reading | Marita Conlon-McKenna

Marita with Librarian Paula Agnew and English Teachers from Slemish College

October is always a busy month for Children’s Writers and I found myself Ballymena bound to visit Slemish College Secondary School. Hearing all about its marvellous library which has become the heart of the school I really felt I had to come and visit it.

Librarian Paula Agnew has made the library a very special place for all the students, who told me how much they use it and go there even during lunch breaks. I’m not surprised as its array and display of books would put many a bookshop to shame.

I met all the lovely teachers from the English Department and talked to groups of students, many of them brilliant readers with some really keen to write and create their own books.

The fact we were in the large library made it extra special as libraries are one of my favourite places.

Traveling back to Dublin on the train I was a tired but happy writer and was absolutely thrilled with the beautiful gift of a hawthorn print that the school presented me with.

The students of Slemish College, Ballymena Marita with librarian Paula Agnew

Talking to classes in Scoil Mhuire in Newbridge, Co Kildare

Happy World Book Day to everyone!

I hope you all have a brilliant and fun time as there are lots of events in schools, bookshops and libraries all over Ireland with book quizzes, fancy dress, design a book cover or book mark or character competitions and book swaps.

There is no better time to pick up a book! To help you along there are 15 special mini World Book Day Books that you can purchase with your special Euro 1.50 or £1 tokens or you can put them towards another book you want to buy in the bookshop…. If so maybe you can try to buy an Irish Children’s book.

The Discover Irish Childrens Books campaign continues and I was delighted to see Safe Harbour feature in the latest bestselling list from around different parts of the country. I think the lovely new cover has definitely helped.

For us writers it is a busy time and in the last few day I have talked to the First Year boys in Oatlands Senior School in Stillorgan, in Dublin , the 4 and 5^th classes in the Gael Scoil in Greystones in Co Wicklow and the 4, 5^th and some of the 6^th classes in Scoil Mhuire in Newbridge. I love meeting all my amazing readers and cannot believe the range of my different books that you are reading. It makes me so happy that I am a writer.

After talking in Greystones I went to lunch down at the seafront and bumped in to the wonderful English author Frank Cottrell Boyce who had been visiting a school in Delgany. We both love meeting our readers and talking about books!