World Book Day Success for Seven Stories

Pupils from 36 schools across the UK went on adventures with The Snorgh and the Sailor, enjoyed The Biggest Book Show on Earth and explored Seven Stories popular Judith Kerr and Enid Blyton exhibitions as well as enjoying Story Party and Reading for Pleasure sessions.

Over two weeks Seven Stories brought The Snorgh and the Sailor to life through interactive story times, drama and creative activity in schools. Facilitators worked with whole schools to explore the book before the children created their own art and invented adventures inspired by the story.

One teacher who took part in the project said, “Even children who would not normally engage joined in. Children were enthusiastic and able to retell the stories”, they added “all the children enjoyed the session and enthusiastically got involved, using imagination to create an adventure”

Author of The Snorgh and the Sailor, Will Buckingham said, “I am really excited that The Snorgh and the Sailor was involved in the

 event. World Book Day is a celebration of the way that books are themselves big adventures. Good books are ways of exploring new worlds, ways of travelling across huge distances in space and time. The Snorgh and the Sailor is a book about discovering the excitement of adventure, and — perhaps more importantly — it is a book about how the best adventures are those that are shared.”

For the first time The Biggest Book Show on Earth visited the North East and 700 children were enthralled as Cathy Cassidy, Steven Butler, Jonathan Stroud, Alex T. Smith, Caryl Hart, Laura Dockrill and Charlie Fletcher spoke about how they find inspiration, what it is like to write for children and how children can create their own stories. The Biggest Book Show on Earth connected hundreds of young readers and budding creators of children’s books with the authors they love. In conjunction with the national annual initiative- World Book Day, the show reaffirmed Seven Stories’ and World Book Day’s core aims to celebrate all things reading and enthuse children with a passion for books.

Cathy Cassidy said, “I was thrilled to be a part of The Biggest Book Show on Earth Tour to help celebrate World Book Day - even more excited that the tour will brought me back to Newcastle! I've worked with Seven Stories in the past and I LOVE it - an amazing, imaginative space that really taps into the magic that books can create! I’m so looking forward to being a part of it all and to meeting old and new readers on the day!”

Demand for The Snorgh and The Sailor offer was so high over World Book Day that the centre has decided to continue to offer the project to schools for the coming season. Full details of Seven Stories Learning Offer can be found at www.sevenstories.org.uk/learning. Seven Stories new exhibition, Moving Stories – Children’s Books from Page to Screen will open to the public on Saturday 4 April, booking is now open for school visits, for more information contact lisa.moll@sevenstories.org.uk

- End -
Media Contact
For images, quotes or interviews please contact:
Lauren Regan, Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator
Seven Stories, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle. NE1 2PQ.
T: 0845 271 0777 ext. 223
E: lauren.regan@sevenstories.org.uk

Notes to Editor:

Seven Stories – National Centre for Children’s Books.
Seven Stories is the only place in Britain dedicated to the art of children’s books and the joy of reading, and one of just a few such places in the world. Our work is enjoyed by over 150,000 people every year.
Everything we do aims to inspire children and gown-ups to be curious, imaginative and creative. We strive to ensure that people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can take part to enjoy a lifetime of reading for pleasure.
Our home is a carefully converted Victorian warehouse in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. We opened in 2005 and our seven floors house galleries for exhibitions, performances and creative spaces, a specialist children’s bookshop and a café.
Seven Stories is widely recognised for our abilities and achievements. We have established an important collection of artwork, manuscripts and archives of Britain’s most acclaimed writers and illustrators for children from 1930s to the present day. We bring this unique treasure trove to life through playful and immersive exhibitions, an entertaining and informative public events programme and research opportunities.
Seven Stories was awarded National status by Arts Council England in 2012 in recognition of the significance of our Collection and its high standard of care, and the excellent way that we engage with our visitors and users. We were also awarded with a National Lottery Award in September 2013 after being voted the UK’s favourite education project.