Bookstart week at local libraries

This year's National Bookstart Week runs from 6 - 12 June 2016 and babies and pre-school children (age 0-4) and their parents/carers can enjoy special Rhythm and Rhyme sessions in libraries across Northern Ireland.

Pre-schoolers will be able to dive into an underwater adventure, as the theme for National Bookstart Week 2016 is ‘under the sea’.

BookTrust is calling for all parents and carers to have a whale of a time at the special themed ‘under the sea’ events with your little one who can come dressed as a mermaid, pirate or their favourite sea creature or character.

The chosen book for the week is Jessica Law and Jill McDonald’s A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea and with support from Belfast Harbour, a special free copy of this exciting underwater adventure picture book will be given to all children who come along to one of the library’s Rhythm and Rhyme sessions.

National Bookstart Week is an annual celebration of BookTrust’s flagship reading programme Bookstart. It aims to reinforce to families the importance of getting in to the habit of reading every day - even if it’s just for ten minutes.

Keep an eye on the Bookstart website www.bookstart.org.uk over the coming weeks for news about under the sea-themed activities to download and do at home, competitions, booklists and much more!

You don’t have to be a library member to attend any of these sessions, but it is free to join – if you are not already a member sign up today and use the range of free services available.

Places may need to be booked in advance so please contact your local library in advance to ensure a place at any of the National Bookstart Week events.

For library contact details, go to the Libraries NI website www.librariesni.org.uk

The sessions are at Creggan Library on Friday at 10:00am t: 028 7126 6168.

Central Library on Wednesday & Friday at 10:30am t: 028 7122 9990.

Shantallow Library on Tuesday at 10:30am t: 028 7135 4185.

Strathfoyle Library on Thursday at 11:00am t: 028 7186 0385.

Waterside Library on Friday at 10:30am t: 028 7134 2963.

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