ABOUT BOOK WEEK - AND AN EVENTUAL CAT by Penny Dolan

 It's the first of March today. Lots of schools in the UK have already begun their own versions of Book Week, leading to Thursday's special celebration: WORLD BOOK DAY.

 All sorts of things go on in book week, including the buying and selling and swapping and sharing of books, both old and new, with visits to local bookshops or by bookselling companies, small and large.

Often the buzz within the school can be an enthusiam for the look of books: displays of book illustrations, classroom decorating, cover designing, poster making,  miniature book scene competitions (involving eggs or potatoes), proud parades of book hats or book character costumes (with or without a copy of the book in hand) and the viewing of popular films based on book.

 Alongside - and more important  - comes time for the reading of books:  longer storytimes and assemblies; storytime swaps where teachers read to each others classes; favourite book suggestions by all sorts of people, cosy reading sessions as well as visits - if the area is lucky enough to still have them - to local libraries or from local librarians. 

There might be an Author Visit: a fiction or non-fiction writer, a screen-play writer or journalist, a book illustrator or cartoonist , a poet, a storyteller and more, all focusing on writing and books. In 2022, children might meet a real-life author in person, watch a virtual appearance on screen or log into author videos and presentations. 

All in all, a School Book Week, whether held this week, over this fortnight or at another time in the year, can be very busy, so good wishes and strong energies to everyone. 

Although I am not visiting, I will be busy too, taking part in a new writing project for Fiction Express. During March, I'll be writing five short chapters of a storybook, guided by thesuggestions and votes from all the schools and children signed into this project. Fiction Express have some experience with this way of working so it feels quite supportive.  It will be a big change from working all alone in my room and I have had to investigate video and sound recording as well as planning my weeks so the month ahead goes smoothly.

Excitingly, my own particular link will go live this Friday, 4th March, along with two storybooks led by two other writers, Jo Franklin and David MacPhail. It's great to have friends and company on the way!

However, after the long silence of the last two years, I am also delighted by the thought of hearing from all sorts of children - some language learners in other countries - and learning what they have to say and tuning in to their ideas about stories and writing. 

I'm really looking forward to the weeks ahead, especially as the story - apart from the secret, twisty aspects of the plotting - involves a cafe, cakes and a cat.

 I'm really looking forward to this Friday, getting myself a cup of coffee and listening to all the secrets and chat inside THE GINGER TOM CAFE.

 And next month, I will let you know what happened!

 Penny Dolan

@pennydolan1