Wokingham

There is an outbreak of jungle fever at the Wokingham borough’s libraries this week for National Bookstart Day. The theme of this year’s events is Jungle Party, and the borough’s libraries have been celebrating with a week of jungle-themed fun that will culminate on National Bookstart Day (Friday October 5) with a morning of wild stories and activities for under-fives and parents.

The programme leading up to National Bookstart Day has included several fun sessions at different libraries, and there is more to come on Thursday October 4:

•Storytime at Woodley Library, 2.15pm to 2.45pm
•Storytime at Lower Earley Library, 2.30pm to 3pm

On National Bookstart Day itself at Wokingham Library, the fun starts at 10.30am with a jungle bounce and rhyme, then from 11am to 11.30am there will be slippery snake crafts and from 11.30am to 12 noon there will be roaring jungle stories. There is no need to book and visitors are welcome to bring their own jungle animals to join in!

Bookstart is an independent charity that aims to ensure all children have an early introduction to the wonderful world of books. It delivers a pack of books to all children at about eight months old and then further packs between 18 and 30 months and again to pre-school children at three years old. National Bookstart Day is held each year to promote and celebrate the charity’s work with events held at libraries around the country.

Executive member for community development Dianne King said: “Wokingham Library has been decorated with a variety of animal drawings in honour of the occasion. It is worth going along just to see them! And activities like these can really spark children’s interest in books at an early age. I’m delighted to see such a lively programme for the week.”

Wokingham Borough Council