Are you sitting comfortably

By Ken Bennett, Birmingham Post

England is celebrating its children's authors this autumn with exhibitions and special events for all ages

Listen . . . I want to tell you a story about marvellous events and attractions linked to classical children's tales this autumn.

Enjoy England, part of VisitBritain, has launched a new campaign encouraging families to visit an amazing diversity of attractions and places highlighted in much-loved children's books.

From Alice in Wonderland to Thomas the Tank Engine, Peter Pan to Harry Potter - it's an opportunity for everyone to discover the magical world of childhood and, in some cases, provides a glimpse into the creative lives of famous authors.

In all, 38 writers, from Lewis Carroll to Anthony Horowitz, and places linked to them and their stories, are featured in a full-colour, fold-out Storybook England map.

For example, one of the world's finest collections of childhood-related objects at the Museum of Childhood reopens in London on November 18 after a multi-million pound redevelopment.

The 130-year-old building has been restored to its Victorian glory and its opening exhibition, Happy Birthday Miffy, celebrates the 50th anniversary of Dick Bruna's popular rabbit character.

The museum also has a collection of cuddly teddy bears and explains the gestation of literary favourites including Rupert, Winnie-the-Pooh and Paddington. Admission to the museum, in Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, is free.

Eureka! Yorkshire's splendid interactive museum for children at Halifax, is planning a Harry Potter Wizarding Weekend this autumn.

Suitable for children aged three and above, the event from November 25-26, lets youngsters cook up nature-defying potions and charms, and offers a practical magic lesson with spectacular illusions, too.

The event is free upon entry to the museum.

Classic tales The Wind in the Willows, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are all celebrated in special events in the Thames and Chiltern regions over the next few months.

The River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, has an excellent Wind in the Willows exhibition where visitors will experience life on the river as seen by author Kenneth Grahame. And there's a chance to see Badger's house; and hide from those nasty weasels.

At Toad's Christmas on December 20-21, children will be able to visit a festive Toad in his accommodating caravan where they can make some super Christmas decorations and help him decorate his Christmas tree.

The Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, is dedicated to the life and times of the world famous children's author who would have been 90 last month.

Visitors can see a replica of his writing hut, in which he wrote some of his best-loved stories, and explore the countryside.

Or visit Christ Church College, Oxford, where Lewis Carroll first came into contact with Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for his little girl lost, Alice in Wonderland.

You will find many of the weird but wonderful characters from the book reflected in architecture and objects around the college.

The A-Z of Literary Oxford runs from next February until July 2007, when the museum celebrates the city's literary connections with authors who have found inspiration there.

Close to home, nursery characters come to life in Wonderland, set in an enchanting woodland in Telford Town Park, Shropshire.

Children's favourite storybook characters and their homes, including Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White's Cottage, the Crooked House and the Three Little Pigs, appear round every corner.

Visitors can ride on the Mad Hatter's Tea Cups or have fun in Dribble the Dragon's giant indoor soft play area. And at Christmas, it's transformed into Santa's magical village where children can ride his sleigh, take a winter carousel ride and visit the Ice Mountain.

Thorpeness, a former fishing village on the Suffolk coast, is best known for its House in the Clouds, but it also boasts a little-known link with author J M Barrie.

The Meare, a 65-metre freshwater boating lake, has a Peter Pan theme with the Dragon's Den, Otter Isle, The Blue Lagoon and many other hideaways to explore, as well as rowing boats for hire.

During the summer off 1910, the owner Stuart Ogilvie developed his fantasy village, designed to provide self-catering holidays for families. He was helped by his friend Barrie to develop the Peter Pan theme.

The most famous building in the village is the House in the Clouds - originally a water tower, with a fake house at the top.

For a novel taste of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, web surfers can download the new Bristol Quayside Adventure - a free pod cast audio guide that takes them on the Treasure Island Trail.

The harbourside trail takes in the city's cobbled streets and Georgian squares, explaining the connections between the novel Treasure Island and the location.

Meantime, the Avon Valley Railway plans a great day out with Thomas the Tank Engine on October 7-8 and his troublesome trucks, based around the Reverend W Awdry's original story.

And the South West has inspired many other children's writers and poets.

Enid Blyton's love affair with Dorset provided the inspiration for many of her books, and places she featured include Corfe Castle, Swanage Pier and railway line, Poole Harbour and the real life Whispering Island - Brownsea Island. The shop in Corfe, Ginger Pop hosts walks, talks and events throughout the year.

The Taw and Torridge Rivers in North Devon set the scene for the Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson, which is marked by the 180-mile Tarka Walking Trail, cycle route and Tarka railway line, Visitors can see real otters at the Tamar Otter Sanctuary in Launceston, Cornwall.

Or Winnie-the-Pooh fans can recapture some of the stories' magic during a stay in Devon at Alice Cottage - home of the real-life Christopher Robin.

Nestling in a beautiful valley in the heart of the South Hams, the house was where Christopher Milne - son of Pooh author A A Milne - lived for nearly 30 years until his death a few years ago.

Available from Toad Hall Cottages - 0845 612 6776, www.toadhallcottages.com - and sleeping six, the four-star, self-catering property in the hamlet of Bowden near Dartmouth, has a natural woodland garden with a wildlife pond. It costs £333 in October.

* For a free Storybook England map call: 0845 456 2332, or click on: www.enjoyengland.com/storybook for an interactive version of the map, with additional information including a downloadable teacher's resource pack.

* Museum of Childhood: Further information: 020) 8983 5200 or visit museumofchildhood.org.uk

* eureka.org.uk

* roalddahlmuseum.org

* For details about Oxford, visit visitsoutheast.com.

* For details for House in the Clouds visit visiteastofenglandmedia.com

* Wonderland Telford, call:01952 591633 or visit wonderlandtelford.com.

* For Tarka the Otter details, visit discoverdevon.co.uk

* For Treasure Island, visit visitbristol.co.uk.