John Piper's Puppet Show

John has been visiting Rochdale for a number of years now. Cuthbert the Crocodile and I are old friends - he likes chocolate!

Sammy the Sealion and Jack Rabbit helped Cuthbert out this year and John linked the puppet show to The Big Wild Read.

Rochdale Libraries very own Charlie Chough crow puppet now acts as Cuthbert's warm up act. Charlie had his picture published in the Rochdale Observer when he accompanied John and his puppets at Smithybridge Library. John didn't want his picture taken as that would have spoilt the surprises!

John Piper's web site

Craig Bradley - performance poet

Craig Bradley visited three of our libraries as part of The Big Wild Read. We were treated to the Big Wild Rhyme Road Show.

He is an excellent performance poet and I would recommend anyone to give him a go with their group. The show is entertaining, visual, lively, educational and downright funny!

We had children aged between three and eleven (and one aged 76) and I know he also goes down well with secondary school age pupils.

The Big Wild Read has gone global!

Certificates for The Big Wild Read will be reaching as far as Malaysia as one finisher will be returning home there shortly with her certificate, etc. I wonder if she will plant the seeds out there too? Sadly, there is no funding for me to fly out and present the certificate at her school, so we sent it to Spotland Library for her to collect in person. The Big Wild Read seems to have really taken off!

The activity table is new this year and I wanted some variety for it, otherwise we would have ended up with six weeks consisting of nothing but pictures to colour in. Activities this summer have included: decorating plant pots; wildlife masks; butterflies; wild summer cards; and animal crafts. The activity table isn't without its teething troubles: we got templates for cutting out sticky-back plastic shapes for the plant pots and they turned out to be inflexible and very fiddly to use. Something for us to bear in mind next time. Other than that, the activities have been very popular with the children.

Books to treasure at family fun events

Children get the chance to discover the treasures in books at two family fun events this week.

The Library Service is holding the family fun events to gift Bookstart Treasure Boxes to children starting school in September 2007 who did not receive their Treasure Box at Nursery this year.

The events are on:

• Wednesday 22 August
  Wheatsheaf Library, Rochdale from 2pm until 4pm


• Friday 24 August
  Littleborough Library from 2-4 pm

Both afternoons will be drop in events with face-painting, crafts, freebies and balloons on offer. The Bookstart Bear is also hoping to make an appearance.

Parents are asked to bring their red health book if possible. It will also be an opportunity for other parents to find out about Bookstart.

Bookstart in the UK is the first national books-for-babies programme in the world.

Every baby born in England is now entitled to three free Bookstart Packs at the following ages:

• 6-9 months - the Bookstart pack, gifted by the Health Visitor


• 18-30 months - the Bookstart+ pack again usually gifted by their Health Visitor


• 3-4 years - Bookstart Treasure Box - gifted in the child's pre school year.

Children starting nursery in September will receive their Treasure Box at their Nursery before August 2008.

Big Wild Summer!

Your local library is Going Wild this Summer!

If you are aged between 4 and 11 years of age why not join THE BIG WILD READ?

• If you want to take part, pick up your FREE folder and wild flower seeds - available from 30 June at libraries across the borough.
• Visit your local library throughout the Summer for a variety of free WILD events and
  collect stickers and other surprises as you read.
• Free swim tickets, medals and certificates for all children who make four visits to the Library to complete the BIG WILD READ CHALLENGE.
• All who complete the challenge will be entered into a draw to join in a local tree planting event.
• Big Wild Reads

Special events at your local libraries

Places are limited, please ring the relevant library to book your FREE place.

Guy de Paul’s Magic Show
For children aged 4+

• Friday 27 July 10.30am at Heywood Library
• Monday 13 August 10.30am at the Wheatsheaf library
• Monday 13 August 2.30pm at Junction Library
• Tuesday 14 August 10.30am at Norden Library
• Tuesday 14 August 2.30pm at Brimrod Chapel

The Bug Box
Roger Swailes introduces a variety of big wild insects. For children aged 5+

• Thursday 2 August 10.30am at Castleton Library
• Thursday 2nd August 2.30pm at Spotland Library
• Thursday 9 August 10.30am at Milnrow Library
• Thursday 9 August 2.30pm at Wardle Library

The Wild Road Show
Animals galore! For children aged 5+

• Thursday 26 July 10am at Alkrington Library
• Thursday 26 July 11.30am at Langley Library
• Thursday 26 July 2pm at Belfield Library
• Thursday 26 July 4pmat Smallbridge Library

Big Wild Rhymes with Craig Bradley
Entertaining, dynamic and fun performance poetry show complete with bongos. For children aged 5+

• Friday 3 August 11am Littleborough Library
• Friday 3 August 2pm Middleton Library
• Friday 3 August 4pm Balderstone Library

John Piper’s Puppets
For children aged 4+

• Friday 17 August 10.30am at Smithybridge Library
• Friday 17 August 2.30pm at Middleton Library
• Monday 20 August 10.30am at Heywood Library
• Monday 20 August 2.30pm at Darnhill Library

Join a local Bug Hunt with a countryside ranger
Family event. All ages welcome

• Monday 23 July 2.30pm starting from Balderstone Library
• Tuesday 21 August 2.30pm starting from Littleborough Library

Curly Cat
Make your own shoebox theatre For children aged 7+

• Friday 10 August 2-4pm Wheatsheaf Library

Drop in events
No need to book, everone welcome.

Animal Face-painting

• Tuesday 24 July 2.30-4.30pm Middleton Library
• Tuesday 31 July 2.30-4.30pm Langley Library
• Monday 6 August 2.30-4.30pm Heywood Library
• Tuesday 7 August 2.30-4.30pm Spotland Library
• Thursday 23 August 2.30-4.30pm Castleton Library
• Tuesday 28 August 2.30-4.30pm at Milnrow Library

Wild craft activities
Try a different Craft Activity each week throughout the Summer at your local library. Don’t forget to bring your BIG WILD READ folder and choose new books at the same time!

• Week beginning 23 July - Ugly Bugs
• Week beginning 30 July - How does your garden grow?
• Week beginning 6 August - Wild Life Masks
• Week beginning 13 August - Butterflies
• Week beginning 20 August - Wild Summer cards
• Week beginning 28 August - Animal Crafts

Note: All Libraries CLOSED on Bank Holiday Monday 27 August.

The fun doesn't end with the school holidays - look out for the autumn events in our libraries!