Suffolk Libraries Children’s Month

Suffolk Libraries Children’s Month  

This April will be the first ever Suffolk Libraries Children’s Month – a brand new campaign to encourage more children and families to use their local library.

Children’s Month will launch next week on International Children’s Book Day on 2 April and run throughout the month, starting with a launch event at Bungay Library.

To help encourage greater use of libraries, Suffolk Libraries is also removing overdue charges for children’s books from 1 April 2019.

Children’s Month will celebrate everything the library service has to offer children of all ages; promote the broad range of children’s activities and services and of course highlight the wonderful range of children’s books on offer.

Children’s Month will also highlight the many activities and events taking place in the Easter holidays. There is also a chance to nominate your favourite children’s book for a chance to win an iPad.

Local children’s author and illustrator, James Mayhew, best known for the ‘Ella Bella Ballerina’ books and his illustrations in ‘Gaspard the Fox’ by Zeb Soanes, has created a special Children’s Month logo for Suffolk Libraries. The new logo is based on the Mouse and Mole series of books by Joyce Dunbar which are being republished in May.

James will be helping to launch Children’s Month at Bungay Library next Tuesday (2 April) at 10.30am along with a group of children from the nearby St Edmunds Primary School.   

James Mayhew wholeheartedly supports this campaign, stating “It’s so important to remind us all how much libraries offer communities, and in particular young families and children. Anything that encourages children to borrow books must be a good thing!  The books we read as children stay with us all our lives. There are so many wonderful stories and pictures to discover in a library, all for free.”




Bruce Leeke, Chief Executive of Suffolk Libraries, said: “Our Children’s Month will showcase the huge amount on offer for children and families across our libraries and the positive impact they have on children’s lives.

“We lend over a million children’s books every year and thousands of families come along to our activities but we are always keen to share the magic of the library experience with even more people. It’s so easy to get a Suffolk Libraries card which is the best way to make the most of what’s on offer.

“Reading really can be life-changing so we’ve decided to remove fines for overdue children’s books to inspire even more younger users to see what we have to offer.”

All of the county’s libraries have been asked to nominate their favourite children’s book and Suffolk Libraries will be sharing their choices and asking everyone  to  nominate theirs. You can enter your choice in a special survey with a chance to win an iPad – a great way to discover all of Suffolk Libraries other online services!

For more information visit www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/childrens-month/