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The richness of fine new writing for the young is illustrated by David Almond's Skelling (Hodder). This haunting and tender tale of a boy's discovery of a creature which may or may not be an angel won the Whitbread Award. An exception to the media's general disinterest in children's literature has been JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Bloomsbury) which has been headlined as a phenomenon. Fantasy at its most rollicking, it has topped the best-seller lists for weeks and has found an adult audience as well. These two books are discussed by Janni Howker, distinguished children's author and winner of many awards, including the Whitbread, Somerset Maugham and Observer Fiction Awards. Children welcome at this event.