Story in two voices

45th Youth Book Festival of Rouen – Translating and transmitting the Anglo-Norman heritage to young people

The Youth Book Festival of Rouen is offering an exceptional edition focused on transmission, meeting, and dialogue between cultures.

Titled Story in Two Voices, this project invites both young and old to rediscover the Anglo-Norman heritage through children's literature.

From November 5 to 7, 2027, the Halle aux Toiles in Rouen will host more than thirty publishing houses, authors, illustrators, translators, artists, and mediators who will share their passion for stories and creation. For three days, the public will be able to participate in meetings, signings, workshops, readings, exhibitions, and performances designed for all ages, from early childhood to adolescence.

At the heart of this edition, the question of transmission holds a central place. How do we tell today the great stories that have shaped our territory? How do we make languages, imaginations, and cultures converse? How do we transmit a common heritage to younger generations?

Through books and contemporary creation, the festival will provide accessible, sensitive, and playful answers to these questions.

Children are invited to discover the world of William the Conqueror and the Anglo-Norman heritage through numerous creative workshops combining writing, illustration, reading, and discovering heritage. Some workshops will also explore the role of translation in the circulation of stories and cultures, relying on bilingual books and language games.

One of the highlights of this edition is the presentation of The Sons of Time, a contemporary tapestry imagined by the Rouen graphic collective HSH. Inspired by the famous Bayeux Tapestry, this original creation revisits with humor and creativity the epic of William the Conqueror.

A participatory version allows visitors to contribute to a giant collective fresco, making each one an actor in this artistic adventure.

For over forty years, the Youth Book Festival of Rouen has made literature a space for discovery, sharing, and emancipation. With Story in Two Voices, it aims to show that the narratives of the past can still enrich our present and build bridges to the future. Through books, artistic creation, and encounters, this edition invites everyone to explore a common heritage while celebrating the richness of European cultural diversity.

Practical information:
For young audiences (Early childhood, childhood, and adolescence (0-18 years)
Admission: €3.5
Bilingual meetings in French and English with simultaneous interpretation planned

Cooperation France / United Kingdom
Partnerships: HSH collective and Rouen Norwich Club