TOP authors will visit libraries across the district as Bradford celebrates Children’s Book Week.

Schools have been invited to various free events, with libraries hosting drop in sessions featuring writers from across the country.

Award winning children’s author Jamila Gavin, whose books include Granpa’s Indian Summer and The Magic Orange Tree will be introducing two of her books during visits to City Library and Manningham Library on Monday.

Her book Coram Boy won the prestigious Whitbread prize and is used widely in schools.

Her visit is part of London’s Asian Literature Festival, and many of her books have their origins in the author’s Indian upbringing.

Margaret Mulligan, history teacher and author of Katy Parker and the House That Cried, will be reading extracts from the book and discussing events to invited schools at Ilkley Library on Thursday.

The book is about two siblings who wake up to find themselves in 1940s Britain. Children will take part in an activity to consider what they would choose to take if they were evacuated from the district during The Blitz.

Comic book artist Doctor Simpo will be at City Library on Wednesday to offer young people comic art and character design workshops.

It will be part a partnership event with Leeds Sequential Art Festival - Thought Bubble, that will also see hundreds of free graphic and comic books suitable for teenagers handed out at libraries across the district.

Many of the district’s libraries will have drop in events through the week, including story time and crafts sessions.

Books being read to children include Kitchen Disco by Clare Foges and Al Murphy, a book about how items of food in the kitchen come alive when everyone else is asleep.

Story times, followed by fruity themed craft sessions will be held at Laisterdyke Library on Monday at 5pm; Ilkley Library on Wednesday at 10.15am, Wyke Library on Friday from 10am – 11am and Thornbury Library from 2.30pm – 3.30pm.

There will be a Halloween theme when spider themed stories and rhymes are read at Burley Library on Monday at 2.30pm and again at Menston Library on Tuesday 2.45pm.

Eccleshill Library will host Midsummer Night’s Dream activities on Thursday between 3pm and 4pm, and children will be invited to dress as their favourite book characters at a storytelling event at Holme Wood Library on Thursday at 4pm.

A full list of library events is available at bradford.gov.uk/libraries.