Story time beside the Tyne
This last week we’ve been to visit Seven Stories in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The brainchild of an old friend of ours Elizabeth Hammill, the National Centre for Children’s Books is housed in a 7 storeys high 19th century warehouse on the river Ouse beside the Tyne. Refurbished for over £6 million, the building is a stunner.
This unique Centre is fast becoming a museum and showcase for the original scripts and artwork of many of the best children’s books of the last 70 years. It makes a magical day for children and adults alike as they move from floor to floor through different areas and changing exhibits (See photo left of the storyteller’s throne).
It’s not only encouraging youngsters into reading, but in the process is introducing them to questions about relationships, friendship, travel, climate change (Photo opp), the environment and much else. It was exciting to see children’s response to the little fancy-full ship moored outside (Photo above), made entirely of recycled material. There’s a superb bookshop too, where we bought for The Larches a children’s book, Love your world, which can be used with our Children’s Wildlife Quiz.
Make a date to go the Centre – you won’t be disappointed.
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