Roll up, roll up, roll up to join in the fun as Darlington Libraries celebrates World Book Day.
Circus performers Dot and Zooky will be passing through the Dolphin Centre foyer, Joseph Pease Square and outside Cockerton Library on Thursday 23 February, 10am-2pm entertaining people with stunts and tricks.
Library staff will also be handing out leaflets highlighting a special competition for World Book Day, offering adults and children the chance to win a Kindle Fire.
Anyone of any age can enter – all you need to do is borrow a book from either Crown Street or Cockerton Library on 23 February to be entered into the prize draw. You need to be a member of the library to borrow a book, but you can join for free and enter on the day.
The draw will take place the following week on World Book Day, Thursday 2 March.
Meanwhile, the fun will continue on Friday 24 February, when local children’s book illustrator Liz Million will visit Crown Street (10-11.30am) and Cockerton (2.30-4pm) libraries to run an illustration workshop with a fairy tale theme – think fairies, witches, dragons, trolls and unicorns!
Tickets, £3.50 per child, can be purchased at either library and the workshops are suitable for children aged five years and above.
The celebrations will continue at Crown Street Library on World Book Day (2 March) when comic book illustrator Kev F Sutherland will be hosting a comic book masterclass for pupils from the Catholic Schools Partnership. The youngsters will make their own comic book and have their caricature drawn and included in their book to take home.
Dot and Zooky will also be hosting a circus skills group in Crown Street Library, 4.30-5.30pm for children aged six years and above. Tickets, £3.50 per child, are available from the library.
Suzy Hill, Bookstart and Library Literacy Coordinator, said:
“World Book Day is a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and, more importantly, it’s a celebration of reading. Reading isn’t just something we do to get information and learn new things – books can open up whole new worlds which the reader can enjoy.
“We hope as many people as possible will join in our celebrations for World Book Day and hope it will inspire more people to pick up a book and read.”
For more information about library services and events log onto the website at Darlington Libraries, visit the Facebook page, Bookstart in Darlington, pop into one of the libraries or call 01325 349610. Details of other events can be found on the website at www.darlington.gov.uk/darlingtonevents
For more details about World Book Day visit www.worldbookday.com