Awesome Authors To Spin Stories At Barry Library

CBBC’s ‘Awesome Authors’ event is coming to Barry Library this July, giving local Vale children the chance to take part in a creative weekend full of reading and storytelling. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Produced by BBC Learning, the event takes place at Barry Library over the weekend of Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July, with the aim of getting more children excited about reading, creative writing and storytelling. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

CBBC Presenter Chris Johnson is hosting the event, and will be joined by authors Elen Caldecott and Dan Anthony, and illustrator Huw Aaron for the Saturday, and then by Mike Church, Anni Llyn, and Cathy Farr (and her dog, Mojo) on Sunday.
Elen Caldecott (The Marsh Road Mysteries) will lead a storytelling session, with lots of opportunities for the audience to join in and create their own plot twists, whilst Mike Church (A Wee Bit of Trouble) will talk about the pleasures of reading for fun.Children can also go along to learn how to create an eye-catching sports headline, or learn more about illustration as they practise drawing a ‘selfie-portrait’. Fans of the fantasy series Wolfblood will be able to practice their storytelling skills and create their own scenes for the drama. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The children’s library will transform into a CBeebies Zone for the weekend, with library staff delivering some of its regular pre-school activities, such as Rhyme and Sign and Storytime. The library will also host a Danger Mouse Detective Trail, where children can help Danger Mouse stop the dastardly Baron Greenback from destroying the world’s – including Barry Library’s – supply of books. With visitors also able to get a list of book recommendations based on all the things they like – thanks to the Summer Reading Challenge who are on hand with their ‘Book Sorter’ – it is vital that Baron Greenback is thwarted! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In the Art gallery, there will also be activities including Art Ninja, Silk painting and puppet making. King Square will be turned into a play zone by the play department, with giant connect four and other games to entertain all members of the family. There will also be activities in the park with ‘Match the Headlines’ activities and footballing skills with help from PG10. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

CBBC Live’s main event takes place in Birmingham this year; a link to the main event from Barry Library will allow visitors to see more author Q&As from Birmingham Library. Over the weekend, Katie Thistleton will be live on air in CBBC HQ, linking to each of the Awesome Author events. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All events will be free and take place between 10:00am and 5.00pm each day; Barry Library will be open to all members of the public on both days between these times. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Lis Burnett, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Education, said: “We are thrilled that CBBC’s Awesome Authors have chosen Barry Library to be a part of this national event. This will be a wonderful opportunity for children to meet some of their favourite local authors and take part in lots of fun and exciting activities” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We would like to thank Barry Town Council, Literature Wales and the Welsh Government, for helping to fund this exciting event.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​