Visiting a Library

Following a summer visit sharing my books in a library I was invited to come along and meet children from a local primary school.

An invitation was sent to the school offering the opportunity to meet and to hear an author talk about their book.

After hearing the background to the story writing, the children listened with interest to the fictional tale, ‘Jay-Jay the Supersonic Bus’, they were then able to ask questions.

This was followed by an activity session where they could design their own brightly coloured ‘playbus’ as well as browse through the books on the shelves.

The session was led and set up by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable member of staff who welcomed the children warmly. I could see why the children would love coming to this library.

Tina Campey, organiser said “We received lots of great comments from members of the visiting public who were impressed by how absorbed the children were.”

The children were also reminded about how easy it was to join the library.

“We really enjoyed the time to look at the books and do an activity linked to the session.” Year 1 teacher. “The author was great she was engaging for the children.”

Year 2 teacher. “It was good to hear an author talk about their stories. We love it here!”

“The adults enjoyed your books too,” commented Jonathan Skuse, Year 1 teacher.

While there, it was also great to see a 3-year-old, with his parent, looking through all the picture books and then to leave armed with ten books to read at home.

It is great to see children really enjoying the reading opportunity; the library gave them a new environment to explore as well as a time and space to sit and read.

Following this visit and while at another nearby school, I met a child who told me that she had taken my book out from the Redhill library and it was her brothers favourite book.

Passing this message on to I received the following reply: -

“This is lovely news and it just goes to show that when we engage with these young readers they soak up much more than we imagine.

One of the most important things and an utter joy for the children to experience, is that they have met the person that wrote a book that they have enjoyed. My observations are that children take on an ownership of an author that they have met personally; it's very special indeed and the author is their new best friend.

So Sue, since your visit you have gained 120 new best friends and there can be no greater thing, as it propels the love of reading and adventures and confidence will dually follow.

Your books are out virtually all the time and on checking their status today, all of Redhill's six copies are on Junior Library cards with two reservations outstanding on them - so there you go.” (Tina Campey)

It certainly was a great day and it gave me a warm feeling inside to be able to share my story with so many children and to know they enjoyed it.