Children across Islington will be able to ‘set sail’ on a story trail around the borough as part of the Get Islington Reading initiative.
The route is based on the book When Secrets Set Sail by Sita Brahmachari which tackles themes of immigration, colonialism and unfulfilled promises.
The project runs from July 23 to August 29 and is part of an initiative by the National Literacy Trust, The Reading Agency and Islington Council Library Service to encourage children in the borough to read.
Sita Brahmacheri, who won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize with her debut Artichoke Hearts, said: “Writing and reading is a treasure hunt of the imagination. The story trail offers young readers a fun and interactive summer holiday reading, local history and storytelling adventures.
“I would have loved to take part in a trail like this when I was a child so it’s a joy to see my story changing imaginations and being a catalyst for such a creative quest.”
On the trail children and their families will follow a string of clues, just like the book’s characters Usha, Imtiaz and Cosmo, to explore Islington and its history.
The trail begins at Finsbury Library or the Lewis Carroll Children’s Library where families can pick up their trail map and write down their findings to win a special, illustrated badge.
Jasmine Tucker, project manager of Get Islington Reading, said: “We hope this story trail will be a fun way for families to get out and about in Islington this summer, and discover stories and libraries in their local area.
“It's a great activity for children headed to secondary school in September, to go on a local adventure, hunt for clues, and learn about the history and hidden gems of Islington.”
Additionally, children upwards of age seven can attend two story-telling events with Sita Brahmachari at the London Canal Museum on August 16 at 11am and 2pm.
Get Islington Reading is a three-year project funded by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington to develop a community of happy, confident readers across the borough by creating a network of engaging activities to support and develop literacy skills.
For more information visit: https://readingagency.org.uk/children/quick-guides/get-islington-reading/
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