The author Christina Gabbitas, from Selby, will be setting up the first Children’s Reading Festival of the town. Free books will be given to children in the event to be set up and run during March, at Selby Abbey. Christina has been granted thousands of pounds to set up the reading festival.
Over 350 literature festivals run across the county and the author discovered to her surprise, that less than 10% of them were dedicated to children. She wanted to change this. Christina is looking forward to local organisations to fund more books, to be given free to children and all families visiting the event.
Christina said that less importance and time was given to children’s section, like an afterthought, in literature festivals. It was her aim to take children’s reading festivals into towns, different areas and regions of England.
Leader of Selby town council, Councillor Mark Crane, said he is proud to support the Selby Children’s Reading Festival, as it presents to youngsters in the town a wonderful opportunity. It is necessary to make reading, an essential life skill, more accessible to all Selby children, he said. He expected support to grow the festival into a annual fixture in the events calendar of Selby, he added.
More than 3,000 children from 10 schools are expected to the festival that will run from 23rd to 25th March and the free event will have a family day on Saturday. The site- childrensreadingfesticals.com will soon have the details.
