Join the Book Week conversation

JUDITH TONNER

Airdrie library will be welcoming a series of popular authors to the Wellwynd venue as part of the eighth annual Book Week Scotland.

This year’s theme is “conversation” – and first to join in will be more than 100 children, attending a visit from author Alan Dapre next Wednesday, November 20, to hear him speak about Porridge the Tartan Cat. Author and journalist Jane Graham will then be at Airdrie library at 7pm that evening to chat about her latest book, Letters to my Younger Self, which includes contributions from Paul McCartney and Buzz Aldrin.

Storyteller Gerry Durkin will then host a fun intergenerational event, entitled Big Blethers Meet

Wee Blethers, at 10am on November 21. A trio of Monklands authors will then be in the spotlight next Friday, November 22, with Coatbridge and Airdrie writers Gerard Grant, AJ Morris and Terry Watson speaking about their locally-based work and taking questions during an “In Conversation” session at 2pm.

Customer ser v i c e s librarian Judy McGuire said: “We encourage everyone in the community to come along and share their love of reading and celebrate Book Week Scotland.

“If you can’t make it along, there are lots of other ways to get involved online and this is the perfect time to get signed up to your library or look out your membership card, stock up on books at home and make time to relax and read.”

Running from Monday until November 24, Book Week Scotland is a national celebration of books and reading and will be marked with events at North Lanarkshire libraries and across the country, while a free book will also be distributed to libraries ahead of the event.