The award winning Watermill Bookshop in Highland Perthshire is to hold the first book festival in Scotland dedicated exclusively to children’s books.

The Watermill Children’s Book Festival in Aberfeldy, which will take place from 12 – 13 May 2007, will include talks by renowned children’s authors including Mairi Hedderwick, Catherine MacPhail, Nicola Morgan, Keith Gray and Katie Grant, as well as readings, workshops and a session aimed at helping parents choose the right books for their children.

Kevin Ramage, owner of The Watermill said, 'At the Watermill we have developed a programme of regular events for younger readers which we believe is unique among bookshops in Scotland, with 30 – 40 children age 6 – 11 coming along to reading groups every Saturday’.

‘That we have achieved this in a small Highland town with a population of just over 2,000 has shown the thirst of parents to introduce their children to exciting and challenging literature at an early age. We now want to extend this to a wider audience with this two-day Festival, which we hope will provide a creative forum for children and parents from all over Scotland to explore their love of books in the company of other reading enthusiasts’.

The Watermill, the largest bookshop in the rural Highlands, stocks over 5,000 titles and was named Scottish Independent Bookshop of the Year in 2006. It features a children's book department, books and maps for outdoor activities, and a reading room providing free access to reference books, children's books, and magazines.