Last February I had a call from Diane Mitchell from the Wirral library services asking if I was free to do a reading as part of the Wirral Bookfest - in October!!
So 7 months later the date finally arrived and off I popped to Beechwood Library on the Wirral. I read to two visiting schools in the morning (whose name escapes me at the moment). No prizes for guessing the most popular story...again.
After a very fine panini in Heswell with fellow poet Angela Topping and the Principal Community Librarian - Julie Barkway, we travelled over to neighbouring Pensby Library for a brilliant reading to some more year ones and reception age children from the local school. I had to refrain from reading Golden Arm as I didn't want to scare any of the younger children and incur the wrath of the accompanying parents. It didn't matter though because "The Pot Bellied Cook and The Three Legged Dog" managed to capture the imaginations of the kids just as well.
Angela also recommended that I contact the Windows Project in Liverpool, as they assign writers and poets to schools all across the U.K. I sent an enquiry with all the links and reviews I could find and now it's a matter of waiting for someone to get back to me.
Following my visit to Bury last week I received a really heartening e-mail from one of the parents who bought a copy of the HPM.
Dear Leighroy
Our Year 2 children recently visited the Bury Library for a visit with yourself. I purchased your book The Hairy Plug Monster and my children absolutely love this book. My daughter has read this book to her dad and her dolls and continues to ask for it to be read to her. Thanks a lot.
Deborah Barber (Mrs)
School Administrator - St Marie's RC Primary
This is just one of the many reviews that we have got since the publication just over a year ago, and I know that we haven't even scratched the surface yet. Alison Davies one of the assistant librarians from Bury Library Service also received a call from
St Joseph and St bede's primary school in Bury asking for my details after seeing an article published in the Bury Times last week. So I now have another booking in Bury for Monday - which is brilliant.
If the success and enthusiasm shown for The Hairy Plug Monster and my other stories is replicated elsewhere, then its definitely only a matter of time.
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| Noah and The Hairy Plug Monster |
I was sent a photo from Canada, from a young fan called Noah proudly holding a copy of his book he received last Christmas and thought that it would be brilliant if I could fill the blog with pictures of other proud owners..so if you have an image of the HPM you want to send please email it to me at info@hairyplugmonster.com .
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Leighroy the author, would love to do a storytime at a school or library in your area -if you would like more information why not get in touch and find out more about this service...
