Tour dates are included in this release. If you are interested in an interview with John Fardell or would like a reporter or photographer to attend one of the events please contact: [email protected] or 0131 524 0184.
2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour and, from 22 to 26 January, as part of the all-star anniversary celebrations, John Fardell will visit pupils in Northern Ireland for a wonderful week of school events. This is the second year of the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour in Northern Ireland following a highly successful debut with famed author Lari Don last year.
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.
John Fardell will visit 10 schools and over a thousand pupils, including Ardnashee College and School, where students are aged from 3-19 years-old and have a range of additional special needs. A full list of schools involved is available below.
Inventions and adventure play a key role in all of John's books. His most well-known books include The 7 Professors of the Far North and The Day Louis Got Eaten. He has won the Scottish Children's Book Award twice, and in 2009 won the Royal Mail Children's Book Award for Manfred the Baddie. In his sessions, John will show pupils the imaginative process behind his picture and illustrated children's books.
Commenting on the tour, John said:
I’m really excited to be heading off on the Scottish Friendly tour of Northern Ireland. I’ve got great memories of my previous tour some years ago, to schools in Inverclyde and Clackmannanshire, and it’ll be lovely to be out on the road (and ferry!) with Scottish Book Trust team once more, especially as part of this fabulous programme’s 20th Anniversary year.
Calum Bennie, Communications Manager of Scottish Friendly, said:
It’s a delight to be back in Northern Ireland following the great success of our tour here last year. John Fardell is a firm favourite and children across Northern Ireland will be spellbound as he introduces his magical world of books.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, added:
Being able to tour authors and illustrators into schools, libraries and communities across the length and breadth of the UK is a wonderfully effective way to spark children’s creativity and love of books. Over the past two decades we’ve seen first-hand the hugely positive impact that the joy and excitement of a Children’s Tour visit has had on pupils across the country. Our remarkable twenty year relationship with Scottish Friendly has made this possible, and we are thrilled that John Fardell is able to tour with us again to mark this special anniversary.
The 20th anniversary of the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will be a year-long celebration. Over 100 authors have taken part in the Children’s Book Tour since 1998, and 13 of those authors will join the anniversary celebrations.
Sarah McIntyre, illustrator and writer of children’s books, has designed exclusive comics for the 20th anniversary celebrations, which will be gifted to all primary and secondary pupils participating in the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour throughout the year.
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