On Friday 18 September John was one of the authors performing at the Read with the Stars event at the Kassam Stadium organised by ARCh – Assisted Reading for Children in Oxfordshire. Hundreds of children attended the event, including 200 from Blackbird Leys, which provided a literary festival with a difference. Among the other authors taking part were TV presenters Sam and Mark, Teresa Heapy, Adam and Charlotte Guillain and Cas Lester.