The Sainte-Radegonde children’s book festival celebrates its tenth anniversary

In ten years, the Sainte-Radegonde children’s book festival has not changed one iota. He has not aged a bit and has not given in to the lure of success. Yet he could have. Not one of the last nine editions has had mediocre success. All of them satisfied both the public and the authors. But the organizers, led by President Alain Dhers, who was present on the first day, remained faithful to their recipes. A little more than ten authors who, before the weekend of the show, are deployed in schools, media libraries or local MJCs. As a result of its success and also due to the need for renewal, the festival has, little by little, extended its scope beyond the urban area.

“A well-known and recognized festival”

“I think we can say today that this festival is known and recognized among authors”says Alain Dhers who, not long ago, received a call from an illustrator who had not responded to the invitation and who asked for the possibility of being present at the 2025 show. “When I spoke to her on the phone, she told me that I didn’t need to show her the show”.

From little ones to teenagers, the festival has chosen to address everyone. Even in medical-educational institutes. Respecting the heart of its project, at the origin of its creation. For the first time, this year, a prize will be awarded. That of middle and high schools. “At the start, we didn’t want to give a prize, but we said to ourselves that we could perhaps do something for these teenagers who we noticed often drop out of reading from the 4th grade onwards”explains Alain Dhers.And this is how Philippe Lerchermeyer, author of the successful series “Maldoror” (best junior fiction 2022 in Montreuil) will be present to receive this “first” prize of the festival. He will be present along with Fanny Chartres, Amélie Sarn and Hubert Ben Kemoun.

50 to 52 half-days of intervention by the authors

Among the authors invited this year, we also find Philippe Ug and his magnificent pop-ups, visible at the MJC of Onet-le-Château and Luc-la-Primaube, the calligrapher and poet Saïd Benjelloun, Laurent Audoin, Claude Clément, Carbonne, Anne Crahay, Léa Louis, Edouard Manceau, Alain Sirvent and Julien Spiers. So many authors who, currently, meet with children all week. “ In total, they provide 50 to 52 half-days of intervention in the department “details Alain Dhers. “We don’t lose sight of our philosophy, that of developing projects throughout the year, and not just at festival time”.

Exhibitions linked to the festival are also on the program. Particularly in Sainte-Radegonde, in the presbytery room, in connection with the 80th anniversary of the Liberation and called “The Children of the Resistance”. There is also the one called “When the brushes get involved” where eight children’s authors and illustrators, through eight totems, address the subject of prejudice and discrimination.

It is therefore a very beautiful new edition which is presented for this Sainte-Radegonde children’s book festival.

Salon open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday October 12 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday October 13. Free.