HAPPY 10TH WORLD BOOK DAY!

Thursday 1st March 2007 sees the 10th celebration of World Book Day in the UK and right across the country schools, nurseries, libraries, booksellers, reading groups… in fact everyone who loves books and reading, will be taking part in an exciting range of World Book Day events and activities.

Every school pupil in the UK and Ireland will receive a free £1 World Book Day book token and this year to mark WBD's 10th anniversary there are 10 specially created £1 books available to choose from, including titles by two of our Read Together Reading Champions! Look out for the brand new Tiara Club story, Princess Megan and The Magic Tiara by Vivian French and Sharing A Shell Song Book by Julia Donaldson.

See www.worldbookday.com for more information what's happening on Thursday 1st March and how you can get involved!

NEW CHILDREN'S BOOK FESTIVAL IN ABERFELDY, MAY 2007

The Watermill Bookshop in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, is organising a brand new children's and young people's book festival 12th & 13th May 2007. Authors confirmed to attend include, Marie Hedderwick, Keith Gray, Nicola Morgan, Catherine MacPhail and Jamie Jauncey. The Book Festival is born out of The Watermill's highly successful children's book groups. An initial storytime for 5-7 year olds has grown into six groups that meet weekly with an attendance of around 30 young people each week to read aloud to each other and discuss books. For more information about the first Aberfeldy Children's and Young People's Book Festival and to book tickets log on to www.aberfeldywatermill.com/files/Childrensbookfestival.pdf

CAPITAL KIDNAPPED!
One Book – One Edinburgh

Edinburgh is about to launch its very first citywide reading campaign, One Book - One Edinburgh on 1st February 2007. The idea is for as many people as possible in the city to enjoy the experience of reading the same book - in this case the thrilling adventure story, Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson.

25,000 free copies of Kidnapped will be given away at local libraries across the city from 1st February. To pick up your free copy, simply head to your local library in Edinburgh and choose one of the three editions: the classic paperback, a retold version for less confident readers or the brand new graphic novel by Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy. Edinburgh's schools will also be receiving free copies and Kidnapped will be popping up across Edinburgh on park benches, buses and in coffee shops, so keep your eyes peeled!

There will also be a month-long series of more than 30 events to tie in with the campaign, including When Kilts Were Banned, a cheeky take on the Kidnapped story by Donald Smith, Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre. See www.cityofliterature.com for more information.

And if you don’t live in Edinburgh, all of the new editions will be available to buy in bookshops across Scotland.

For more information about One Book – One Edinburgh see www.cityofliterature.com

Inviting writers to schools and libraries

Scottish Book Trust has published a comprehensive guide to hosting a writer's visit to a school or library, based on a highly successful round-Scotland tour by Michael Morpurgo during his period as Children's Laureate. A downloadable version is available from the Scottish Book Trust website (www.scottishbooktrust.com) - look in the Resources section for the Michael Morpurgo Education Pack.

Pack for Parents

Barrington Stoke, the Edinburgh-based publisher specialising in books appealing to young people who don't enjoy reading, has produced a useful resource for parents - The Parent Pack.

It's full of useful information and guidance - there's a 6 page booklet - Can't Read or Won't Read?, bookmarks, stickers and a poster.

You can pick them up in good bookshops, or send a sae A4 envelope (75p) to The Parent Pack, Barrington Stoke Publishing, 17 Walker Street, Edinburgh EH3 7LP.

Rhymetime for under fives

Rhymetime for under fives at Sighthill Library. Rhymes and songs with musical instruments, arts and craft activity and refreshments

When: Every Friday morning from 10.30 - 11.30am FREE event ALL WELCOME

Where: Sighthill Library, 6 Sighthill Wynd, Edinburgh EH11 4BL

For further information contact: Kate King, Bookstart Project Worker 0131 529 5571 email kate.king@edinburgh.gov.uk

Edinburgh City Libraries run fun, FREE Bookstart activities for babies and toddlers throughout the year. For details click here (PDF 8Kb).

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