YOUNGSTERS are invited to follow Alice down the rabbit hole, create an animation storyboard or present their writing skills at a talent showcase as part of a series of festival events for children.

Lauren Child, writer and illustrator of popular children's characters Charlie and Lola, sassy schoolgirl Clarice Bean and code-cracking teenage spy Ruby Redfort, will reveal where she gets her ideas from and how she goes about writing a book.

Bafta-winning animator Kitty Taylor, who worked with Lauren Child on turning Charlie and Lola into an animated TV series, will be showing youngsters how to create their own animation in a storyboarding masterclass. She'll explain the role of storyboarding in film-making and show how to use drawings to create a storyboard.

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Kitty Taylor spent 15 years making short films, pop promos and TV commercials; selling cars, microwaves, margarine and chocolate to children. After deciding that filling them with good stories would be more nourishing, she went on to direct TV shows for pre-school children, including Angelina Ballerina.

Fans of Robots Overlords are in for a treat with a festival appearance by scriptwriter and co-creator of the sci-fi movie and tie-in novel, Mark Stay. The film follows a group of teenagers in the wake of Earth’s invasion by robots, and their regime confining human survivors to their homes. No one knows what the robots' motives are, but two things are clear - robots don't lie, nor do they show mercy.

The 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s children's classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is celebrated at the festival, with a screening of the 1951 Disney film version on the Big Screen in Bradford's City Park. Afterwards, there's a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and youngsters are invited to follow Alice down the rabbit hole to solve a series of riddles. The family show follows a parade around the Mirror Pool by the King and Queen of Hearts and the White Rabbit. Take a picnic and join in the fun.

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The endearing exchanges between Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare, who come up with ever-larger metaphors to express their love for each other, has become a literary classic for younger children. Special guest storyteller Vanessa Woolf presents family classic Guess How Much I Love You, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Adam Murphy, creator of the popular comic Corpse Talk (the show that brings the dead famous to life), will be digging up some "freaky famous people from the past". As well as creating wacky cartoons, he'll help youngsters create their own comic featuring their favourite historic hero.

Adam has been writing and drawing comics for The Phoenix Story Comic since it started in 2012. As well as Corpse Talk he writes and draws Lost Tales, re-interpreting folk stories.

Best-selling author Stephen Pastis is a familiar name to young readers. The man behind the hilarious Timmy Failure books will be talking about his character, founder of the Total Failure, Inc detective agency.

For older readers, there's a chance to find out what factors to consider when making up your mind about university.

Not sure which university to go to? Having a dilemma about which course to choose? Worried about fees and student debt? Head full of questions needing an expert answer? Mark Garratt, director of external affairs at the University of Bradford, will be joined by Jason Geall, chief executive of the digital learning community Student Room and Professor Michael Hutt from the University of London, for some straight talking about the academic sector.

From advice on the application process, and what to consider when making your choice, to tips about trends in student thinking, the session is billed as a must for anyone considering university. It will be followed by tours around some of the university's faculties.

The following events are on Saturday, May 16:

  • Everything You Wanted To Know About Going To University, the University of Bradford's Richmond Building from 10am - 11.30am.
  • Alice in Wonderland, City Park, 12noon - 4pm.
  • Lauren Child in Conversation, the National Media Museum, 12noon - 1pm.
  • Mark Stay, Waterstones, 1pm - 2pm.
  • Sensory Storytime with Vanessa Woolf, City Library, 2.30pm - 3pm.
  • Kitty Taylor's Masterclass: How to Create a Storyboard, Bradford College's David Hockney Building, 3.30pm - 4.30pm

The following events are on Sunday, May 17:

  • Adam Murphy's Corpse Talk, the Midland Hotel, Irving Room, 10.30am - 12noon.
  • Stephan Pastis, the Midland Hotel, Princes Ballroom, 1pm - 2pm.