Cheshire Reading Groups
Take up the Great Limerick Challenge by sending in your limerick inspired by a good book. Cheshire County Council will publish 100 in a booklet at the end of the year. Details available April but here’s one to get you started inspired by Herman Melville’s iconic tale of Moby Dick, courtesy of John Lindley (Cheshire Poet Laureate 2004):
If you're fishing around for a tale
That's sure to put wind in your sails
Then try Moby Dick,
It's exceedingly thick
But is read from Waikiki to W(h)ales.
Cheshire Poets
Send in your poem on anything and everything to do with our county. Poet Laureate W. Terry Fox will be compiling a publication Homage to Cheshire to be published at the end of 2008. Details available April. Read Terry's commissioned poem Read a Book.
April – Read all about it
Read anything and everything, anywhere and everywhere. Young people will celebrating the Bard's birthday on April 23rd by bookswapping and bookcrossing all over the county - arrange to leave books in areas around your school or workplace for others to discover. April 26th is Join Your Library day - be persuaded by a national campaign to promote libraries - have you joined yet?
May – Mind and body
Celebrate the links between reading and health in May. Find out more about Books on Prescription, join a Laughter in the Library session, join a reading group - it's good for you! Look out for author events in local libraries. Surprise yourself - try something different during Adult Learners Week.
June – Reading escapes
As the weather warms up focus on hot reads for that holiday. If you're on holiday send your local library a postcard or email recommending your best beach read. Poets take a break at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum for a waterways-themed writers workshop. Readers go alfresco for your reading group meeting. Look out for science fiction/fantasy titles and authors in your library - escape to another world.
July – Rhythm and rhyme
Celebrate poetry and lyrics from Shakespeare to Snoop Dogg. Families, don’t forget Rhyme Time sessions at your local library. Expect poetry performances in libraries, Cheshire's first Youth Poetry Slam, and that poetry bloke, Craig Bradley, is in residence at Chester Zoo. Sign up for the Team Reads summer reading challenge to keep children busy in the holidays - and why not ask about the Six Book Challenge for adults?
August – Read the game
With the Beijing Olympics on their way and the start of the football season in August this is the perfect time to build links between sports and reading. Crewe Alexandra FC will be hosting a special event for all the family - Team Game - with authors, poets, footballers and surprise guests.
September – You are what you read
Reading is a great way to celebrate and explore cultural, personal and local identities. Think about researching your family tree. Local studies project Ticket to Crewe looks at personal stories from this diverse community. And the University of Chester hosts a conference for the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.
October – Word of mouth
Celebrate storytelling, reading out loud, reading together and live literature. Celebrate National Poetry Day. Take part in events during Knutsford and Chester Literature Festivals, including a live literature weekend of contemporary performance poetry and spoken word. Expect storytellers in your library.
November – Screen reads
Explore the diversity of reading and writing; scripts, television and films. Which is best - the book or the film of the book - an endless debate for reading groups? Check out the range of DVDs at your local library. Enjoy a screening of the Hollywood Librarian - coming to a library near you! And for budding screenwriters, a workshop day with a TV theme coming up.
December – Write the future
What one person writes, others read and technology is bringing reading and writing closer together. The year ends with a celebration of all forms of writing.
For more information on National Year of Reading and Cheshire literature events in 2008 contact Anne Sherman or phone 01244 972898.
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