Lesefrühling – Children's Literature Days Gütersloh and Bielefeld

Lesefrühling — 20 Years of Children's Literature Days in Ostwestfalen-Lippe

Lesefrühling is the most important children's literature festival in Ostwestfalen-Lippe. From March 3rd to 28th, 2026, the festival celebrates its 20th edition — a quarter-century of joint reading promotion by the city libraries of Gütersloh and Bielefeld. For four weeks, well-known children's book authors will give readings, lead workshops, and engage with their young readers in both cities.

Concept — Readings for Four Age Groups

The program is aimed at children aged 4 to 12 and is sorted by age group:

• Preschoolers (4–6 years): Picture book readings with songs and interactive elements
• Early Readers (6–8 years): Easy-to-read stories with large print and many illustrations
• Primary School (8–10 years): First novels, adventure stories, detective stories, non-fiction books
• Transition to Secondary School (10–12 years): More complex themes, identity, friendship, fantasy

Parents and grandparents are warmly invited to accompany the children. Most readings last 45 to 60 minutes, ideal for the attention span of the respective age group.

Well-Known Authors

Over the past 20 years, Lesefrühling has brought many prominent figures from German-language children's and young adult literature to Ostwestfalen-Lippe — authors ranging from Cornelia Funke and Andreas Steinhöfel to Kirsten Boie and Otfried Preußler (posthumously). In 2026, the audience can again expect a program featuring currently popular voices from the children's book scene. The exact lineup will be announced from January 2026 onwards at lesefruehling.net.

Ticket Sales and Prices

Admission is only €1 per reading — a deliberate decision to make reading promotion accessible to all families. Tickets will be available online from February 7th, 2026, at lesefruehling.net. Readings with well-known authors usually sell out within hours — those who want to attend a specific reading should be online promptly on the sales day.

Gütersloh City Library — Modern Reading Lounge

In Gütersloh, the city library at Blessenstätte 1 is the central venue. The modern building offers a flexible event space, cozy reading nooks, and an extensive children's and young adult book section. During Lesefrühling, parts of the library are reserved for events — regular library operations continue in parallel.

Gütersloh — District Capital in the Heart of Ostwestfalen-Lippe

Gütersloh, the district capital of the district of the same name, with around 100,000 inhabitants, is home to several major companies (Miele, Bertelsmann) and boasts a surprisingly vibrant cultural scene. The city library is considered one of the most innovative in North Rhine-Westphalia. Lesefrühling, organized jointly with the Bielefeld City Library, is one of the finest examples of high-quality municipal library work.