Friday 24 February 2012

Clare County Library Celebrates World Book Day 2012

World Book Day will be celebrated in Ireland and the UK on Thursday the 1st March and author visits along with book themed art and craft sessions will take place in almost all of Clare’s fifteen libraries. The official World Book Day website is bumper packed with games, videos and an opportunity to watch the biggest authors and illustrators together live and online.

Ennistymon, Lisdoonvarna, Shannon and Sixmilebridge libraries will present author readings by Maeve Friel. Maeve will bring her books to life for young readers introducing them to Tiger Lily, the heroine of her latest series who is a contemporary young Don Quixote, someone whose head is so full of stories she wants to roam the world in search of adventure and become a heroine herself. Her Witch in Training books are inspired by a famous old-fashioned hardware shop near where she lived in Ludlow, where you could buy anything from a watering-can to a wood-burning stove. One autumn, someone put a bunch of spiky broomsticks at the door with a cardboard sign "Birch Besoms £4.99. Flying Lessons Extra" and Jessica the heroine of the Witch In Training series was born. Maeve will explain what happens when Jessica is given a broom by the owner of a hardware shop, Miss Strega, who turns out to be a witch-trainer!

Artist Alan Shoosmith is a self taught artist working mainly in watercolour, He has worked regularly with groups through the Embrace Programme since it began in 2002 and was appointed co-ordinator for this scheme with Clare Arts Office in July 2008. Alan is a regular visitor to libraries in Clare on World Book Day where he facilitates children’s workshops based on books and reading. Children and indeed their teachers are invited to come along dressed as their favourite book characters to take part in this year’s classes which take place in Scariff, Killaloe, Kilrush, Kilmihil and Miltown Malbay libraries. Library staff are looking forward to welcoming young book lovers to their branches to join in this fun celebration of all that’s good about books and reading. Contact your local library for details of events.

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