Children's author joins bookworms at reading festival (From Chorley Citizen)

Children's author joins bookworms at reading festival

7:56am Thursday 21st February 2008 in Chorley By Gordon McCully

Children at a Chorley primary school were celebrating books in style this week, as famous children's author Cathy Cassidy, paid them a visit, as part of the school's Reading Festival Cathy's visit to Duke Street Primary was arranged after 12-year-old Bethany Kidd, daughter of the school's headteacher Andrew Kidd met the author last year following exchanges of emails.

The visit has generated a lot of interest within the school and in other local schools.

Children have been coming to reading sessions each lunchtime to hear Mr Kidd reading from Cathy's books.

Well over 100 children entered a writing competition, organised by Bethany and her dad, based on Roald Dahl's, George's Marvellous Medicine, and the winners were announced and presented with commemorative Reading Festival prizes by Cathy Cassidy herself.

Mr Kidd said: "To get an author of the calibre of Cathy Cassidy to come to the school was very exciting.

"As well as talking to children about her books and writing, Cathy also officially opened the school library and signed paperback copies of her latest book Lucky Star, about a graffiti artist."

For the Reading Festival, the school hall was suitably decorated with graffiti artwork and Marvellous Medicine refreshments were on sale.

In addition to Cathy's books being on sale, the school book fair took place this week too and a second hand book stall was very popular, with proceeds going to Derian House Children's Hospice.

Cathy also visited St Michael's High School where Beth is a pupil.