Best-selling children’s authors will be attending
Children’s authors Christopher Lloyd and Serena Patel are coming to Hull’s East Park Library to inspire city youngsters(Image: supplied image)
A free event is being held in Hull that will celebrate the fun of reading. Hull’s East Park Library is hosting two bestselling and award-winning children’s authors, Christopher Lloyd and Serena Patel, for live readings and more on Thursday, February 26.
The event, designed to encourage children to “Go All In” this coming World Book Day, in March, will include workshops, games and £1 token and £1 book exchanges, all to inspire children to see reading differently. Children at the event will get to choose a free book with their £1 token, so every child walks away with a book they have personally selected for themselves.
Libraries play a vital role in fostering a love of reading; however figures revealed by the World Book Day charity show only one in three children now say they enjoy reading, the lowest level since 2005. Just 41 per cent of 0 to four-year-olds and 36 per cent of five to seven-year-olds are regularly read to – and one million children do not have a book of their own.
Through their visits to libraries, World Book Day £1/€1.50 authors and illustrators aim to help reverse this trend by encouraging more children to discover books they love and experience the fun of reading. Christopher Lloyd is co-author with Kate Olesin of Funny FACTopia! and Serena Patel is author of Pia’s Pet Club: Iguana Escape.
They will meet Hull children and share how they discovered their love of reading, inspiring the next generation to develop a lifelong habit of reading for fun – because it seriously transforms lives. This year, World Book Day is working with libraries to become community token exchange hubs, distributing books to children in disadvantaged and low literacy areas, helping more children discover reading for fun.
READ MORE: World Book Day 2019 in 123 brilliant pictures of your children dressed up
Fiona Hickley, executive director of World Book Day, said: “World Book Day is a joyful and vibrant celebration of reading for fun, and it’s all about inspiring children to see reading differently. Events like this brilliant one at East Park Library show children that reading can be exciting and something to look forward to.
“Libraries are at the heart of this magic, offering a welcoming, judgement-free space where children can explore stories, share recommendations, and enjoy books beyond the classroom. By taking away pressure and giving children the freedom to choose a book they want to read, we can show them that it is a fun, entertaining and social thing to do, and help them enjoy the life-changing benefits.”
Author Christopher said: “I’m a staunch champion for non-fiction as the best incentive to encourage children to develop a lifelong love of reading. I am delighted to have the chance to talk about my new World Book Day book Funny FACTopia! at Hull’s East Park Library.
“I hope these fascinating facts will inspire them to follow their curiosity, and that they’ll discover, as I have, that the real world is far more amazing than anything you can make up. I’m also especially thrilled to be returning to Hull having had the great honour of hosting the final of The 2025 Hull City-Wide Quiz at The Big Malarkey Festival last year.”
Author Serena said: “Becoming a World Book Day author is a huge honour and I’m delighted to be taking part in this fabulous event. Libraries were always a special place for me when I was a child and books were a shining light, a window to the world.
“The work that World Book Day does to put books into the hands of young readers every year is so important and I’m excited to support that.” This year, World Book Day – the main event falls on March 5 – is proud to be part of the National Year of Reading, a campaign to get more people reading, by bringing reading to where culture is.
Visit worldbookday.com for more information.