More young people will be able to get involved in the First Minister’s Reading Challenge as it expands to include secondary schools, libraries and community groups. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement at Riverside Primary School in Stirling – the winner of the School and Community Partnership Reading Journey award for its participation in the challenge. Continue reading New chapter for Reading Challenge
Working with a wide range of partners, Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, will deliver a huge range of events and activities across the country for Book Week Scotland. The week-long celebration takes place from 27 November to 3 December, and this year’s theme is Nourish. Continue reading Get set for Book Week Scotland
A pilot for a single card that can be used in any library has been launched in the north east of Scotland. The pilot gives readers access to more than 120 libraries – and 1.6 million books. Continue reading Sharing our stories: ‘One Card’ library pass to be trialled
Every year for Book Week Scotland, national charity Scottish Book Trust releases a book of stories around a theme. As part an annual campaign to get Scotland writing, the public were asked to write pieces on ‘nourish’ and what it means to them. Hundreds of wonderful stories from across Scotland were submitted, and can be viewed here.
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library aims to inspire a love of reading in pre-School children
• More than 150k free books delivered to children in Scotland since 2011
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library attending the Scottish Learning Festival on 20/21 September
Edinburgh’s Kirsteen Watson is playing a key role in helping Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library inspire a love of reading in pre-school children across the UK. Kirsteen is one of two Regional Directors in the UK and is responsible for managing the literacy programme in communities across Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland. Continue reading Hello Dolly! Imagination Library’s Kirsteen shares the joy of reading with pre-school children
BAFTA nominated TV writer Paul A. Mendelson shares his debut children’s novel, “Losing Arthur” which is largely set in Scotland.
Paul A. Mendelson tells the story of Zack, quirky and imaginative, but bullied at school. He has only one true friend in the world: Arthur. The trouble is, only Zack can see him. One day his mum gets so fed up that she ‘grabs’ Arthur, dumps her handful of nothingness into a box and posts it to Zack’s long-departed father at some made-up Scottish address. Zack, usually so timid, has to set off on a perilous journey to rescue his imaginary friend before he fades away. But there are rogue elements out there who have dangerous plans for the two of them.
“Losing Arthur” author, Paul A. Mendelson lives in Harrow, Middlesex and is a British writer best known for his work on television and radio. Paul has written for the BBC, ITV and for DreamWorks Animation and is currently developing several feature films both in the UK and in the US. Mendelson released his debut adult fiction, “In the Matter of Isabel” earlier this year with great success!
With endorsements from Jamie Rix (Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids) and Elly Brewer, multi-award winning ex lead writer of Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground, “Losing Arthur” is a must-read for children and young adults alike!
Scottish Book Trust opens voting for the 2018 Scottish Teenage Book Prize as shortlist is announced.
Scottish teenagers posed with a ballot box at the Scottish Parliament yesterday to launch the poll to find Scotland’s favourite teen book of the year. Continue reading 2018 Scottish Teenage Book Prize shortlist revealed
Earlier this year the First Minister announced that the scheme was being rolled out to all primary school children, following a trial year among P4-P7. More than three quarters of all local authority primary schools in Scotland signed up to the First Minister’s Challenge in the first year of it being introduced when it was offered to older primary school children.
Research shows reading for pleasure drops off as young people reach secondary school and the expansion of the scheme is designed to ensure young adults continue to enjoy reading long after they have left primary school.
Speaking during a visit to one of the pilot schools, St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School yesterday, the First Minister said: “I am incredibly proud of the success the First Minister’s Reading Challenge has had in nurturing a love of reading for pleasure amongScotland’s young people which is why this expansion to secondary schools is so exciting.
“I am determined to ensure we continue to promote reading as one of life’s greatest pleasures – and that young people reap the benefits of the resulting educational attainment that can be achieved.”
Michael Wilkie, Literacy Coordinator from St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge. Reading has been such an important aspect of our plans for raising attainment in the last few years, and this exciting initiative will be the drive to expand reading for pleasure across the entire school community.
“Plans are already in progress to engage parents to help their children be the best readers they can be, to support staff across the curriculum to confidently teach and assess reading, and to give pupils as many opportunities as possible to pick up a book and get reading. With an active and enthusiastic literacy committee and pupils who thrive on reading, we are certainly up for the challenge.’
Marc Lambert, CEO at Scottish Book Trust, which runs the programme, added:”This expansion of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge builds on the huge success of its first year and opens up the joy of reading for pleasure to all primary children. The secondary school pilot will focus on a key age group, among whom reading for pleasure can tail off due to the pressures on time that come with high school.
“The Reading Challenge will focus attention on this, giving pupils more opportunities to share and celebrate what they love reading, delve deeper into writing and discover different ways to enjoy books.”
A literacy programme at Craigroyston Primary School is in the running for a national award. The pioneering programme jointly ran by Scottish Book Trust and Scottish Gas has been announced as a finalist at the Charity Times Awards. Continue reading Craigroyston Primary project is Charity Times Award finalist
Visitors to Edinburgh’s Central Library will be able to sample a special selection of Nordic noir, as well as sci-fi, history and poetry, thanks to a delivery by the Finnish Institute in London. Continue reading Library receives special consignment of Scandinavian stories
