Children’s book festival will be mixture of fun and fantasy
THERE will be a children’s book festival at New Ross Library this month.
The festival begins on October 10 at 9.30 p.m. with a storytelling session with Liz Weir.
Liz is one of the best storytellers in Ireland and she has been practising her art for over 40 years. She is a narrator who mesmerises children, transporting them into wonderful imaginary worlds. The event is suitable for 6 to 9 year olds.
On Wednesday, October 11, at 12 noon writer Caroline Busher will host a ‘Vulgar Victorians and Ghastly Georgians’ Workshop.
Suitable for children aged between 10 and 12 years those attending will travel back in time to the Vulgar Victorian Era and learn about the Ghastly Georgians. Children will explore the strange and wonderful superstitions and beliefs of the Victorian Era. Caroline will also read a chapter of her latest novel ‘ The Girl Who Ate the Stars’.
On Friday, October 13, at 10 a.m Jackie Burke, author of the popular ‘Grindlewood’ series will be at the library. She will talk about how to come up with ideas for stories, how to structure them, what to do if you get stuck and also explore how to improve your writing and the importance of keeping notes. Jackie will be reading short pieces from her books and will finish up with a lively question and answer session. The event is suitable for 8-12 year olds.
On Saturday, October 14, at 11 a.m. there will be a book clinic at the library where Dr Patricia will be on duty to diagnose reading habits and prescribe good reads for children.
On Monday, October 16, at 2 p.m. illustrator and storyteller Wayne O’Connor will bring teenagers on a magical journey into the world of JRR Tolkien, author of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. A New Ross native Wayne is now living and working in Sligo as an illustrator. This event is suitable for 12-15 year olds.
On Tuesday, October 17, at 6 p.m. children under 7 are invited to the library for bedtime storytime. Children are asked to wear their favourite pyjamas and snuggle up with milk and cookies for bedtime stories. Teddies welcome too!
On Wednesday, October 18, at 9.30 a.m. Matha-magician Caolan McBride will be celebrating Maths Week by using a combination of his magical and mathematical skills to amaze and wow audiences. Through astonishing tricks and slights of hand he will promote pupils’ interest in the wonderful world of magic and of mathematics. The event is suitable for 9-12 year olds.
On Friday, October 20 at 1.30 p.m. Áine Ní Shúilleabhán of Bróga Nua will demonstrate how to use simple games, songs and action rhymes to encourage young children to start learning and enjoying Irish. You do not need to be an Irish speaker to enjoy this interactive workshop which will focus on introducing Irish in a fun and playful way. It is suitable for Junior/ Senior Infants.
On Friday, October 24, at 10 a.m. there will be a visit from BUMBLEance, the National Children’s Ambulance Service. The Bookworms for BUMBLEance project provides a unique and exciting session for children as they get to hear authors from Little Island Books reading from their own work and talking about why and how they write their books. Lucinda Jacob will be the author attending and will be reading from ‘Hopscotch in the Sky’, her latest poetry collection. This is suitable for 8-12 year olds.
Finally on October 25 at 12.30 p.m. there will be a workshop with Colm Keegan.
Colm is the current All Ireland Slam Poetry Champion and appears regularly as a poetry reviewer and contributor to Arena on RTE Radio 1. The session with Colm begins with a talk/show on the power and importance of one’s own voice before the group breaks up to write their own work before finishing with a poetry slam at the end. This is suitable for 12-15 year olds.
For more information on any of the events or to book contact 051 421877.