Literacy event works to improve child reading rate
The St Austell Festival of Children's Literature, held at locations around the town, was set up three years ago by the head teacher of Carclaze Community Primary School to improve pupils' literacy.
It has now expanded to include schools from mid Cornwall, so students from Newquay, Liskeard and the clay villages can take part too.
It started out with just 500 locals and schoolchildren turning up for events and workshops run by authors and illustrators, but the £1-per-talk event has proved popular and has grown as parents seek to engage their children with reading.
According to figures from research conducted in 2024, the National Literacy Trust reported children surveyed in the South West of England were among the least likely to read for pleasure.
Just 35% did such reading, compared to 40% in places such as London; and only 16% said they wrote for pleasure for least 10 minutes daily.
A year-on-year decline in children's interest in picking up a book in their own time was something that worried Carclaze head teacher Simon Pollard, prompting him to set up the festival.
He said: "The current rates of choosing to read [are] dropping all the time. Parents are not necessarily knowing how to read to children.
"There's definitely been a sharp decline since the [Covid-19] pandemic.
"We just want communities and families to fall in love with reading because we know, if you choose to read, the outcomes for you when you become an adult are exponentially better.
"We really need to teach people how to share books together again."
The festival has a day of events for schools on the Friday. On Saturday, children and parents can book talks and workshops.
Author and illustrator Tom McLaughlin, from Exeter, is going to be running a comic book-making workshop and said pictures and drawing were a good way to get children engaged in the process of creating and telling stories.
He said: "Drawing, for me, inspires the words, and words inspire the drawing.
"We see this with kids who do exercises in class, when they get a picture and have to write a story about it.
"It helps you write a story if you have something to work with visually. Some kids respond much better to visual learning."
Tom has dyslexia and said he found school difficult.
He said he hoped sharing his writing journey and tips would give reluctant young storytellers a chance to shine.
A partnership with the children's newspaper First News will allow some of the pupils to see their own work published.
Junior journalists are going to be interviewing authors at the events and get their work in the paper.
Helen Mulley, head of education for First News, said it was a great partnership and "a good way to get children writing".
She said: "We talk a lot about reading for pleasure. Something we don't talk about quite as much is writing for pleasure.
"Last year, the National Literacy Trust did some research and they found out enthusiasm for writing was an all-time low.
"But one of the ways to boost children's desire to write is to give them a real reason to write.
"Let them choose what to write about and give them audience to write for... so that's what we are doing."
The festival's first official patron is the best-selling author AF Steadman, known for her popular Skandar series.
She has family links to Cornwall and said she wanted to give the event her support when she realised it was going to help families enjoy a literature festival in their own county.
She said: "I was really honoured... I said I have to do this festival.
"I think the thing that really convinced me it was such an amazing thing was that it was going to cost people £1 a ticket.
"For me that was a really really big deal, especially as someone who, when I was growing up, couldn't afford books."
Public events for St Austell Festival of Children's Literature are being held on Saturday 14 June in various locations around the town, with tickets costing £1 per talk.
The cost has been kept low by seeking out grants and funding from the town council, the Cornwall Community Fund and local businesses sponsorship.
More news stories for Cornwall
Listen to the latest news for Cornwall
Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.
Storytime sessions encouraging children to read
Sensory kits help children interact with stories
St Austell Festival of Children's Literature
Literacy Trust
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
21 hours ago
- Fast Company
Spotify just redesigned the way you'll ‘listen' to audiobooks
When you consume a book, you're always making compromises. Print means no animation and no outbound links to enhance the reading experience. E-ink often yields potato-quality images and muted colors. An iPad's LED-backlit display strains the eyes. Audiobooks, meanwhile, generally rely solely on the theater of the mind. But what if they didn't have to? Blending the audiobook experience with sight and sound might seem like fertile, if not obvious ground for innovation—but it's not happening within a traditional publishing house. Rather, it's happening at Spotify. While the majority of Spotify's audiobooks are currently just that—audio—for Bruce Holsinger's summer hit Culpability and some 100 other books, Spotify has crafted something more. Through its new Follow Along feature, the company is bringing bespoke visuals and music to the mix, and nudges the form of the audiobook forward in the process. Spotify sounds off The feature, currently being tested, follows years of increased focus on the audiobook segment by the music streamer. Spotify launched an à la carte audiobook offering in 2022, and then followed it with its Audiobooks in Premium program in 2023, granting premium subscribers 15 hours of books per month. The company currently has some 400,000 books under its belt, and is licensing, producing, and publishing more than 150 titles a year, and just last week launched a new $11.99 per month Audiobooks+ add-on, which grants 15 hours of listening on top of whatever plan one has. (It's a business expansion that perhaps comes at an ideal time for Spotify, which just reported a 12% year-over-year rise in subscribers to 276 million—but also a Q2 net loss of around $100 million.) 'No shade on PDFs' The Follow Along initiative spawned from the supplementary PDF files publishers provide with audiobooks, according to Niamh Parsley, Spotify's director of product design for audiobooks. Now, 'no shade on PDFs,' Parsley says, 'I love a good PDF,' but Spotify users weren't engaging with those files much, even though they often contained rich imagery or tools to assist with the retention of complex topics. Follow Along emerged from a thought experiment about how Spotify could get more value out of its existing content. 'It really stemmed from real experiences,' says Parsley. 'Wouldn't it be cool if this cookbook that we have the audio for showed us the recipes so I can be inspired by it and be more likely to actually make the recipe?' Rather than start with a wireframe filled with dummy text, she says the Spotify team led with the book's actual content to create solutions organic to each book. When Follow Along first launched as a test last November, users discovered visual assets like photos and diagrams synced to the narration in real time in the Spotify app. But with the launch of the AI techno-thriller family drama Culpability last month, the team has taken the model to new levels. New, custom visuals Even before Culpability became an Oprah's Book Club pick, the Spotify team knew it'd be a hit, according to Associate Director of Audiobook Publishing Colleen Prendergast. Spotify's producer and casting director worked directly with author Bruce Holsinger to bring the experience to life, and hearing the narrator's early recordings prompted the team to consider adding custom visuals to the mix for the first time. 'Her performance was so multifaceted, it inspired us to explore ways to make the listener experience on Spotify even more dynamic,' recalls Prendergast. advertisement With publisher Spiegel & Grau on board, the team began identifying moments in the manuscript that lent themselves to visual storytelling. Rodrigo Corral Design Studio had created the book's cover, so they brought Corral and his crew into the project as well. Ultimately, the team created more than 100 custom assets for the audiobook, from section headers to chat logs and conceptual images that echo the vibe of the cover. 'We frequently create interior illustrations for printed books, but seeing these visuals integrated into the digital and audio space is genuinely new and exciting,' says Anna Corral, partner at Rodgiro Corral. Of the process itself, she added, 'We worked to distill the emotional undercurrents into images that guide the listener without overexplaining, allowing the reader to reflect and make it their own.' Of course, like anything new, you've got to figure out the best way to use it—and while listening to Culpability, I likely no doubt missed certain visuals by virtue of not staring at my phone for the duration of the book, waiting to see what might pop up. Interfaces like Apple CarPlay also don't generally display visuals like these so as not to distract drivers—so in lieu of something like an audible chime to check your phone or tablet for a given image, you may need to hop over to the 'Extras' section of the audiobook to find what you missed. The tune of the tomes In May, Spotify partnered with 33 ⅓, Bloomsbury's cult-favorite line of books about popular albums, to add another Follow Along element that seems like a no-brainer for the streaming service: music. Now, when the audio books are probing an album or discussing a certain song, a link to it will appear in the app so users can save it to their library or listen in the moment. Currently, Follow Along is still a test feature. While Spotify declined to provide more robust usage metrics, Parsley noted that users actively engaging with the initial slate of titles' supplementary material within the app increased by 245% over their former PDF counterparts. Publishers have been requesting the feature, according to Parsley. Spotify has also observed an increase in listeners per title, with 'the hypothesis there being that providing more visual-forward experiences can entice more listening,' she says. Ultimately, Parsley sees opportunity for not just a new visual spin on an old form, but for the types of books associated with audiobooks at large. For instance, Billie Eilish released an audio component to her eponymous photo book, and Spotify created a Follow Along experience merging both. And therein lies perhaps the next unexpected frontier for audiobooks, which Parsley enthusiastically endorses: the humble coffee table tome. 'There's a lot of untapped potential there [with] content that is visually based, and how we can create this multimodal experience around it,' she says. 'The door is wide open right now because it is so early—so it's very exciting.' The early-rate deadline for Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Awards is Friday, September 5, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Travel Weekly
2 days ago
- Travel Weekly
Curated ship libraries offer a literary voyage for cruisers
For book lovers (like me) who devour multiple titles per week, travel presents a packing challenge: sacrifice valuable suitcase space for reading material or risk running out of books midjourney. (Yes, I could move to an e-reader, but there's absolutely nothing like turning the pages of a book.) Luckily, a handful of cruise lines solve this dilemma with thoughtfully curated shipboard libraries that go far beyond the typical collection of abandoned paperbacks. I first noticed this trend aboard the ocean vessel Viking Star. Perusing the library, I spotted a brand-new novel I'd been dying to get my hands on. How did the Viking Star have a copy of a book that hadn't even made it into my local bookstore? The discovery led me to investigate the surprising renaissance of shipboard libraries. The intimate library space aboard the Viking Star. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Viking A growing trend at sea Cruise ships with thoughtfully curated libraries represent a growing trend in the industry, as operators recognize that intellectually curious travelers seek literary enrichment. "Cruise ship libraries offer guests a rare blend of quiet sophistication and intellectual escape," said Lainey Melnick, luxury travel professional and owner of Dream Vacations. "These refined spaces let travelers unwind with a classic novel or delve into destination guides, elevating the journey with both comfort and cultural enrichment." Viking Ocean Cruises has elevated the shipboard library experience through a partnership with London's legendary Heywood Hill bookshop, which also serves the British royal family. Several vessels in the fleet sail with a unique collection where every title has been hand selected to complement the ship's itineraries. Each Viking vessel features thoughtfully organized library spaces distributed throughout the ship. Contemporary fiction and classics populate the Living Room, and Arctic exploration books fill the shelves in the Explorers' Lounge, while on the Viking Orion and Viking Jupiter, passengers find space-travel titles in the Explorers Dome. The Celebrity Solstice features a cozy, thoughtfully designed library space with beautiful floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celebrity Literary sanctuaries at sea Other major cruise lines have recognized travelers' desire for literary sanctuaries at sea, investing in impressive collections that serve as quiet retreats amid the bustle of shipboard activities. The Queen Mary 2 houses perhaps the most impressive maritime library afloat, a stunning space featuring over 10,000 carefully selected volumes. "A library on a Cunard ship is not just a place for books -- it's a sanctuary at sea," said Liz Fettes, senior vice president for commercial, North America. "It reflects Cunard's long tradition of enriching the mind as well as the journey, offering guests a quiet haven to explore, reflect and escape through the written word." Holland America Line maintains curated libraries with up to 1,700 volumes on each of its 11 ships. Vessels feature rotating Feature Sections of bestsellers and hand-picked books related to upcoming destinations. The cruise line has expanded its literary offerings through a partnership with the audiobook and podcast service Audible. Celebrity Cruises brings contemporary elegance to its library spaces across its Solstice- and Edge-class vessels. Ships feature cozy sitting areas and beautiful floor-to-ceiling bookcases housing large collections of fiction and nonfiction books. The National Geographic Endurance library serves as what the line calls an "intellectual anchor" on its cruises. Photo Credit: Oivind Haug Expedition vessels, too Small-ship and expedition operators have embraced the library trend with equal enthusiasm, often creating collections that deepen passengers' connection to remote destinations. National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions' vessels feature libraries that serve as what the line calls "intellectual anchors" for each voyage. These collections complement expert-led lectures with resources that help guests connect more deeply with their surroundings. The Star Clipper tall sailing ships -- the Royal Clipper, Star Clipper and Star Flyer -- have Edwardian-style libraries that are meant to capture the romance of the golden age of sail, the cruise line said. Silolona Sojourns takes an educational approach to its library collections aboard its two traditional sailing phinisi yachts in Indonesia. Founder Patti Seery personally curated these intimate libraries, filling shelves with books about local culture, marine conservation and history. Silolona also shares a comprehensive recommended reading list with all travelers before their trip. Aqua Expeditions' vessels showcase region-specific collections tailored to their exotic destinations. The Aqua Mekong offers literature about Southeast Asia, while the Aqua Blu provides titles about Indonesia's biodiversity and cultural heritage. Ecoventura's luxury expedition yachts Origin and Theory in the Galapagos. Their intimate libraries stock evolutionary texts including Darwin's "On the Origin of the Species" alongside modern fiction. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ecoventura For those exploring the Galapagos with Ecoventura aboard its luxury expedition yachts, intimate libraries stock "special, including rare editions -- all about the Galapagos, wildlife, evolution and beyond," said Doris Welsh, senior vice president of sales and marketing. "The collection ranges from 'On the Origin of the Species' by Darwin himself to fiction novels like 'Wish You Were Here' by Jodi Picoult." Ambassador Cruise Line's ships feature libraries themed around the Bronte sisters, complete with dresses from Bronte film adaptations on display and regular book clubs. While digital entertainment options proliferate, the quiet sanctuary of a well-stocked library continues to draw passengers seeking intellectual stimulation or just a quiet spot to curl up with a book. Libraries filled with carefully selected volumes that connect to destinations and spark curiosity not only add to the cruise experience, but for travelers like me, means not having to jam a suitcase full of books.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Cornwall house where Oasis recorded their debut album now up for sale for £1.95m
An historic home with a recording studio where Oasis made their debut album in Cornwall has been put up for sale for nearly £2 million. The Old Sawmills is a secluded studio where Oasis recorded their landmark 1994 release Definitely Maybe. This remarkable property nestled in Golant, near Fowey, is now for sale through estate agents Stags with a guide price of £1,950,000. Established as one of the UK's first residential recording studios in 1974, the property occupies the site of a 17th-century water mill with roots dating back to the 11th century. The property occupies the site of a 17th-century water mill with roots dating back to the 11th century. (Image: Strutt & Parker / The property is only accessible by boat or on foot, and is described as a "unique and secluded waterside property set in enchanting woodland on the banks of a tidal creek". In addition to Oasis, the studio has welcomed other successful musicians and bands to use the site include Robert Plant, Stone Roses, The Verve, Supergrass and Muse. Famous albums recorded at The Old Sawmills include In It For The Money by Supergrass, and various albums by Muse including Showbiz and Origin of Symmetry. READ NEXT Concern at plan to build 'eyesore' homes next to river Plans for 37 affordable homes in village given go-ahead despite protests Developer puts up 'new apartments coming soon' signs before planning permission The main house comprises seven bedrooms, multiple reception rooms, and spectacular views across the river and surrounding woodlands. The original recording studio, which remains fully operational, occupies the lower ground floor and includes a control room, vocal booth, and main live room featuring a Juliet balcony with a view across the creek. The property is only accessible by boat or on foot, and is described as a "unique and secluded waterside property set in enchanting woodland on the banks of a tidal creek". (Image: Strutt & Parker / The estate also includes a detached self-contained two-bedroom lodge, various versatile outbuildings, and significant potential for a range of future uses, from a private retreat or creative escape, to the continuation of a working recording studio with commercial prospects. The site also played a part during both World Wars and was requisitioned by the American Army in 1943 for preparations in the run-up to the D-Day landings.
