A UK-wide celebration of poetry, taking place on the 2 October 2025. This year’s theme is Play.
Visit the National Poetry Day website to find links to poems, lost and found words, films and teaching resources-as well as archives of past National Poetry Days.
The Yoto Carnegies are the UK’s longest running and best-loved book awards for children and young people, the Carnegies celebrate outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration and are unique in being judged by children’s librarians, with the Shadowers’ Choice Award voted for by children and young people.
In 2019–20, Falkirk Council piloted the Reading Schools accreditation programme as part of a FVWL RIC initiative. Evaluation showed clear evidence of impact on learners, learning professionals and schools as a whole:
Based on this positive evidence of impact, the programme has been extended to all of Scotland’s schools.
Research proves that reading for pleasure has positive impacts on learners’ attainment across the curriculum, supporting wellbeing, critical thinking, creativity, empathy and resilience.
Visit the website to find how to apply for accreditation and to find a range of very helpful advice and examples from schools who have gone through the accreditation process.
NEWS!
40 of our schools in Falkirk Council are engaged with the Reading Schools’ Accreditation programme and so far in 2025 Carrongrange High School, Comely Park Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School achieved Silver Accreditation, and Larbert High School, St Francis’ Primary School and St Joseph’s primary school achieved Gold Accreditation. Well done to all!
Apply now for Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature programme, a wonderful opportunity to invite an author to your school for £75 instead of £175. Scottish Book Trust will pay the rest of the fees and travel costs.
The current application window covers Live Literature events taking place before 31 March 2023. There will be a series of rolling deadlines throughout the year, up until the final deadline of 21 November 2022. Deadlines for each panel are listed below.
All applications should be received no later than midday on each deadline date.
Previous winners and shortlists:
RED 19 (2024-2025): This Book Kills by Ravena Guron
Nominated:
RED 18 (2023-2024): War of the Wind by Victoria Williamson
Nominated:
RED 17 (2022-2023): Last One to Die by Cynthia Murphy
Nominated:
RED 16 (2021-2022): A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
Nominated:
RED 15 (2020-2021 award): Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
Nominated:
RED 14 (2019-2020 award): The Quiet at the End of the World by Lauren James
Nominated:
RED 13 (2018-2019 award): Sunflowers in February by Phyllida Shrimpton
Nominated:
RED 12 (2017-2018 award): Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird
Nominated:
RED 11 (2016-2017 award): 13 Hours by Narinder Dhami
Nominated:
RED 10 (2015-2016 award): Mind Blind by Lari Don
Nominated:
RED 9 (2014-2015 award): Raining Fire by Alan Gibbons
Nominated:
RED 8 (2013-2014 award): Slated by Teri Terry
Nominated:
RED 7 (2012-2013 award): An Act of Love by Alan Gibbons
Nominated:
RED 6 (2011-12 award): Wasted by Nicola Morgan
Nominated:
RED 5 (2010-11 award): Grass by Cathy MacPhail
Nominated:
RED 4 (2009-10 award): Divided City by Theresa Breslin
Nominated:
RED 3 (2008-09 award): Worse Than Boys by Cathy MacPhail
Nominated:
RED 2 (2007-08 award): Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie
Nominated:
RED 1 (2006-07 award): Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
Nominated:
Over the coming weeks, Kelpies (imprint of Floris Publishers) will be adding to their bank of resources with videos of creators sharing their own stories as well as activities, discussion points and learning resources for children of all ages. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for details of the latest additions, and check out their YouTube channel.
You will find a complete list of all available resources in the Features for Teachers section of the blog.
If you are looking for a way to continue class reading or storytime, please visit the website here
The Learning Resource Service runs two book groups for teachers and early years practitioners in the Falkirk council area. They aim to:
If you need some reading inspiration or want to find out about good reads for your pupils then click on the link above.
The RED Book Award celebrates its 15th anniversary and to mark this achievement, the wonderful shortlist focuses on a BAME theme:
Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman
A Pocketful of Stars by Aisha Bushby
Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
My Name’s Not Friday by Jon Walters
The authors joined the young people in each Falkirk Council secondary school at the digital Award Ceremony on Wednesday 19th May 2021. Due to the restrictions of Covid the award ceremony could not be face to face however despite this, the Award Ceremony was very enjoyable and featured creative interpretations of each of the shortlisted books by the young people and a very interesting Q & A session with the authors before the winning book was revealed.
The ceremony was attended by all the shortlisted authors and the S2 RED classes from 6 of our secondary schools. The authors gave us interesting and insightful guidance on writing, there was dancing and there were prizes awarded for best alternative ending and front cover designs of the shortlisted books.
Congratulations to all the authors for reaching the RED shortlist.
AND THE W
INNER IS…
Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin.
Read and listen for free Sally Gardner’s Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Blue Moon, illustrated by Nick Maland. An enchanting story by a much loved author about Betsy K Glory, the daughter of a mermaid and an ice-cream maker, who meets the mysterious Mr Tiger and they have a giant challenge: a moon to turn blue, berries to collect and wishable-delicious ice cream to create. The sort that makes wishes come true.
You can also watch an exclusive video with Sally to hear all about her The Tindims of Rubbish Island stories, discover Sally’s top three children’s books and enjoy Questions & Answers to find out more about Sally.
Read, listen and enjoy here
The Learning Resource Service promoted The Book of Hopes when it was published last year, it is a wonderful book to comfort and inspire children. Edited by the well known and loved author Katherine Rundell, it contains contributions from more than 100 writers and illustrators, including Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Greg James and Chris Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Axel Scheffler, Francesca Simon and Jacqueline Wilson. The publisher, Bloomsbury, have kindly made the on-line book available free during this lockdown.
There are some brilliant activities and ideas that have been produced based on the Book of Hopes as well as a challenge to spread hope, inspiration and a love of reading in your school and local community with a chance to win prizes!
