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Award-winning author Chae Strathie visits Bradford for 20th Anniversary of Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour

Tour dates are included in this release. If you are interested in an interview with Chae Strathie or would like a reporter or photographer to attend one of the events please contact:
[email protected] or 0131 524 0184.

Award-winning author Chae Strathie will visit schools in Bradford from 18 – 22 June as part of the 20th anniversary of the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour. Chae will captivate pupils from reception to Year 3 when he visits St Columba's Catholic Primary School, Lapage Primary School & Nursery and Carrwood Primary School.

The Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly, one of the UK’s leading financial mutuals, and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing. The tour visits both primary and secondary schools, and has enthralled more than 100,000 children since it began in 1998.

In 2014, Chae Strathie joined the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour on an epic road trip to Brighton, where he entertained and inspired over 1500 reception to year 3 pupils with his mash-up of reading, singing, drawing, fun and daftness.

Chae Strathie works as a journalist and has been publishing children’s books for almost a decade. In that time, his hugely popular books have picked up several awards, including a Scottish Children’s Book Award and, most recently, the Bookbug Picture Book Prize 2018, with Gorilla Loves Vanilla, voted for by pupils.

During his tour, Chae will be bringing his books to life through readings, songs and puppetry. The author will talk about Dear Dinosaur, a story involving a trip to the museum, and letters exchanged between Max and his favourite dinosaur, T. Rex. Chae will also lead the pupils through a number of fun exercises aimed at firing up their imaginations.

Commenting on the tour, Chae Strathie said:

It's a huge honour to be asked to take part in the Scottish Friendly Tour. I'm incredibly excited about visiting the schools of Bradford to unleash some Gorilla Loves Vanilla mayhem on the kids – it’s fantastic to actually get to meet the people who I write for.

I'll be singing songs about worm ice cream, drawing very strange (and exceedingly disgusting) sundaes, revealing how an idea becomes a book and, of course, reading some of my stories.

Calum Bennie, Communications Manager of Scottish Friendly, said:

It’s wonderful to have Chae back on the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour in this special year for us. Pupils in Bradford are set to have an unforgettable time!

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, added:

Chae Strathie is a wonderful entertainer and we’re very pleased he is joining the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour for the 20th anniversary. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see Chae’s stories come alive through his puppetry and music.

Download a PDF of this press release here

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