SPACE travel and plastic pollution will be explored at Buckfast Abbey’s first children’s book festival next week, from July 11 to 14.

Devon author Jo Earlam has taken inspiration from the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings for her latest children’s book, Archie, Space Dog!

The story is based on her 14-year-old rescue dog, Archie, and has been written as a tribute to the many dogs sent into orbit as part of the space race.

Jo will be appearing at the festival, along with Archie and the Plymouth-based illustrator of the book, Mark Hannon.

Jo’s first book, Tuamor The Turtle, was published in 2015 and tackled the subject of marine plastic pollution. It’s now used as the basis of national curriculum study projects in many Devon schools.

The author of the Wild Tribe Heroes About the Problems of Ocean Plastic, Ellie Jackson, will also be appearing at the festival.

Ellie, an environmental scientist and mother of four who lives in Cornwall, has written a series of books to help educate children about the impact of plastics on ocean ecosystems.

Her inspiration came while living near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and witnessing a turtle called Duffy undergoing treatment lasting a year for ingesting plastic.

The two authors are among dozens of writers appearing at the free festival, including award-winning writers Julia Goulding, Christopher Edge, Dan Metcalf and Chris Higgins.

The festival will also include a live ‘Where’s Wally?’ competition, with a chance to spot the popular character as he wanders around the grounds, and performances by storytellers and theatre groups.

Among the local authors is Torquay-based Alexander Martin, who writes the Stanley Smartpants books under the name Martin Harman. Detective Sergeant Stanley leads the Cat-Haven police as they investigate crimes in a feline version of the seaside town.

The children’s book festival is organised by the abbey bookshop and education department and will explore all aspects of children’s literature and reading.

It follows the huge success of the abbey’s storytelling festival, held last year as part of the millennium celebrations.

Alison Gagg, the abbey’s head of education, said: ‘The festival will provide a fantastic opportunity for young readers from tots to teens to meet and interact with their literary heroes and have that special time with them.’