A Patron of The Portico Library, Melvin Burgess is an award-winning author of children's and young adult fiction. Often referred to as 'the godfather of teen fiction' by the British press, his novel Junk, published in 1996, was widely lauded for its realistic portrayal of youth, drugs and sex. He was nominated for the prestigious 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award, which is presented biennially by IBBY. Previous winners of the award have included Tove Jansson and David Almond.

The event will be chaired by Hannah Kate, a poet and short-story writer based in Manchester whose work has appeared in various national magazines. As well as an academic, she is a presenter for North Manchester FM radio station and the host of a popular literature show, Hannah's Bookshelf, every Saturday with various authors.

After an introduction and dialogue with Melvin Burgess, Hannah will open the floor to questions from the audience.

To avoid the booking fee, please call The Portico Library on 0161 236 6785.

This event is supported by IBBY UK.