InterContinental Edinburgh The George is celebrating Women’s History Month by launching a new partnership with female-owned bookstore, Rare Birds Book Shop, to encourage guests to explore Scotland’s female literary greats.
The partnership will pay homage to the hotel’s impressive literary ties and its most-famous former guest, writer Susan Ferrier, with a new experience: ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’.
The package offers guests, who book a stay from 8th March 2022 (IWD), the chance to add an accompanying book bundle from trailblazing Scottish female authors, hand-selected by Rare Birds Books.
Included in the ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’ is Jackie Kay, Scotland’s former Makar, with her debut novel Trumpet, a fictionalised chronicle of the life and death of transgender jazz artist Billy Tipton; quintessentially Edinburgh author, Muriel Spark and her story of a glamorous outspoken teacher, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie; as well as Susan Ferrier’s Marriage.
Susan Ferrier, who resided at the hotel when it was a collection of luxury Georgian townhouses in the 18th century, is widely referred to as Scotland’s answer to Jane Austin.
Her debut book, Marriage, was published in 1818 and tells the story of an English heiress, who elopes with a handsome Scot to live in a castle in the Highlands. Characters in the novel were based on real acquaintances she met during her time at The George, such as iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns and author Sir Walter Scott.
Books will be beautifully packaged and ready for guests in their room on arrival alongside a charming booklet with insider information on each book and its author. The package includes room, bed and breakfast and prices start from £289.
Rare Birds Book Shop, located in the heart of Stockbridge, is on a mission to champion women’s writing, by helping enthusiasts to discover great books by great women. Founded in 2017 it has built a vibrant community of booklovers around the world through its book club.
Rachel Wood, (above), founder and owner of Rare Birds Book Shop, said:“There’s nothing we love more than helping readers discover writing by women, and what better way to help visitors discover Edinburgh’s rich literary history than by shining the spotlight on three brilliant Scottish writers, whose work has captured the imagination of readers around the world.”
Kieran Quinn, Hotel General Manager at InterContinental Edinburgh The George, said: “We are so proud of our historical ties to some of Scotland’s greatest literary experts, so it felt only right that this International Women’s Day, we launched a new offering for guests to delve back into the work of those women who once stayed and were inspired by where we now call home and learn more about more modern Scottish female authors too.”
Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the National Literacy Trust have teamed up to give away almost 23,000 copies of Serena Patel’s award-winning book, Anisha, Accidental Detective, to 240 primary schools in nine cities around the UK.
Today, a team from Enterprise will land in Edinburgh at Hermitage Park Primary School as part of a five-day tour of the UK to deliver the books in a van specially decorated by the book’s illustrator Emma McCann, featuring characters from the book.
The National Literacy Trust has worked with Enterprise to identify communities across the UK that will benefit from an injection of books and the charity is confident that this donation will help to increase reading for pleasure among these children.
The road trip started in Belfast on Monday and will visit schools in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and London.
The aim of the initiative is to provide schools in very diverse inner-city communities with a stock of interesting books that they can gift children to take home and keep as this reinforces classroom learning.
Enterprise employees have recorded a read-along version of the book which children can access via an online link or QR code as an added aid to help them read.
Research shows that reading for pleasure out of school is a major contributing factor to success at school and then in later life and is even linked to a higher lifetime earning potential.
The initiative was made possible with a £128,000 donation from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation as part of the US$55 million global ROAD Forward initiative that promotes social and racial equity projects across the world.
Darranda Rowswell, Director of Development at the National Literacy Trust, said: “Around one in 11 children from lower income families don’t have a book of their own at home.
“Reading is not just great fun, but it’s a vital skill and we want all children to love reading. Children and young people who enjoy reading and who read frequently are better readers, helping them to realise their fullest potential at school and in life.
“This book donation is one more important step in our literacy recovery programme to address the educational issues caused by the pandemic and will help the children who need it most. We’re so happy that Enterprise was able to support us in this programme which will see thousands of children benefitting from this exciting book.”
Simon Caughey-Rogers, Enterprise’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Charity Events Manager, said the partnership with the National Literacy Trust has had enormous support from the whole of the company.
He added: “Many of our super star employees also struggled with reading at school. Every child should get the support they need to be their best and we hope this initiative will go a little way to helping more children get the resources they need. We are really looking forward to their feedback and excited to see how they get on with the book.”
Research from the CLPE in 2020 revealed that only eight per cent of children’s books featured an ethnic minority leading character. Serena Patel’s book was chosen to inspire children who may not usually see themselves represented in the books they read.
Author Serena Patel said she supported the National Literacy Trusts’ campaign to promote reading for pleasure and was delighted that her book was playing an important part in the programme.
Serena said: “I was thrilled when I heard that Enterprise and the National Literacy Trust were coming together for this initiative to gift books to children in primary schools. The lockdowns have been tough for everyone and so being part of such a positive, inspiring project is a massive privilege.
“I couldn’t be prouder that Anisha will be helping encourage children to discover the excitement of reading. Huge thanks to Enterprise for making it happen and for supporting young readers all over the country.”
Enterprise’s ROAD (Respect, Opportunity, Achievement, Diversity) Forward programme is a global initiative launched by the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, aimed at strengthening and supporting the communities where the company operates. It provides funding to projects that open opportunity for people who lack of access to resources in education, health and wellbeing.
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation was established in 1982 to give back to the communities where partners and employees live and work.
Social mobility is core to Enterprise’s hiring and development strategy.
The company was recently awarded Organisation of the Year and Progression Programme of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs).
Jordan Young reads bedtime story for young children and families
River City and Edinburgh Christmas panto star, Jordan Young, has recorded The Last Wolf by Mini Grey – a powerful and funny story that reimagines the classic Little Red Riding Hood in an entirely new way.
The reading is in support of the partnership between charities Children 1st and the Dollywood Foundation UK, which are working to spark the love of reading in every child in Scotland.
Children and families can enjoy Jordon’s reading of the Penguin book on the Children 1st website.
Jordan is the latest in a series of well-known book lovers to record children’s stories for the campaign, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, actor and musician Tom Urie, radio presenter Katy Johnston, actor Sanjeev Kohli and singers Michelle McManus and Eddi Reader.
Jordan commented: “I’m absolutely delighted to read this month’s bedtime story to support Children 1st and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. I really enjoy reading to my two young children every night and sharing the joy of stories together.
“My children love them – it lets them use their imagination, helps them get to sleep and provides a time we all look forward to every evening. I hope my reading of The Last Wolf inspires other children to develop a love of reading too.”
As well as encouraging families to enjoy the celebrity videos together, the charities are also encouraging avid readers to donate to the campaign, to help share their love of reading with children in Scotland who may not have access to books at home.
With public support, the charities will deliver a free book to children who might otherwise go without, every month from birth to their fifth birthday. Alongside the books, children and their families are also offered practical and emotional support to keep their children safe and to support their wellbeing and development.
A parent, whose young child has been receiving books, said: “I think all children should get to have a story at bedtime. Getting books in the post addressed to my son is really exciting for him.
“Having a new book keeps it fresh and stops him getting bored listening to the same story all the time. It’s been great for my son and even for his older siblings too, as they’re enjoying reading the new stories to their little brother.”
Gary Kernahan, Children 1st Director of Fundraising, said: “We’re delighted that Jordon is supporting this campaign and helping to pass on his love of reading and stories to other children across Scotland.
“Stories are an important part of childhood and Children 1st wants to ensure that all children get to experience the joy of books.
“If you would like to help support this important campaign and help more children who don’t have access to books at home to develop a love of reading, please donate today at www.children1st.org.uk/imaginationlibrary.”
National charity Scottish Book Trust has today launched a major fundraising campaign, backed by The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, to drive its new ambition of ensuring everyone in Scotland has access to books and that no one misses out on the many lifelong benefits this brings.
Since the pandemic, the charity has been overwhelmed by increasing demand for its vital work to support vulnerable children and families.
Featuring a woodland illustration of The Gruffalo’s ‘deep dark wood’ from the iconic picture book, with the main Gruffalo character missing from the scene, the campaign refers to the famous line from the story that ‘there is no such thing as a Gruffalo’ and uses it to illustrate that for many children this is true because they don’t have books at home.
Without books, children are missing out and the impact of this lasts a lifetime. Books help families bond, bring joy and comfort, give children a sense of escapism and, importantly, improve their mental health and wellbeing.
New research conducted by Scottish Book Trust revealed that 85% of parents from Scotland’s most deprived areas said that reading helps them bond with their child and that reading makes their children happy, while 95% of all parents in Scotland said they think it is important for children to own their own books.
Julia Donaldson said: “I have read and performed my stories to many children in Scotland and when The Gruffalo was published, I was writer-in-residence at Easterhouse in Glasgow. I have seen first-hand how books can light up a child, catch an imagination and change a life.
“A lot of the work I have done has been alongside Scottish Book Trust and I have seen the important and effective work that they do for children and families throughout Scotland.
“I couldn’t be more pleased that The Gruffalo is now leading a fundraising campaign for the charity at a time when families need books and support more than ever.”
Axel Scheffler said: “It is sobering to see these well-known pictures from The Gruffalo without the characters included and to be starkly reminded that so many children and families have no access to books.
“Helping them to gain access is an urgent issue and I hope that this campaign will be able to raise the funds needed for Scottish Book Trust to make a difference to children’s lives in Scotland.”
Scottish Book Trust also surveyed education and early years practitioners and their responses underlined the need for books at home was great, with over two thirds stating some children they work with only own books gifted to them by Scottish Book Trust. Over 90% of respondents also stated that some pupils had lost reading skill and vocabulary due to lockdown.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“The need for our work has never been greater than now, and the stark, long-term effects of the pandemic have only exacerbated this. Access to books and reading are absolutely essential for a child’s development and life chances – without books at home, young people in Scotland are missing out.
“By supporting Scottish Book Trust’s fundraising campaign, you can help us deliver more of our vital work to support those who need our help the most. We are incredibly grateful to Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler and Macmillan Children’s Books for their support.”
Funds raised from the campaign will enable Scottish Book Trust to deliver more of its life-changing work. Some examples of its programmes include specialist outreach support for young families through Bookbug for the Home, providing tactile books for children with additional support needs, supporting those living with dementia and the people who care for them, and giving books to families in need through food banks and community hubs.
· Jeanette Winterson, Ian Rankin, Mark O’Connell, Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Piers Torday, Glastonbury performer Spoz, K.N. Chimbiri, Jodie Chapman confirmed to take part
· BookTokers celebrating Bookshop Day for the first time
· Author events in-person, charity initiatives, community space take-overs, poetry competitions, stunning window displays, spoken word performances are just some of the reasons to visit your local bookshop
Plans for Bookshop Day, the annual celebration of bookshops across the UK and Ireland (Saturday 9th October), include author events and signings with Jeanette Winterson, Ian Rankin, MarkO’Connell, Val McDermid, K.N. Chimbiri, Piers Torday and many more; exciting bookshop exclusives and promotions; charitable initiatives with Book Aid and other charities; BookTokers celebrating Bookshop Day on TikTok for the first time; window displays by local illustrators; poetry competitions; spoken word performances by Glastonbury artists, and much more.
Celebrating bookshops big and small, Bookshop Day is the annual reminder that bookshops are so much more than just places selling books. With Christmas fast approaching, the Booksellers Association is encouraging customers to “Shop Early, Shop Local” this autumn, and to start thinking about their Christmas shopping earlier.
Booksellers will be on hand to help customers choose the perfect gifts for their loved ones, both in-store and via their websites, phone or email.
EDINBURGH SPOTLIGHT
To mark Bookshop Day, the city of Edinburgh will be taken over by a series of colourful billboards featuring Dapo Adeola’s artwork and ‘Choose Bookshops’ messaging.
The 21 billboards were unveiled on Monday in the run-up to Bookshop Day, in locations including Prince St, Haymarket, Portobello, Fountainbridge and more.
They will be on display until Monday 18th October. Using the artwork created by Dapo Adeola for this year’s Limited-Edition Bag, they will be encouraging consumers to choose bookshops this Bookshop Day.
BOOKSHOP EVENTS
With events taking place across the country, highlights include:
· Jeanette Winterson, best-selling author of 12 Bytes,and MarkO’Connell, author of Notes from an Apocalypseand To Be a Machine, will have a fascinating discussion at ManchesterCentral Library about what humanity might do next, in partnership with Waterstones. Part of Manchester Literature Festival, the event is in partnership with Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester and hosted by writer Kate Feld. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 6pm).
· Lara Maiklem, bestselling author of Mudlarking and most recently A Field Guide to Larking, will be doing an event at Festival in a Factory in Stoke-on-Trent, in partnership with Waterstones Hanley, where you’ll be able to discover the treasures just beneath our feet, hidden in rivers, streams, fields, beaches and connect with people of the past through the everyday items left behind. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).
· Robin Ince will be at Mount Florida Books in Glasgow on Bookshop Day as a part of his #100Bookshops tour to celebrate the release of his new book, The Importance of Being Interested. More info about the Mount Florida event here (Saturday 9th October, 8pm). Other shops include The Chorleywood Bookshop (the bookshop of his childhood), Our Bookshop in Tring (his current local bookshop) and shops in St Helens, Stewarton, Carlisle, Settle, Ilkley, Wootton-Under-Edge, Bristol, Sidmouth and Exeter.At each stop he will ask the booksellers to recommend the book that has piqued their curiosity the most and will create a site charting the path of the tour and the recommendations. All the shops taking part in the tour are listed here.
· Nigel Warburton will interview Amia Srinivasan, the author of the recently-released Sunday Times bestseller The Right to Sex at Blackwell’s Oxford. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).
· Max Hastings, in his signature brilliant style, will give a thrilling narrative of this little-known but crucial naval battle, retelling the intense action which perfectly encapsulates the spirit and power of the Royal Navy, as part of the Dorchester Literary Festival, in partnership with Waterstones. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 2pm).
· Raynor Winn, bestselling author of The Salt Path, will be doing an event as part of Dorchester Literary Festival, in partnership with Waterstones, where she will discuss his latest book, The Wild Silence, which tells the story of one couple’s inextricable connection to the land; and how by exploring their past, Raynor comes to terms with their future. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 4pm)
· Ann Cleeves, bestselling author of the Shetland, Vera and Two Rivers novels will be doing a signing at her local bookshop, The Bound in Whitley Bay, Northumberland (Saturday 9th October).
· Melissa Cummings-Quarry and Natalie A. Carter, authors of Grown: The Black Girls’ Guide to Glowing Up will be doing an event at the newly opened Bookhaus Bristol. Founders of Black Girls’ Book Club will be sharing stories and offer honest, practical advice on how to own your choices, to live your truth without fear and to be grown on your own terms without limits or apologies. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 4pm).
· Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre will be hosting a Kevin VS The Unicorns series of events at Max Minerva’s Marvellous Books in Bristol. More info here (Saturday 9th October, sessions at 10am, 10:45am, 11:30am).
· Graeme Macrae Burnet will be doing a mystery drop-in tour of bookshops in the North of England, starting at The Book Case, Hebden Bridge, to sign copies of Case Study and say hello.
· Phil Earl, author of When The Sky Falls, will be visiting over 20 bookshops in Lancashire and Yorkshire in the lead-up to Bookshop Day to sign copies of his book.
· Alexandra Page, debut author of the YA novel Wishyouwas, will be doing an in-store signing at The Rocketship Bookshop in Salisbury. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).
· Joe Shute, Yorkshire-based journalist and author of Forecast: A Diary of the Lost Seasons, will be doing at event at Ilkley Lit Festival with books sold by The Grove Bookshop. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 12:30pm).
· Catherine Menon and Neema Shah will have a panel discussion about their debut novels. Fragile Monsters by Menon traces one family’s story from 1920 to the present day, while Shah’s Kololo Hill is set during the expulsion of Ugandan Asians by Idi Amin and follows an Asian Ugandan family whose lives are torn apart in 1972 as they must leave the country. The event is part of Ilkley Literature Festival in partnership with The Grove Bookshop. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 3pm)
· Piers Torday, author of The Wild Before, will be recording a special episode with award-winning podcast Writers Routine, to be released just in time for Bookshop Day. More info here (Saturday 9th October).
· Tim Weaver, bestselling crime author of Missing Pieces, will be visiting bookshops around Bath to sign copies of his book, including Waterstones Bath, OldfieldBookshop and Mr B’sEmporium (Saturday 9th October, 11am-1pm).
· Really Big Pants will be performing at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End. The show will be Clare and Cory Share a (Glorious) Story with an accompanying longer form picture book, illustrated by the award-winning Steve Smallman. More info here. (Saturday 9th October, 10-11:30am).
· James Norbury will be doing a bespoke painting in the shop window of Book-ish in Crickhowell for his new release, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon on Friday 8th October. The following day, he will then be in the shop for the day to sign copies of his book (Saturday 9th October).
· Brummie poet and Glastonbury performer Spoz will be doing a live performance poetry outside The Bookshopon the Green in Birmingham, to launch his new children’s poetry collection Canaligator. Children can then get creative and create their own chocolate raps with Spoz after each performance. (Saturday 9th October, 11am and 1pm)
· K.N. Chimbiri, author of The Story of Afro Hair, and Vanessa Taylor, author of Balelr Boys, will be doing a signing with Book & Kulture on the weekend of Bookshop Day, as part of a collaboration with BlackWall StreetLondon, a permanent retail store on Camden High Street focused on products by diverse makers and crafters. Over the weekend, Book & Kulture will be taking over the basement space and turning it into a bookshop for two days. More info here (Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th October, 10am-7pm).
· Jodie Chapman, Ashford author of the debut novel Another Life, will be doing a signing at Waterstones in Ashford. Another Life is set in Ashford and explores love, hope and sacrifice, and was a BBC 2 Between the Covers pick. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).
· Poet Zaro Weil, author of and Cherry Moon current CLiPPA Award winner, will be hosting an event for families at The Book Nook in Hove on Bookshop Day. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).
· Local author Lynne Francis will be signing copies of her ‘Margate Maid’ series TheSecret Child and A Maid’s Ruin at Waterstones in Dean. More info here. (Saturday 9th October, 11am-2pm).
· The Book Nook in Stewarton is holding ‘Activities with Authors’ throughout Bookshop Day, where authors will be chatting to customers, signing books and doing specially planned activities. Authors include Petra Baillie, author and illustrator of a range of children’s books including Illustrateyour Own books and The Strangeand Wonderful Adventures of Pippa; Sharon Baillie, author of Magenta Opium; Jerry Brannigan, author of Robert Burns in Edinburgh; Lindsay Littleson, author of a range of children’s books including The Titanic Detective Agency, Secrets of the Last Merfolk and Guardians of the Lost Unicorns; and Hannah Willow, expert in mindfulness for children, author of Just Be (Saturday 9th October).
· Chicken and Frog Bookshop in Essexwill be hosting a number of events throughout the week including a poetry slam hosted by local DJ and poet Stuart Pink (Thursday 7th October, 7:30pm), the book launch for Frankie Durkin’s latest release, followed by a Book Club dinner (Saturday 9th October) and an online event with Melissa Welliver, debut YA author of The Undying Tower (Sunday 10th October, 7pm).
· Owl and Pyramid Bookshop in Devon will be hosting a number of events to mark Bookshop Day, including a book treasure hunt for children, blind date with a book for adults and children, raffle for book bundles, adults and children, free £5 voucher with every spend over £35, 10% off any Christmas books, games and Christmas cards and the launch of their new loyalty system and subscription service.
· The Ivybridge Bookshop in Devon will be hosting children’s storytelling and activities with local authors including Clare Helen Welsh and Holly Ryan for a morning of stories featuring dragons, mermaids, pirates, princesses, owls, terns, peacocks and elephants! (Saturday 9th October, 10am).
· Truman Books in Leeds will be hosting a number of events, including a late-night shopping event with free glass of bubbles (Thursday 7th October) and storytime for under-fives, a kids writing and a drawing competition to win a £10 book token, a free tote bag with all purchases over £30 (Saturday 9th October).
· Picaresque Books & Galerie Fantoosh in Dingwall will be holding a “Gathering of Authors” for Bookshop Day, with local authors donating signed copies of their books to go for auction in aid of Book Aid. Signed books by Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Graeme Macrae Burnett and S.G. Maclean will be available and local authors including Barbara Henderson, Helen Sedgwick, Brian Devlin, Margaret Kirk, Virginian Crow, Morven-May McCallum, Verity Walker Eley, Sharon Gunnason Pottinger and Norman Newton will pop in the shop during the day (Saturday 9th October).
· Typeset Space, a new community bookshop and co-working space in Rotherham, will be giving £5 vouchers to people who bring them a five-line poem (known as a “quintain” – this could be a limerick, a verse of a sonnet, a Japanese-style tanka, or any other format you like!). They will select five poems per day to award with vouchers, to be used in store. More info here (Tuesday 5th – Saturday 9th October).
· Mostly Books in Abingdon will be turning into Pixies to celebrate Bookshop Day. They are planning to drop gift wrapped books around town for people to find and keep. They will also be offering every customer who spends £20 or more the chance to win a hamper full of book related goodies as well as offering every customer who spends over £50 a free Books Are My Bag Limited-Edition Bag (Saturday 9th October).
· Cambridge University Press Bookshop will be offering 10% off all books on Bookshop Day for all customers who mention “Bookshop Day”. They are also offering a free branded tote bag with every associated purchase (Saturday 9th October).
· B For Butterfly Books inSale, Greater Manchester will be holding a ‘Family Fun Day’ to mark Bookshop Day. The event is free to attend, but the bookshop is asking attendees to consider donating to one of the charities supported by Emporium M3, including clean empty crisp packets to Cyril Flint Befrienders, plastic milk bottle tops to Pathfinder Dogs, used postage stamps to Nightingale Centre at Wytheshawe Hospital, pet food to Cats of M33, and second hand bras, football kits and boots to Bras for Africa. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 10am-5pm)
· Review Bookshop in Peckham will be putting together a special window display to promote their favourite books of 2021 so far, and their favourite books by local writers in Peckham and Southwark – including Featherhood by Charlie Gimour, The Upper World by Femi Fadugba, The Actual by Inua Ellams, Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson and more.
BOOKTOKERS
Bookshop Day will be working with TikTok influencers for the first time this year, with some of the most popular BookTokers in the UK helping celebrate bookshops, and encouraging their thousands of followers to do the same.
Coming from up and down the country, from Wolverhampton to Surrey to Sunderland, confirmed BookTokers include: caitlinreadsbooks (61.1k followers), whatbritreads (46.8k followers), the_caffeinatedreader (31.5k followers), anya.reads (54.2k followers), cultofbooks (48.2k followers) and more.
They will be creating exclusive content in their local bookshops, as well as showcasing their favourite books to read on Bookshop Day and beyond.
LIMITED EDITION BAG
Award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola is the creator of this year’s Books Are My Bag Limited-Edition Bag, which will be available exclusively in bookshops from Bookshop Day.
Joining the likes of artists and illustrators such as Charlie Mackesy, Sir Peter Blake, Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin and Orla Kiely, who have designed previous editions of the bag, due to popular demand Dapo’s bag has had the biggest run a Limited-Edition Bag since Bookshop Day began.
Bookshop.org, the book-buying website on a mission to support independent bookshops and literary culture, will be offering free shipping on all purchases made through their website on Bookshop Day.
Bookshop.org encourages customers to shop at their local bookshop as much as possible, and offers a brilliant ethical alternative to anyone who wants to purchase their books online while supporting bookshops across the UK.
BOOKSHOP OPENINGS
Opening its doors just after Bookshop Day, Afrori Books will be the UK’s biggest supplier of books by Black authors, and Brighton’s first Black-owned bookshop. After operating online for more than a year, owner Carolynn Bain launched a crowdfunding effort on her website to raise £10,000, allowing her to open a bricks and mortar bookshop.
Meanwhile, the independent community bookshop Once Upon a Time Bookshop in Alston, Cumbria will be moving into a new shop and will be reopening on Bookshop Day, as they opened their previous shop three years ago on Bookshop Day 2018.
Piers Torday, author of The Wild Before, said: “My favourite bookshop is Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End, North London – not just because they have supported my books from the very start, but it is a wonderful shop, so welcoming to children and families.
“Steve and Urmi are always ahead of the curve, and understood early on how the bookshop experience was changing; they converted a room above the store into a children’s theatre, they went full on into supplying school events (including mine) and can also happily fulfil any order, children’s or adult.
“They’ve just opened a new pop-up shop in Enfield, and I hope to be popping by there soon, because buying a book at Pickled Pepper is always a joy.”
Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association,said: “One week to Bookshop Day, and we’re already buzzing with excitement! From organising poetry competitions and spoken word sets to secretly dropping books around town, to mind-blowing window displays – the creativity of booksellers knows no limit, and they will have something in store for everyone this Bookshop Day.
“As the beating hearts of their communities, bookshops getting involved in charitable initiatives is a real testament to the incredible contribution they bring to the high street, and the local communities they serve. We wish everyone a wonderful Bookshop Day!”
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has announced that nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award 2022 are now open.
Run in association with Walker Books, the award aims to honour someone working with Bookbug who has used the programme to make a real difference to the lives of the young children, families and communities they work with.
Scottish Book Trust is asking people across the country to nominate a librarian, early years worker, volunteer, health visitor, or anyone who uses Bookbug in their work. The winner will receive a special trophy and a bundle of picture books worth £500 from Walker Books.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“Scottish Book Trust is pleased to welcome nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award: a prize that celebrates the fantastic work of our Bookbug practitioners across Scotland.
“Without the hard work of those in libraries, early years settings and through the health service, many young children would not know the joy of sharing stories, songs and rhymes. Our thanks to Walker Books for supporting the prize and allowing us to recognise these heroes in the local community.”
Kylie Watt, Nursery Practitioner at Longridge Nursery and winner of the Bookbug Hero Award 2021, (above) said:“I was extremely honoured to have won the Bookbug Hero Award for 2021. It affirmed my passion and vision as an educator to actively encourage the joys, benefits, and motivations of reading from a young age.
“Nominating your colleagues allows them to share their best practice, passing on new ideas and skills and importantly acknowledging their efforts and successes.”
Jane Winterbotham, Publishing Director at Walker Books said:“The Bookbug Hero Award highlights all the fantastic staff who run Bookbug programmes across their communities, and we are delighted that we can continue to show our appreciation and support of that work by sponsoring the award.
“The award shows appreciation for practitioners who champion reading and work tirelessly to change lives through stories. We look forward to hearing more about the next Bookbug Hero.”
Nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award can be made online via Scottish Book Trust’s website. The closing date for nominations is Friday 26 November 2021.
A group of young people at Pilton Youth and Children’s Project have been working over the summer holidays to design and build two Little Free Libraries for children in the local community.
The idea was brought to us by Alison McLuckie, a paediatrician working with children and young people in Edinburgh and Mark Stares, a research doctor based at the Western General Hospital.
Alison said: “In my work as a paediatrician, I understand the importance of early literacy and reading for pleasure, and we were thrilled to work with PYCP on the project”.
Alison and Mark and PYCP Youth Workers Aga, Caryn, Adrianna, Adele and other volunteers worked with young people aged 8 to 12 from the “PYCP Adventurers” group, taking the project from the idea stage to building both libraries.
The Adventurers group meet weekly and do all sorts of outdoor activities and learn how to use tools safely, so this was the ideal project for them!
The idea is that local families can take free books from the libraries which are positioned outside of the PYCP building.
A number of Little Free Libraries are all over Edinburgh, including in the New Town, Stockbridge, Starbank Park and Leith Links.
This has been a fantastic project and the young people at PYCP will continue to steward the libraries, making sure they are well stocked and looked after. Families are also welcome to bring a book to leave in return for taking a new one.
The libraries were officially launched on Tuesday (10th August) by Bruce Adamson the Children and Young People’s Commissioner and Nick Hobbs from the office of CYPS.
Young people from the group met with Bruce and Nick and talked him through the design and building process. Bruce and Nick also brought along some books to put in the libraries which were greatly appreciated by the young people.
There are two Little Libraries outside The Greenhouse, both designed by and built with the Young Adventurers.
The first is aimed at children nursery to Primary 2 and is the design of a rainbow hot air balloon. The second is a Harry Potter library for children aged Primary 3 to 7.
Home of female fiction, Rare Birds Books has launched Scotland’s first female-centric bookshop, right in the heart of Edinburgh.
In a bold move that sees the globally beloved book club show resilience and innovation in a time of retail uncertainty, founder Rachel Wood invites bibliophiles down the rabbit hole and into Stockbridge’s newest page-turning hotspot.
Readers are invited to visit Rare Birds Shop in Raeburn Place to immerse themselves in a world of beloved book club favourites, must-have modern classics and the cream of the crop of newly published masterpieces.
From Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Malibu Rising to Torrey Peters’ Detransition, Baby, there will be a story, author and genre for every kind of reader, searching for every kind of world.
Not only packed with the best stories, the shop’s shelves also display a collection of other must-have gifts and novel memorabilia. From Rare Birds’ new candles, which are scented to pair perfectly with your current read, and graphic print totes emblazoned with the store’s logo, to small batch chocolate and stationery from women-led businesses, you are certain to come for the stories and stay for the merch.
Rare Birds founder, Rachel Wood, said: “We’re so thrilled open our first book shop in Edinburgh. We’ve always been deeply interested in women’s writing and we can’t wait to bring what we do online to life in our very own space.
We dreamed of a really welcoming space where we could showcase a huge variety of women’s writing across all genres and create a space where booklovers could meet and socialise and that’s what I hope the space will be.”
Shoppers can choose from a range of female authored fiction and non-fiction books, as well as create Rare Birds’ signature personalised bundles, which are made up of 3 personal picks from the store’s world of stories.
In the months to come, Rare Birds Book Shop will also be home to a number of in-store events, including author readings, book clubs and intimate shopping evenings.
The book club you can’t read without, just got better!
Ten new books in Scots have been awarded funding by the Scots Language Publication Grant.
Now in its third year, the Scots Language Publication Grant was created by the Scots Language Resource Network to support Scots publishers and to encourage Scots writers. It is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing.
This year’s successful awardees include translations of well-loved stories such as Aesop’s Fables by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson, and Lemony Snicket by Thomas Clark. Brian Holton will also reimagine poetry of Li Bai and Du Fu (two of the most renowned poets of Ancient China) to new audiences.
Applications were assessed by a panel with expertise in Scots and publishing, including a representative of the Scots Language Centre, Scottish Book Trust and Waterstones.
Three publishers based in Edinburgh were awarded Scots Publication Grants: Itchy Coo (an imprint of Black & White Publishing), Leamington Books and Taproot Press.
The successful titles are:
A Series o Scunnersome Events, Book the First: The Boggin Beginnin (Itchy Coo) by Thomas Clark and illustrated by Brett Helquist
A Working Class State of Mind (Leamington Books) by Colin Burnett
Berries Fae Banes (Tippermuir) by Jim Macintosh
Hard Roads an Cauld Hairst Winds: Li Bai an Du Fu in Scots (Taproot Press) by Brian Holton
Laird Graham an the Kelpie (Giglets Education) by Jax McGhee
Norlan Lichts (Rymour Books) by Sheena Blackhall, Sheila Templeton and Lesley Benzie
Phantom the Ginger Mog (Wee Stoorie Press) by Kirsty Johnson and illustrated by Mandy Sinclair
The Day It Never Got Dark In Dundee (Rymour Books) by Ian Spring
The Itchy Coo Book o Aesop’s Fables in Scots (Itchy Coo) by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Wheesht (Foggie Toddle Books) by Susi Briggs and illustrated by William Gorman.
The Scots Language Publication Grant provides assistance for publishing new work (including translated texts), reprinting existing historical or culturally significant work, and also effective marketing and promotion of existing and new work.
Education Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville said:“The Scottish Government is pleased to continue to support the Scots Publication Grant for a third year.
“We have seen how this funding can develop talent while widening accessibility of a variety of genres, with titles both new and old, to the Scots speaking community. My congratulations to those who have been successful this year.”
Rhona Alcorn, CEO of Dictionaries of the Scots Language and Chair of The Scots Language Resource Network, said:“The Scots Language Publication Grant plays a hugely important role in supporting Scots as a contemporary literary medium.
“This year’s winning titles illustrate the breadth of creative work in Scots today and truly include something for everyone.”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“Scottish Book Trust is pleased to offer Scots Publication Grants to these ten new titles.
“The diversity in genre and subject matter of the successful awardees is fascinating: from children’s stories to poetry; from classic tales we grew up with, to ancient Chinese poetry. Our thanks to the Scottish Government and the Scots Language Resource Network for making this grant possible.”
