut novel My Name is Samim; award-winning children’s author and journalist Chae Strathie; and Ross MacKenzie, Renfrew-based author of The Nowhere Emporium and winner of both the Blue Peter Award and the Scottish Children’s Book Award.
The programme aims to help nurture a new generation of book lovers by offering opportunities to meet authors, discover new stories and take part in creative sessions.
It forms part of the wider Paisley Book Festival 2026, which is organised by OneRen and supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
More information about the festival and the full event schedule can be found at www.paisleybookfestival.com.
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