The Children’s Bookshow, a charity that inspires school children with a love of reading through an annual programme of theatre performances and in-school workshops with the very best authors and illustrators from around the world, is now working out how best to support teachers, children and parents in circumstances that prevent it carrying forward with its usual programmer of live events..
The plan is that the children who would have received a free book from the Bookshow, thanks to funding from the Unwin Trust, will still be able to do so once they are back in school. The team is contacting schools with high levels of deprivation to ensure that those children will be the first to receive their free books. During the summer term, free downloadable resources that celebrate the authors and illustrators with which the charity works will be available on the Children’s Bookshow website.
A new tour will take place in Spring 2021 (five performances) and autumn 2021 (ten performances).
Sian Williams, Founder and co-director of the Children’s Bookshow said: “Our motivation is knowing that our work makes a difference to children and witnessing how our unique programme helps nurture a love of reading. We work closely with teachers around the country who tell us that the Children’s Bookshow is a highlight of their school calendar. We are sorry to delay the autumn 2020 tour, but we need to make sure that dates work for all the schools, venues and artists involved. We plan to have five performances in spring 2021 and reschedule the remaining ten in autumn 2021. In the meanwhile we are finding ways to get the free books into the children’s hands.”
The 2020 Children’s Bookshow tour was due to kick off in late September with shows booked at: The Liverpool Playhouse, The Old Vic, London, Stafford Gatehouse, Exeter ‘s Northcott Theatre, The Lyceum in Crewe, Manchester’s Home theatre, The Theatre Royal in Newcastle, Ipswich’s New Wolsey Theatre, The Theatre Royal in Margate, The Warwick Arts Centre, The Elgiva Chesham (in collaboration with the Stephen Spender Trust), L’Institut Français in London, The Wolverhampton Grand and ending in late November at the Hull New Theatre.
Authors, poets and artists booked for these shows include Children’s Bookshow favourites:
Michael Rosen, Neil Layton, Val Bloom, Jo Empson, Alexis Deacon, Catherine Rayner and Rachel Rooney.
Making their first appearances with the Children’s Bookshow are: Yuval Zommer and from overseas, Sydney Smith, Kathrin Rohmann, Jorg Muhle and Marta Altes.
The Children’s Bookshow team is currently busy rearranging the shows and school visits. Check their website for updates:
https://thechildrensbookshow.com
Leave a Reply