Tag: Scottish Book Week

MSP visits Streetreads Library

Lothian list MSP Foysol Choudhury visited Streetreads Library yesterday.

Streetreads has been taking books and stories out to people affected by homelessness for several years , and in August 2021 opened a library space in the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church at 25 Nicolson Square. 

This initiative has been backed by leading city authors such as Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin, and the publishers Canongate, who have donated several titles of their own.

The Labour MSP said: “I’m fully behind the fantastic work Streetreads does.

‘’This library is about so much more than just books and offers a number of ways to connect with stories including. running classes and events helping people connect with their world, where people can listen, take part and create their own stories and provide audio books and the tech for people to listen to them.

“During Scottish Book Week, I am pleased to have been able to highlight this project, which serves as a great reminder that we really must ensure everyone has access to the world that is opened up through books “

Craigroyston bookworms pick up their prizes

A new chapter at Craigroyston!

CPS2

Craigroyston Primary School really entered into the spirit of Scottish Book Week recently. One of the activities was a quiz for parents, and there was a great response – over forty entries were received.

Six winners were selected, and earlier this week Head Teacher Lorna Stewart presented the bookworms with their prizes.

Take a bow, Mrs Kirk, Ms Malcolm, Ms Thomson, Mr Fitzharris, Ms Mackay and Ms Robertson!

Craigroyston’s Helen Cameron said: “The whole school took part in activities during Scottish Book Week and that included the parents. The week is all about encouraging both adults and children to read and it was  great success. It really was good to see so many parents and carers taking an interest and we know that quite a number of them worked with their children on the quiz answers. Congratulations to all the winners.”

Among other Scottish Book Week activities Craigroyston staff started to write a story. Each participant was only supposed to write a sentence or two – but the story’s still doing the rounds and it’s growing and growing!

We’ll let you know when Craigroyston’s very own ‘War and Peace’ is complete!

 

 

Circle celebrates launch of The Sandpit Volcano

‘No-one really knew what it was. People walking past stopped and stared …’ 

sandpit volcano5Local familes celebrated the launch of their latest book ‘The Sandpit Volcano’ at North Edinburgh Arts Centre yesterday. The group from Circle’s Haven project wrote the story during Haven’s Storytelling Week project in August, and this was the first opportunity to see the end product. 

The Sandpit Volcano tells the tale of brave kangaroos, crabbit crustaceans and creepy castles with flags made from used underpants – delightful!  Children who were involved in the creation of the story read and performed it at North Edinburgh Arts and it really is a fantastically fun tale!

The Haven Project was again supported by Edinburgh-based author Mike Nicholson, who worked with the group on a similar project last year – a swashbuckling tale of pirates on the seven seas.

The Sandpit Volcano was created during an intensive week for all involved – from a day of ideas and discussions following a trip to Cramond, working with Mike to develop story ideas and then producing artwork and storyboards – but it was both interesting and fun for all involved and everyone is delighted with the finished product.

Angela Austin worked on the artwork with the group. “This was a great group to work with – everyone was really enthusiastic and there was lots of energy and ideas”, she said. “People can be creative and really good at art without realizing the talent they have, and I think this project has shown that”.

One proud mum said: “The project was interesting and it was a good laugh too. We’re all really pleased to see the way the book has turned out – my bairns will be reading it as a bedtime story tonight!”

sandpit volcano1

 

 

 

From Glasgow’s mean streets to Muirhouse

Glasgow crime writer Alex Gray received a warm welcome when she visited Muirhouse Library as part of Scottish Book Week events last night. The award-winning author discussed her love of books, how she gets ideas for her stories and read extracts from her latest novel, A Pound of Flesh.

Alex has had a love of books and reading from her earliest years – as a child she was lucky enough to have had an older sister at secondary school, so she grew up with Greek myths and legends, Scheherazade and the Arabian Nights! The author also recalled one particularly prophetic primary school teacher who told Alex – who was then eight years old – she was convinced that she would become a writer when she grew up!

It was actually some years later that the teacher’s prophesy finally came true – Alex turned to writing when illness forced her to quit her job as an English teacher, and decided to write crime novels because she enjoyed reading them! She’s since gone on to write six best-selling novels.

The writer said that she has always been very interested in people and what motivates them, and that the initial inspiration behind her ideas is inquisitiveness and curiosity: wondering ‘what if …?’ Alex remains an enthusiastic member of a local writer’s group and offers advice to aspiring authors when dealing with publishers: ‘Three Ps – politeness, patience and perseverance.’

A Pound of Flesh will be published by Sphere Paperbacks on 6 December

My Favourite Place – and there are 150,000 of them for free!

 

CRAIL a favourite place?

From the tip of Shetland to the depths of the Borders, we have been scouring Scotland for your favourite places and now, during Book Week Scotland, we are bringing this special collection to you. My Favourite Place is the perfect book to read during Book Week Scotland, Scotland’s first ever national celebration of reading.

From inspiring stories and poems by members of the public, to pieces from well-loved writers including Michael Palin, Alexander McCall Smith and Scotland’s makar Liz Lochhead, My Favourite Place is a snapshot of Scotland’s favourite places.

The book contains over thirty stories, collecting places from all over Scotland and includes a series of illustrations from leading Scottish artists including Alasdair Gray, Louise Hopkins and Kate Davis.

150,000 copies of My Favourite Place are being given away the length and the breadth of the country this week (26 November – 2 December). You’ll find copies in so many places: libraries, bookshops, museums, businesses, arts venues, train stations, CalMac ferries, workplaces and even in Specsavers branches!

The contents of the book were collected as part of the My Favourite Place project run by Scottish Book Trust and BBC Radio Scotland in 2012. To find out more about the project and read the submissions from the public, visit: www.scottishbook.trust.com/myfavouriteplace.

Scottish Book Trust

What’s your favourite place in Scotland? Let us know?

QUEEN’s VIEW another favourite

I’ve looked out and dusted off some of my favourite stories and will be enjoying these books all over again – and as it’s so dark, wet and miserable outside, what better time to to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book?

What will you be reading during Book Week Scotland? Let us know!