Dublin City Libraries and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature launched Children Save Dublin, the city’s first ever Children’s Citywide Reading Project last Tuesday, 17th January, 2012.
Similar to the highly successful Dublin: One City One Book festival, but aimed at children from 4th – 5th class, kids all across Dublin will be encouraged to read, talk about and have fun with the same book over January, February and March 2012.
The book chosen is Arthur Quinn and the World Serpent, by first time Irish writer Alan Early, a new and fresh voice in Irish writing. Arthur Quinn is one of the most exciting new adventure stories published in Ireland in the last few years and was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2011. Fast paced and thrilling, this is a book which will get Dublin children excited about reading and has been described as Harry Potter – Dublin style.
Speaking to Writing.ie, Jane Alger, Director of Dublin UNESCO city of Literature said “We wanted a book that children would choose for themselves, that is set in the Dublin of today, that has boys and girls as the main characters and which has a good story and is well written – Arthur Quinn and the World Serpent ticks all those boxes. It also engages children’s interest in online activity by marrying reading the book with online games and competitions.”
The book features the Metro North tunnels while harking back to Viking mythology as the children unleash a Viking god. The action takes place on the streets of Dublin and the project gives plenty of scope for activities which will spark interest in the book and reading itself.
Arthur Quinn, which is available in bookshops across Dublin, has already been delivered to city libraries and schools and children will be encouraged to attend associated events in schools and city libraries during the mid- term and afterwards as part of the project. This exciting new initiative is being supported by a citywide print and media campaign, while children can engage online with the author via a special interactive website which includes games and a blog related to the story. Alan Early will also visit schools and libraries during the three month festival, engaging with the children and helping them discover the secret of how to defeat the World Serpent!
The project will conclude with an exciting event taking place at Connolly Station as part of St. Patrick’s Festival in March. A serpent- themed train will host a variety of children’s activities including workshops, fun Q &A sessions with the author and much more.
Sounds very exciting! For more details see www.dublincityofliterature.ie
(c) Barbara Scully January 2012
Find out more about Dublin’s City of Literature designation in our interview with the Director Jane Alger and keep an eye on writing.ie for an interview with Alan!
