Exploring the World of Books: A Visit from Scottish Book Trust

Our P5-7 pupils were thrilled to welcome a special visitor, Ella, to our classroom recently. Ella, from Scottish Book Trust, came to talk to us about the importance of books and shared fantastic ideas on how we can organise our school library to better suit our reading preferences. It was an insightful and hands-on experience for everyone involved.

During the session, Ella introduced a diverse range of books for the pupils to explore. The children were given the chance to pick up and skim through the books she brought along. This hands-on activity not only sparked excitement but also allowed the pupils to see which types of books caught their interest the most. From thrilling adventure stories and intriguing murder mysteries to calm and relaxing reads, the class discovered a whole new world of genres and topics!

After some time exploring the books, the pupils came together to share their favourites and explain why they liked them. This led to engaging discussions where everyone got to know more about each other’s tastes in books. The enthusiasm in the room was obvious as they eagerly compared their thoughts and made recommendations to one another.

Ella also talked about how we could make our school library more user-friendly for the pupils. The class suggested organising the library into themed sections—such as adventure, fantasy, and non-fiction—to make it easier for everyone to find the books they love. They also talked about adding clear signage and labels to help younger pupils navigate the library independently.

As with any project, there were a few challenges identified. Pupils mentioned that it can be difficult to find the right book when the library is not well-organised, and they shared their thoughts on how too many categories could sometimes be confusing. However, these are just the kinds of insights that will help us build an even better library!

What’s Next?

With the feedback collected from the pupils and Ella’s expert guidance, we’re excited to begin implementing some of these changes. Here are a few of the steps we’ll be taking to transform our library:

• Expanding our book collection to include more of the pupils’ favourite topics, such as animal books and fantasy/adventure stories, as well as ‘game books’ and graphic novels.
• Organising the library into themed sections to make it easier for everyone to find what they’re looking for.
• Incorporating the pupils’ ideas for a “recommendation wall” where they can share reviews and thoughts on their latest reads.
• Encouraging older pupils to have discussions with younger ones to find out what they like to read, ensuring that our library reflects the interests of all age groups.

This visit from Ella was a great way to kick-start our library project, and we are excited to see where it takes us next. Thank you to Ella for inspiring our pupils to think creatively about books and for helping us envision a library that truly reflects our school community!

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build a library space that supports and inspires a love of reading for all our pupils! 📚✨

• UNCRC Children’s Rights Covered:
  • Article 5: The right to family and community support in using their rights effectively, which includes opportunities to engage in school and community projects.
  • Article 13: The right to express thoughts and ideas freely.
  • Article 17: The right to access a range of information.
  • Article 28: The right to an education that develops respect for others.
  • Article 29: The right to a high-quality education that helps children develop their abilities and talents.
  • Article 31: The right to participate in cultural and creative activities.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Covered:
  • SDG 4 – Quality Education: Promoting inclusive and equitable quality education.
  • SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Encouraging inclusive and peaceful communities by supporting informed and empowered learners.
  • SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Collaborating with organisations like the Scottish Book Trust to enhance educational outcomes.
• SHANARRI Indicators Covered:
  • Healthy: Supporting mental well-being through access to diverse reading materials.
  • Achieving: Encouraging pupils to develop literacy skills and a love of learning.
  • Nurtured: Ensuring the library reflects the interests and needs of all students.
  • Respected: Valuing pupil input and giving them a voice in the project.
  • Responsible: Encouraging pupils to take an active role in shaping their learning space.
  • Included: Making sure the library is accessible and appealing to all pupils.
• Meta-Skills Used:
  • Leading: Older pupils guiding younger ones in discovering reading interests.
  • Adapting: Being flexible in incorporating pupil suggestions into library plans.
  • Initiative: Pupils taking charge of sharing their thoughts and ideas.
  • Collaborating: Working together to create a library that suits everyone.
  • Communicating: Discussing their book preferences and organising ideas effectively.
  • Curiosity: Exploring new genres and books during the session.
  • Creativity: Coming up with innovative ideas for organising the library.
  • Sense-Making: Understanding how changes can improve the library space.
  • Problem Solving: Identifying barriers and suggesting ways to overcome them.