We're going on a pebble hunt with the Isle of Wight Literary Festival Youth Zone

The decorated pebbles feature the IWLF logo on one side, and a quotation from a children’s book on the other.

If you find one, the organisers would like you to post a picture with the hashtag #iwlfyouthzone and then bring it along to Northwood House on October 20 or 21 to claim your free session.

This year, for the first time, the IWLF Youth Zone is running as a stand-alone event, a week after the adult festival.

Elspeth Giddens, IWLF youth programme director, said: "We had simply outgrown the outside spaces we’ve used in the past, so we are very excited to be taking over Northwood House this year.

"It also means we can offer many more diverse events, with lots to entertain and inspire in addition to author sessions — and we hope by moving the Youth Zone to the first weekend of half term, we’ll attract more visitors, as well as Island families."

Highlights of this year’s programme include an interview with famed illustrator of the classic title, ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, Helen Oxenbury; Walker Books’ best-selling author and Egyptologist, Rob Lloyd Jones, whose interactive event includes a quiz, prizes, giant skeletons, and creepy Egyptian mummies; Jane Porter, with her charming picture book story of Arnold the lion, who would really prefer to be a flamingo; Sean Taylor, author of ‘I want to be in a Scary Story’; a puppet show retelling of Little Red Riding Hood by the Sisters Grim; and a body positive message for teenagers from Bethan Christopher, where those attending will also get to make their own book.

There will also be lots of local talent on display, from award-winning Kieran Larwood, Jules Marriner, Peta Rainford, Sarah Crossley, Debbie Webb, Fran Heath and storyteller Sue Bailey, among others.

For those not lucky enough to find an IWLF Youth Zone pebble, tickets, as well as more information about events, are available at www.isleofwightliteraryfestival.com/youth-zone