◆ Trending: Five Scottish books for younger readers to celebrate World Book Day
Getting children engaged in reading can be challenging, and it can be hard to find titles which are enticing enough to catch their eye.
No matter how old or young, there is a book out there for them and with World Book Day tomorrow we've selected a few to help. Here are five Scottish books for younger readers, from picture books to teenage coming of age tales.
Wee Unicorn by Meg Mclaren – Suitable for the youngest of readers, the Wee Unicorn is a beautifully illustrated picture book with an important message about finding friendship and embracing differences.
Wheesht by Susi Briggs – Illustrated by William Gorman, Wheest is a Scots language tale about Shug, a dog who loves to sing. So much so, that his family can’t sleep and are constantly telling him to “haud his wheest”. The book includes a Scots glossary.
An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Mythical Creatures by Theresa Breslin and Kate Leiper – Theresa Breslin OBE worked with illustrator Kate Leiper to bring this book of Scottish creatures to life. Suitable for ages 9-11, the book is full of traditional tales expertly retold.
The Rewilders by Lindsay Littleson – The Rewilders follows Esme, a young girl who is annoyed to be sent to her gran’s for the weekend – until, she discovers that Cora, the abandoned kitten her Gran found is a wild lynx kit. Now growing rapidly, Esme ends up on a dangerous mission to rewild the creature in the Highlands.
Duck Feet by Ely Percy – A funny and authentic coming of age story which captures a teenager's experience of growing up in working class Scotland. It follows Kirsty Campbell during her time at Renfrew Grammar School and covers topics from drugs and teen pregnancy to bullying with compassion and dark humour. It was named Scotland’s Book of the Year in 2021 and is only suitable for older teen readers.