MSP celebrates World Book Week with Highland pupils

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop MSP will tomorrow (Thursday 6th March at 11:15am) celebrate World Book Week on World Book Day by reading from her favourite book via video-conference link to pupils at Marybank Primary School in Ross and Cromarty in the Highlands.

After the Minister has narrated from her chosen book she will answer a few questions posed by the Marybank pupils.

She said: “World Book Week gives all of us a great opportunity to celebrate books and the pleasure reading can bring. Opening a book brings me a great deal of joy and reading my children their favourite stories is always a special time for me. Books encourage children to be imaginative, to enjoy following a character’s journey and ultimately improves their literacy skills. I really believe that a wonderfully written book is a window on the world.”

Marybank Primary Head Teacher Robert Quigley said: “To celebrate World Book Week we have dedicated the whole week to ‘all things literary’ at the school and the staff, pupils and many parents are participating in our programme of activities. We wrote to the Minister inviting her to celebrate World Book Day with us and we are surprised, thrilled and excited that Fiona Hyslop accepted our invitation to video-conference with the school.”

Also throughout the Highlands, Highland Council’s Libraries will be celebrating World Book Day with events and activities taking place at many libraries.

In Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross there will be a treasure box session at Thurso Library for local playgroup Rainbow Rascals; a rhyme time with a local play-group at Golspie Library; and special rhyme times at Invergordon and Alness Libraries.

In Inverness at Inshes Library in the new Inshes Primary School the whole school and library is taking part in World Book Day. Staff will be dressing up as characters from books about schools. Nursery children will be visiting the library from 10am to 12 noon for stories and rhymes and distribution of treasure boxes. The library staff will be leading story-telling session in classrooms and a book swap will take place at break time. Primary 7 pupils will take part in a ‘Reading game’ at 1pm.

Inverness Library has two school class visits booked in throughout World Book Day at 10.30am and 2pm.

In Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Lochaber, Strontian Primary pupils will visit Ardnamurchan Library dressed as characters from their favourite books. At Lochcarron Library there will be Gaelic storytelling with pupils from Lochcarron and Plockton Primary schools and residents, staff and day visitors at the Howard Doris Centre, Lochcarron.

Meanwhile at Fortrose Library, Fortrose Pre-school is visiting for a World Book Day/ Fair trade story time with pupils from Fortrose Academy Fair Trade group reading some stories.  There will also be a Book Fair in the library to sell books. Organised through the Fortrose Academy Reading Group, all funds raised will be donated to the charity Book Aid International. There will also be competitions in the library with book vouchers as prizes.

Dingwall Library will host a visit from Maryburgh Nursery; and run a Bookstart Rhyme Time for pre-school children.

Muir of Ord Library will also host a visit from Marybank Nursery and run a      Bookstart Rhyme Time; and Portree Library will have a Bookstart Rhyme Time.

Anyone interested in World Book Week and World Book Day should contact their local library or see the Highland Council’s website for library contact details at: /leisureandtourism/libraries/

For further information or to arrange a photograph opportunity please contact:

Robert Quigley, Head Teacher, Marybank Primary School tel: 01997 433320
Alison Forrest, Area Libraries Officer, CSER tel: (01862) 811585
Charlotte MacArthur, Area Libraries Officer – RCSL tel: (01349) 868460
Carol Goodfellow, Area Libraries Officer - INBS  tel: (01463) 724253