Tag: reading

The Scottish Friendly Children’s virtual Book Tour unlocks support for children during lockdown

128 schools across 32 local authorities in Scotland have joined the virtual Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tours since the start of lockdown last year, with educational video content viewed over 100,000 times.

The ‘Connected’: Space tour recently hosted five days of ‘out-of-this-world’ virtual events, telling the stories of space adventures through science fact and fiction.

The digital events took place online from Monday 22 February to Friday 26 February, with schools from Aberdeen, Argyll & Bute, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Moray, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire and West Lothian signed up for events, reaching over 750 pupils.

The events are available to watch on demand via Scottish Book Trust’s website.

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.

For over 20 years the tour has visited schools the length and breadth of the UK, bringing the world’s best authors directly in front of children in classrooms. Since covid-19 the tour has adapted to the restrictions and changing landscape and has gone fully digital to continue vital work in supporting children, reaching around 8,000 P1-S3 pupils.

Fun, educational video content and live events for home learning and in the classroom have to-date reached an audience of over 100,000 through the Scottish Book Trust social media, Home Activities Hub and On Demand library.

Carol Ann Neil, teacher at Bridge of Allan Primary School said: “Having the opportunity to engage with the Space Explorers event reignited the children’s enthusiasm for reading as individuals and as a class team to share stories during the pandemic.”

The Connected: Space tour featured a diverse mix of book events, including: illustrator and graphic designer Matt Carr, creator of Rocketmole; author and astronomer Dr Sheila Kanani and author Libby Jackson, one of the UK’s foremost space experts and author of book Space Explorers. 

P5-7 pupils had the opportunity to meet Dr Alastair Bruce, Dynamic Earth’s very own resident Astronomer. Joined by Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost, pupils took the role of captain and decided the fate of their own space mission.

The previous tour, Connected: Polar, is now available to watch via Scottish Book Trust’s On Demand library hub. Events include Sarah Airreiss and British Antarctic Survey, live from the Antarctic and Shackleton’s Journey with William Grill and RRS Discovery, Dundee.

The next virtual Connected tour: Continents, will take place from Monday 22 March – Friday 25 March.

Pupils will have the chance to join events and meet authors live from different parts of the world including Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America.

From celebrating different cultures and languages, to exploring about mythology and magic to drawing manga, the Connected: Continents, tour is jam-packed with fun events for all the family. Schools can find out more and sign up via Scottish Book Trust’s website. Events will be available to watch later via Scottish Book Trust’s On Demand Library.

Kevin Brown, Head of PR at Scottish Friendly, said: “As soon as the pandemic hit and schools were closed, our number one priority was to provide educational and exciting content to help children, teachers and parents with engaging video content that can be viewed either via live social media streams or at a time of their choosing.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “Scottish Book Trust is delighted to bring the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour virtually into classrooms and homes across Scotland.

“Since the pandemic started a year ago, it has been more important than ever to provide young people with engaging and exciting content.

“The Connected tours aim to transport pupils to new worlds through author events, offering opportunities to spark their creativity and imagination. The feedback from schools and families has been fantastic, and our On Demand library allows anyone to watch the tour, at any time, and no matter their location.”

A novel year: Rare Birds Book Club predicts a page turning 2021

Scottish-based book club sees sales up 204% YoY

Membership figures projected to double in 2021

Even split between self-purchase and gifting

Rare Birds Book Club has offered a welcome distraction and a meaningful network for women across the world since its inception in 2017. As COVID-19 brought about the closure of businesses from independent to global, the monthly membership and digital book club saw its figures explode, with an increase in sales of over 52% during the first lockdown alone.

Twelve-months on and with three lockdowns under the country’s belt, the brand, which offers letterbox sized gifts to keep us entertained, has found itself to be one of the few winners of the pandemic.

The home of women’s fiction, Rare Birds Book Club has been a balm to combat the loneliness, anxiety and unease that Coronavirus has brought, not to mention the boredom. Showing just how much a year of being homebound has affected the nation’s shopping habits, Rare Birds announced a 255% increase when comparing January 2020 to January 2021 and an overall increase of 204% YoY. This equates to over 1,200 new monthly members across the last twelve months.

As a monthly service which delivers a surprise work of female fiction to your door, Rare Birds Book Club’s best-seller for 2020 was the pay-as-you-go option, “people love the flexibility and convenience, especially in these uncertain times” according to founder Rachel Wood.

However, that being said, last year saw over 44% of all Rare Birds purchase a 12-month membership or longer, meaning that for them the club is more than just something to keep them going during lockdown. On top of that, figures saw an almost even split, with 51% of members purchased for themselves, whilst 49% ordered as a gift for someone else.

Rachel Wood expands on why now, more than ever, people have been reawakening their love of reading: “Our mission at Rare Birds is simple: to make reading fun again. This year, nothing has seemed particularly fun and with fear at an all-time high and an inability to see our loved ones, a little escapism has been sorely needed.

“From the excitement of receiving a surprise book to the ability to gift those we miss, and have it fit neatly through their letterbox, we have been doing what we can to offer a touch of light relief in this difficult year.”

With a plan that is sure to set the literary world on fire, Rare Birds predicts it will double its members in 2021, finishing out the year with even more likeminded bibliophiles.

The brand will also see a number of big releases including a new line of gifting and a new way of selling in the second half of the year.  

For more information visit https://rarebirdsbookclub.com/

Book Week Scotland programme launched

Book Week Scotland: Monday 16 November – Sunday 22 November

Scottish Book Trust has launched Book Week Scotland’s 2020 programme, which focuses on the theme of Future. Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has worked closely with partners to ensure the celebration will go ahead this year in a digital format due to the current pandemic.

Book Week Scotland is the country’s biggest celebration of reading and writing and it returns for its ninth year from Monday 16 November to Sunday 22 November. Although there will be no face-to-face events this year, the Digital Festival has a stellar line-up including award-winning author Denise Mina; actress and comedian Ruby Wax; bestselling crime writer Louise Welsh and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

To kick off the programme, writer Luke Winter joins Book Week Scotland for Dial a Story, a live writing service that will take place in Edinburgh on Monday 16 November.

Stationed at the Scottish Book Trust phonebox, Luke will be available to write personalised stories on his typewriter, which will be mailed to the participant. Members of the public can call Luke on 07818 173 266 between 11am and 2pm.

There will also be the opportunity for the public to take part in an online treasure hunt via Scottish Book Trust’s social media for the chance to win a Zoom appointment with Luke Winter. During the session, he will write a unique story for the winner: a perfect Christmas present for a loved one or friend.

An avid reader herself, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will join #BookShelfChat: sharing favourites from her own bookcase. The public are also encouraged to join in on Tuesday 17 November by sharing photographs of their own bookshelves using the hashtag.

Libraries and community groups across Scotland are also taking part in Book Week Scotland, with digital events in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire. More information can be found here.

50,000 free copies of the Future book, which includes real life stories from people around the country, will be available from libraries and other community venues during Book Week Scotland. A selection of 30 stories are featured in the book, which also includes work from author Abir Mukherjee of A Rising Man and poets Romalyn Ante of Antiemetic for Homesickness and Dean Atta of Black Flamingo.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Book Week Scotland will look different this year. However, we’re still excited to present a diverse and engaging programme with some of the biggest names in the Scottish literary scene and beyond.

“Whether it is joining our Digital Festival, reading the Future book or voting for the novel that sums up 2020, we hope everyone is able to take part this year in some form. Thanks also to our partners for working hard to make Book Week Scotland possible despite the difficulties.”

Viccy Adams, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland said: “Book Week Scotland connects people and communities across the country with the joys of reading for pleasure every year and sparks the imagination of the nation.

“In these difficult and uncertain times, this programme will help people access the solace and support that books bring into our lives and homes.”

Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive of The Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC) said: “SLIC is delighted to support Book Week Scotland. The power of literature has never been more important than in 2020. While library buildings may have closed during lockdown, readers still managed to turn to books as a welcome escape from the pressures of the pandemic and we witnessed an unprecedented spike in downloads of our digital reading resources.

“As such, I’m sure there will be a big appetite for Book Week Scotland’s Digital Festival. Libraries across Scotland are enthusiastically planning online content. There are some terrific names on the programme and it will provide the perfect opportunity for people of all ages and interests to engage, learn and be inspired by the joy of reading.”

Book Week Scotland event highlights:

Monday 16 November

  • 11am – 2pm: Luke Winter will be available via telephone (07818 173 266) or by visiting the Scottish Book Trust phonebox (George IV Bridge, outside Bank of Scotland). The event will operate within COVID-19 restrictions.
  • 12.30pm: Scottish literature and slavery – a walk along tour with the Edinburgh Caribbean Association. Lisa Williams, director of ECA takes playwright and poet Hannah Lavery on a literary-inspired tour of the capital city. The event will explore Edinburgh’s deep connections with Africa, Asia and the Caribbean from the 16th century to the present day.

Tuesday 17 November

  • First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joins #BookShelfChat with a tour of her bookshelf.
  • 8-bit game ‘Robert Burns Saves the World’ featuring Scottish literary characters launches – play as Jackie Kay, Muriel Spark, Robert Louis Stevenson, Nan Shepherd and many more notable figures.
  • 8pm: Comic writer Neil Slorance hosts Comic Jam via Twitch.

Wednesday 18 November

  • Book Week Scotland vote result announced: if 2020 was a book, what would it be? Vote now for your favourite here.
  • 12.30pm: Author Ross Sayers has a rallying cry for young writers in a new film.
  • 8pm: Award-winning author Denise Mina in conversation with Red Handed, true crime podcasters Suruthi Bala and Hannah Macguire.

Thursday 19 November

  • 12pm -2pm: The popular #ReadingLunch returns! The public are encouraged to post their lunch and their current read on social media with the hashtag.
  • 4pm: Writing The Cutting Room: a film premiere featuring behind the scenes stories from Louise Welsh’s debut, award-winning novel.
  • 8pm:New Suns, Different Futures – Faridah Àbíké-Íyímíde and Andrea Hairston, chaired by Nyla Ahmad, discuss the anthology which showcases emerging and seasoned writers of colour telling stories of speculative fiction.

Friday 20 November

  • 10am: Punching the Air: award-winning, bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Dr Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five discuss their powerful YA novel in verse about a boy who is wrongfully incarcerated – chaired by award-winning author Patrice Lawrence.
  • 12.30pm: See You in 10 Years: a film exploring the journey with Scottish Book Trust, patron Val McDermid and National Library of Scotland, who have worked together to develop a time capsule that will include writing from young people of Scotland. Glasgow Artist Ali Forbes has been commissioned to design the capsule.
  • 4pm: Big Book Week Scotland quiz: join Scottish Book Trust for this fun literary quiz to fundraise for the charity.

Saturday 21 November

  • #BookSwoonScotland: join in online and post the best book covers you own.
  • 4pm: Writing Disabilities in Fiction: author Ever Dundas and crime writer Nell Pattison discuss the barriers they have faced during publication and what equals good representation in fiction.

Sunday 22 November

  • 10.30am: Futures, Connecting and Faith with author Leila Aboulela and poet Nadine Aisha Jassat.
  • 4pm: To the Future with Love – actor and comedian Ruby Wax ends the week on a high with historian and author Rutger Bregman, hosted by writer Heather Parry.

On all week

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will run from Monday 16 – Friday 20 November with Robin Stevens, author of the best-selling Murder Most Unladylike series.

Robin will be beaming digitally into 60 schools across 22 Scottish local authorities. For schools not attending the virtual tour, they can still take part on Twitter with a murder mystery takeover including fun activities for the classroom.

The Book Week Scotland 2020 programme is now live and can be found here.

British sign language and closed captions will be available for all the panel events.

Two Edinburgh authors feature in 2021 Bookbug Picture Book Prize

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the shortlist for the 2021 Bookbug Picture Book Prize. Now in its fifth year, the shortlist includes Morag Hood, Ross Collins and Zoë Ingram.

The award was established to celebrate the most popular picture books by Scottish authors and illustrators and to encourage reading for pleasure.

The winner is chosen by thousands of children across the country who can cast their votes online either at school with their teacher or at home with their families, via the Scottish Book Trust website.

THE BOOKBUG PICTURE BOOK PRIZE 2021 SHORTLIST IS:

  • Brenda is a Sheep by Morag Hood (Two Hoots)
  • This is a Dog by Ross Collins (Nosy Crow)
  • My First Book of Birds illustrated by Zoë Ingram (Walker Books)

Morag Hood and Zoë Ingram are both from Edinburgh, while Ross Collins is from Glasgow.

The 2021 shortlist features Brenda who believes she is a sheep but is different from her fluffy friends; a dog that steals the show and plans to keep it that way, and an illustrated spotter’s guide that is an ideal introduction to garden birds.

Families can watch the books being read aloud here.

The winner of the Bookbug Picture Book Prize will be announced in an exclusive video to all registered groups on Thursday 4 March 2021 (World Book Day).

The winner will receive a specially commissioned trophy and £2,000 while shortlisted authors and illustrators receive £500 per book.

62,000 pupils across Scotland will receive a free copy of each of the three books on the shortlist, which are given to every Primary 1 child during Book Week Scotland (16 November – 22 November), in the Bookbug P1 Family Bag.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “It’s always a delight to see familiar faces on the Bookbug Picture Book Prize, which was established to celebrate the work of great authors and illustrators in Scotland.

“We hope families across the country will enjoy reading these books together, and vote for the one they enjoy most.”

Alan Bett, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland, said: “The Bookbug Picture Book Prize promotes reading for enjoyment and engages young readers, not only through a fantastic shortlist of titles, but also by empowering them with the decision to choose the winner. Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and illustrators.”

The deadline for voting is Friday 5 February at 5pm.

It’s Roald Dahl Day

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, James and the Giant Peach … children and adults have been delighted by Roald Dahl’s books for generations. September 13 is Roald Dahl Day, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our favourite Dahl stories and characters with fellow fans all over the world.

Here, Dahl fan and former primary school teacher Laura Steele of educational resources experts PlanBee shares her top facts about the much-loved author.

Who was Roald Dahl?

Roald Dahl is one of the most famous authors in the world. His children’s books have been translated into almost 60 different languages, and sold over 250 million copies worldwide.

He was born on September 13 1916, in Llandaff, South Wales. His parents were Norwegian. 

School Life

Roald joined Llandaff Cathedral School in Wales when he was seven. He was said to have been a mischievous child. On one occasion, he and his friends devised the ‘great mouse plot’ when they hid a dead mouse in a jar of gobstoppers in order to give an unpleasant old sweet shop owner a fright. The boys were later found out and caned by their headmaster while the sweet shop owner watched. (This story, as well as many other tales from his childhood, is recounted in his autobiography, ‘Boy’.)

As a result of the caning, Roald’s mother withdrew him from the Cathedral School and sent him to St Peter’s Boarding School in Weston-super-Mare. He was just nine years old. Roald was very homesick to begin with, and even pretended to have appendicitis so that he would be sent home!

When he was 13, Roald became a pupil at Repton School in Derbyshire. One of the rare highlights of being a pupil there was when the boys were asked to sample and rate new chocolate bars for Cadbury!

Overall, however, he did not enjoy his school days, calling them ‘days of horror’ that were filled with ‘rules, rules and still more rules that had to be obeyed’.  When, aged 17, he was asked by his mother if he wanted to go to university, his reply was: ‘No, thank you. I want to go straight from school to work for a company that will send me to faraway wonderful places like Africa or China.’

African adventures

Roald’s first job with an oil company sent him to work first in Kenya, and then Tanzania. In Tanzania, Roald saw many wild and dangerous animals, including lions, rhinos and hyenas, but it was the snakes he feared the most.

Flying ace

Roald joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in Kenya at the outbreak of the Second World War, and became a fighter pilot. Unfortunately, he crash-landed in the Western Desert of North Africa and was badly injured.

I Spy!

After being discharged from the RAF, Roald became a British Intelligence Officer (a spy!), passing on important information to the government. He worked alongside another spy, Ian Fleming, who later became famous for his James Bond 007 series. 

Becoming an author

In 1961, Roald Dahl’s first novel for children, ‘James and the Giant Peach’, was published. In total, he wrote 20 children’s books – 17 fiction books and three poetry books.

Do not disturb!

Roald had a small hut at the bottom of his garden where he would go to write. It contained a battered old armchair and a table of strange mementos, including a silver ball made from old chocolate wrappers, and a piece of his own hip bone that was removed during an operation!

Ten Fun Facts about Roald Dahl

  1. Roald’s parents named him after the Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen, who was the first man to reach the South Pole, in 1911.
  2. In Norwegian, Roald’s name is pronounced ‘Rooo-al’, with a silent ‘d’.
  3. When he was a child, he had two pet mice called Marmaduke and Montague.
  4. As an adult, Roald was 2 metres tall.
  5. He could speak three languages, English, Norwegian and Swahili, the official language of Kenya and Tanzania.
  6. Roald’s first ever piece of published writing was an account of his plane crash during the Second World War.
  7. Roald invented over 250 new words (there is even a special Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary).
  8. According to his teachers at school, Roald was never very good at writing.
  9. September 13th, 2020 would have been his 104th birthday.
  10. Roald wrote for four hours every day. He did not want his children disturbing him while he was in his writing hut, so he told them wolves lived there!

Download lots of fabulous Roald Dahl resources for FREE from PlanBee’s Roald Dahl resource collection.

New books receive funding from Scots Language Publication Grant

Nine new books in Scots have been awarded funding by the Scots Language Publication Grant.

Now in its second 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.

Applications were assessed by a panel with expertise in Scots and publishing, including a writer and representatives from Creative Scotland, Education Scotland and Publishing Scotland.

The successful titles are:

  • The Itchy Coo Book of Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Saviour Pirotta, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark, translated by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson (Itchy Coo/Black & White Publishing)
  • Duck Feet by Ely Percy (Monstrous Regiment Publishing)
  • The Leerie by Stuart Armstrong & Joseph Daly (Leerie Press)
  • A Nicht Afore Christmas by Irene McFarlane & Rosemary Cunningham (Tippermuir Books)
  • Ghost Polis by Matthew Fitt, 
  • But N Ben a Go Go (audiobook) by Matthew Fitt, 
  • Scotsaga by Donald Smith,
  • A Short Story Collection in Scots by Gerda Stevenson and The Classics in Scots by William Imray Brown(Luath). 

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.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney, said: “The Scottish Government is a strong supporter of our indigenous languages, including Scots.

 “We want to support those who wish to learn and use the language and access new and exciting reading materials. These books are for adults and children, encouraging a love of Scots from an early age.

 “We have invested £30,000 funding towards the Scottish Book Trust grant for publishers. This is the second year that we have supported the grant and it is hoped it will foster the development of new writers.”

Rhona Alcorn, CEO of Scottish Language Dictionaries and Chair of The Scots Language Resource Network, said: “The Scots Language Resource Network is incredibly proud of this grant.

“By helping Scots publishers publish new work in Scots, we directly influence the number of titles on the Scots language shelves of libraries and book shops, real and virtual. For those for whom Scots is a first or subsequent language, this broadening of choice is immensely gratifying.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “It’s fantastic to see a diverse range of titles receiving the Scots Publication Grant: from classic fairy tales to brand new zines.

“Our thanks to the Scottish Language Resource Network for their excellent recommendations, and to the Scottish Government for funding this programme which helps to support publications in the Scots language.”

A Short Story Collection in Scots is by Gerda Stevenson, anaward-winning writer, actor, theatre director and singer-songwriter. She has worked on stage, television, radio, film and in opera, throughout the UK and abroad.

Gerda Stevenson said: “I look forward to the challenge of another creative journey into the unknown with the supple Scots language, and appreciate the support of this grant.” 

Scotsaga will be a bold reinvention in one interlinked narrative of Norse sagas, myths, folktales and legends connected with Scotland.

Donald Smith said: “I am honoured to receive support from the Scots Publication Grant fund. I want to show how Scots takes us into new areas of cultural expression and linguistic virtuosity. I hope that Scotsaga will intrigue readers and sustain the role of Scots as an international literary medium.”

Fort Kinnaird gifts hundreds of children’s books to local families

Fort Kinnaird has gifted bundles of popular children’s books and engaging activity booklets to the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project in Edinburgh to support families in need during the coronavirus pandemic.  

300 children’s books have been shared with local families, including Gargantis by Thomas Taylor and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, along with free activity booklets filled with fun and educational worksheets based on familiar fictional characters such as Alex Rider, Judy Moody and Maisy Mouse. 

Susan Heron from Venchie Children & Young People’s Project said: “It’s been great to watch so many of our local families get excited about the activity booklets and choosing brand new books to take home.

“This has really meant a lot to us and we know just how much of a difference they will make to children in our local area.” 

This new initiative is led by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and the National Literacy Trust. It follows a long-running partnership to help encourage children to enjoy reading outside of the classroom and to provide them with the resources to do so.  

Recent research from the National Literacy Trust reveals that children who own their own books are happier. Yet, 1 in 11 children and young people in the UK don’t have a book of their own at home.

With many children not attending school due to Covid-19, this project aims to help tackle the problem and give local families brand-new books and educational materials.  

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Encouraging children to love to read and giving them access to their own books is so important, especially at this particularly difficult time.  

“We’re really pleased to be able to continue to work with the National Literacy Trust to support amazing local organisations such the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project.” 

As part of British Land’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust, families in Edinburgh also have free access to virtual storytelling sessions which support children’s listening and creative skills and help to spark a love of stories.  

The ‘Young Readers Story Club’ videos feature professional storytellers sharing different stories each week, including award-winning children’s poet Dominic Berry and the storyteller Amanda Edmiston. 

St Francis’ RC Primary School, Castleview Primary School and Niddrie Mill Primary School have be given exclusive ‘first look’ access to the videos before they are made available for local families to view on the National Literacy Trust’s Family Zone website.  

Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “Books have the power to enrich children’s lives – they fuel imaginations, help children learn new things and support mental wellbeing – yet hundreds of thousands of children across the UK are missing out on these benefits at a time when they need them most, simply because they don’t have a book of their own. 

“By bringing the magical world of stories into children’s homes through brand new books, activity booklets and incredible storytelling videos, this initiative will provide much needed inspiration and comfort during a time of uncertainty.” 

Time’s running out to Change The Story

Last month, children’s book company Little Box of Books launched a crowdfunder with the support of presenter, author and musician Rochelle Humes hoping to diversify the bookshelves of schools across the UK – and today is the last chance to donate.

The crowdfunder,  ‘Change the Story’ is raising £55,000 to diversify the bookshelves in some of the most disadvantaged schools in the UK and the charity is still £10,000 short of it’s target.

In a report released last year it was revealed that only 4% of children’s books published in 2018 had a black, Asian or minority ethnic main character, meaning 96% of main characters were either white, animals or inanimate objects.

Rochelle said: “I am a big advocate of driving representation of the BAME community through literature, which is one of the reasons why I started writing children’s books.

“The best way to stamp out racism is through awareness and by educating children at grassroots level. Stories are the window into the wider world, and the more that children are exposed to different people from different backgrounds, the more accepting they will be as they grow.”

Owner and founder of Little Box of Books Lynsey Pollard believes it’s crucial that every primary school should have a full and diverse collection of books, fully accessible to all pupils.

“We want our children to grow up to be anti-racist, to accept difference with understanding and respect. Whether that’s differences in skin colour, family set up, socioeconomic background, disabilities.

“But this is at odds with the books we give them; we can’t keep giving children lessons on the importance of accepting and celebrating diversity, telling them everybody is different and everybody is normal, then sending them back to bookshelves which don’t back that message up.”

Amanda Matsangou, the Assistant Headteacher of Newton Leys Primary School, Milton Keynes recently diversified her school library. She said: “Our school is incredibly diverse, but it has been an exceptionally hard and time-consuming process to even begin to find story books that feature characters that our pupils identify with.

“Little Box of Books has curated book collections that are much more reflective of the UK population. They remind our children that anything is possible” 

The crowdfunder closes today at 4pm.

If you would like to support the initiative, the crowdfunder can be found here:

 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/changethestory

What a first year for The Portobello Bookshop!

When Jack founded The Portobello Bookshop in July last year, never could he have imagined that he’d be celebrating Portobello’s one-year anniversary in the midst of a global pandemic!

While the physical shop might be currently closed, Jack is determined to keep the activity going (safely!) and keep bringing books to his wonderful customers.

After weeks of hard work and planning, the bookshop set up a new online order system, and they will soon be launching a click-and-collect service.

In spite of the current challenges, Jack and his team are remaining hopeful and creative, and are still planning to celebrate Independent Book Week, in whatever form might be safe to do so.

Their current plans involve a virtual event with children’s author Emily MacKenzie, whose latest book Beware! Ralfy Rabbit and the Secret Book Biter (Bloomsbury) is published this month.

Emily will also be curating a stunning shop window for Portobello.

Jack said: “For the time being we don’t plan to open as a physical shop, but instead to run a click and collect service, as we keep an eye on things and open at a time when we feel it is ok to do so. 

We’re going to make sure our shop is as safe as possible. This will include distancing signs around the interior of the shop, a shield for our till area, and of course hand sanitiser always available.

“The interior of our shop was always designed for easy access and navigation and the flow of it from left to right will allow us to hopefully ensure people can move around safely and browse easily.”

 

Jack talked about their plans for Independent Bookshop Week: “IBW is a wonderful thing and we’re pleased that it will be possible for us to do something for it with the lockdown having been lifted a little.

“We’ve got local author and illustrator Emily MacKenzie popping in to the shop to do an inspiring window featuring characters from her latest book Beware Ralfy Rabbit and the Secret Book Biter, a book all about books, reading and the love of literature.

“She’ll also be doing an online event, most likely streamed via our Instagram, which both children and adults are welcome to join!”

From online events with bestselling authors, to a picture book celebrating key workers, to virtual bookshop crawls, Independent Bookshop Week 2020 will go ahead this year, taking place 20-27 June as planned.

Organised by the Booksellers Association (BA) and sponsored by Hachette, the annual celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland this year has adapted to include online events to give book lovers across the country access to authors and books during lockdown.

The week will celebrate the role indie booksellers have continued to play in building a sense of community during the pandemic, as well as encouraging customers to support their local highstreet by shopping local at what is a particularly challenging time for small retailers.

VIRTUAL EVENTS

Confirmed events taking place during IBW include:

  • Meg Rosoff, bestselling author of How I Live Now, will be joining the series of virtual events “At Home with 4 Indies”, created by booksellers from Book-ish (Crickhowell), Linghams (Wirral), Forum Books (Corbridge) and Booka Bookshop (Shropshire). The series, which since the lockdown began has included guests such as Joe Wicks, Robert Webb, David Baldacci, and Marian Keyes offers all book-lovers a new, special kind of author event. The event with Meg Rosoff will be live on the At Home with 4 Indies Facebook page on Tuesday 23rd June at 8pm.
  • Maggie O’Farrell, bestselling author of the Women Prize nominated novel Hamnet, will join At Home with 4 Indies on Friday 26th June at 8pm.
  • Cressida Cowell, Waterstones Children’s Laureate will be a holding a virtual bookshop tour on her social channels, featuring each of the following indies on a different day for the duration of IBW. Bookshops confirmed so far are Mainstreet Trading (Melrose), Little Ripon (North Yorkshire) and Silverwood Events (Kirkham, Preston).
  • Steve Chambers, co-author of Resist: Stories of Uprising, a collection of stories and essays exploring two millennia of British protest, will be doing a virtual event with Bookmarks Bookshop (London) on Friday 26th June.
  • Julia Bell, novelist, essayist, poet, creative writing course director and author of Radical Attention will be taking over the social channels of Newham Bookshop (London) and sharing her bookshop picks during the week.
  • Tim Burgess will be curating a special book-inspired playlist, released on his Twitter channel at 3pm on Sunday 21st June.
  • To celebrate National Reading Group Day, which coincides with the first day of IBW, The Reading Agency will be encouraging reading groups across the UK to read The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. There will be a discussion with the author on Facebook on Saturday 20th June.

INDIE BOOKSHOPS AND PUBLISHERS PAIR UP

To underline the many ways in which small businesses are supporting each other at this difficult time, IBW wills see independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland being “twinned” with indie publishers, in a series of special events and exclusives.

Confirmed twinned bookshops and publishers include:

  • Saraband Books (Glasgow and Manchester), indie publisher of fiction, nature writing, and environmental reads will be twinned with Sam Read Bookseller (Grasmere, Lake District).
  • Publishers of “the best of Chinese literature”, Alain Charles Asia (West Sussex) will be promoting 11 indie bookshops from Sussex throughout the week via its social channels.
  • Indie publisher Wrecking Ball Press (Hull) will be partnering with The Rabbit Hole (Brigg) and will be hosting virtual events with a selection of their authors, providing signed titles and more.

EXCLUSIVES

An early release of Meg Rosoff’s new children’s book, The Great Godden will be available exclusively in indie bookshops during Independent Bookshop Week, with signed copies and tote bags available for customers, before its general release in July.

Thank You, Heroes, a new picture book celebrating key workers by Patricia Hegarty and Michael Emmerson will be release exclusively in indies from 20th June, ahead of wider publication in July. Little Tiger will be donating all publisher profits on UK sales to NHS Charities.

INDIE BOOK AWARDS

The shortlist for the Indie Book Awards 2020, this year in their fourteen edition, has been revealed, as voted for by independent booksellers across the UK and Ireland.

Spanning four categories – Fiction, Children’s Fiction, Picture Book and a new Non-Fiction prize – the awards celebrate the paperback books of the year, as chosen by independent bookshops, and are part of Independent Bookshop Week (20 – 27 June 2020), the annual celebration of indie bookshops organised by the Booksellers Association.

Included in this year’s shortlist are Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other), international best-selling author Elif Shafak (10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World), Baillie Gifford Prize winner Hallie Rubenhold (The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper), former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson (Animalphabet) and Irish Children’s laureate Sarah Crossan (Toffee).

Chosen by a judging panel of independent booksellers, authors and industry influencers, the Indie Book Awards winners will be announced on Friday 26 June 2020, the penultimate day of Independent Bookshop Week.

The full Indie Book Awards 2020 shortlist:

FICTION SHORTLIST

The Offing by Benjamin Myers (Bloomsbury)

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak (Penguin)

You Will Be Safe Here by Damian Barr (Bloomsbury)

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Picador)

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (Corsair)

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo (Penguin)

NON-FICTION SHORTLIST

Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner (Hodder & Stoughton)

War Doctor by David Nott (Picador)

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold (Black Swan)

Extraordinary Insects: Weird. Wonderful. Indispensable. The Ones Who Run Our World by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson (Mudlark)

Mudlarking by Lara Maiklem (Bloomsbury)

No Win Race by Derek A Bardowell (Mudlark)

CHILDREN’S FICTION SHORTLIST

Toffee by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)

Deeplight by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Chinglish: An Almost Entirely True Story by Sue Cheung (Andersen Press)

The Star Outside my Window by Onjali Q. Rauf (Orion Children’s Books)

The Somerset Tsunami by Emma Carroll (Faber & Faber)

The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson (Usborne)

PICTURE BOOK SHORTLIST

Animalphabet by Julia Donaldson & Sharon King-Chai (Two Hoots)

Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker & Zoe Persico (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)

Don’t Worry Little Crab by Chris Haughton (Walker Books)

Alfie on Holiday by Shirley Hughes (Puffin Books)

I’m Sticking With You by Smriti Halls and Steve Small (Simon & Schuster)

Franklin and Luna Go To The Moon by Jen Campbell, illustrated by Katie Harnett (Thames & Hudson)

The final winners of the Adult categories will be chosen by a panel chaired by bookseller Matt Taylor (Chepstow Books & Gifts) and including Elizabeth Perry (Daunt Books), Zool Verjee (Head of Marketing and Publicity at Blackwells), Sarah Shaffi, (freelance journalist and #BAMEinPublishing co-founder) and Hachette author William Shaw.

The judging panel of the Children’s categories will be chaired by bookseller Vanessa Lewis (The Book Nook) and includes Layla Hudson (Round Table Books), Jessica Paul (Max Minerva’s Marvellous Books & More), Jonathan Douglas (CEO of National Literacy Trust) and Hachette author Piers Torday.

For updates and to join the conversation on social media, follow @booksaremybag and #IndieBookshopWeek.

Edinburgh book subscription service confirms 52% increase in sales

  • Monthly book delivery complemented by digital book club offers a welcome distraction and meaningful network for women across the world 
  • Book club strives to combat Coronavirus loneliness, anxiety and unease 

Since its emergence onto the scene in 2017, Rare Birds Book Club has seen growth of 86% and 57% year on year respectively – but since lock down measures commenced, the subscription service and digital book club headquartered in Scotland has reported a staggering 52% growth over the course of the past four weeks.

At the beginning of the year, the club was just about to hit 1,000 subscribers per month, an almost 50/50 split of those buying for themselves (51%) and those buying as gifts (49%) however, post lock down, the emphasis on sales has shifted firmly towards gift purchasing with hundreds of orders including messages of consolation, comfort and togetherness.

The pay-as-you go option has also taken off, with people looking to enjoy the service without having to commit longer-term; a bonus in these times of uncertainty and the business has also recorded a marked increase in international sales with 10% of all orders now being shipped internationally.

In the short-term, mail outs are now being done from Rachel’s spare room instead of her headquarters in Edinburgh city centre!

Rachel Wood, founder of Rare Birds Book Club comments: “My spare room is basically now a small warehouse, but it means we’ve been able to stay fully operational during lockdown.

“Once books are picked, packed and ready to go, they are collected by Royal Mail in a seamless operation that is completely contactless. My staff and I are all isolated in our own homes and have different responsibilities to keep us ticking over – I do the big send outs and individual orders are done elsewhere.”

A simple, yet personal subscription, Rare Birds Book Club offers members the chance to pick between two surprise books each month (or upgrade to both) before joining like-minded subscribers in the digital book club to discuss this month’s read.

Its ethos being rooted in a service that was both letter-box friendly and heavily digital has been key in driving the sales spike that has kept the business operational when so many others have temporarily or indefinitely closed-down.

Never one to rest on her laurels, Rachel also launched a podcast a few weeks ago, which sees her and two friends waxing lyrical about all things books.

“The first few episodes were pre-recorded and ready to go, so we were able to launch quickly. Now in lockdown we record remotely; each of us with the same microphone we’d use together. We host the discussion through a video chat on my computer so it’s all online, and it’s recorded by connecting the computer up with our soundboard to keep the quality high. Then we edit and release as normal.”

With COVID-19 still keeping us in our homes and with reports of mental health issues on the rise, it seems reading and podcast listening will only increase to help combat loneliness, anxiety and the unease Coronavirus has brought. For Rare Birds Book Club that suggests 2020 is set to be a year of even bigger growth.

For more information visit https://rarebirdsbookclub.com/