Malorie Blackman: Noughts & Crosses at 25

Malorie Blackman is at Queen Elizabeth Hall on Wednesday 28 October, marking 25 years since Noughts & Crosses first came out in 2001. It's one of the most influential novels in modern Black British literature, and the evening is built around it. The story imagines a world where the ruling Black Crosses hold power over the white Noughts, with childhood friends Sephy and Callum at the centre. It grew into a bestselling series and was adapted for both stage and screen, with more than 1.2 million copies sold.

It's not just a talk, either. Blackman will be joined by special guests Tinie Tempah and Candice Carty-Williams, and actors Brianna Douglas and Lewis Tidy will perform an extract from Pilot Theatre's stage adaptation. There's also a clip from the BBC's Noughts + Crosses to screen. The whole thing is chaired by writer Irenosen Okojie, so it's a conversation with a few different voices around the table rather than a solo reading.

Blackman herself has written more than 70 books for children and young adults. She was the first Black person to serve as Children's Laureate, from 2013 to 2015, and was awarded an OBE in 2008. She's also held an official ambassadorship for the UK's National Year of Reading. This session is part of the London Literature Festival, which is guest-curated this year by Dua Lipa, with her Service95 Book Club presenting the evening.

It starts at 8pm and runs for about an hour and 15 minutes. Standard entry is from £29, with concessions available. The venue is Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX.