Dr Book Festival surgeries

With the summer holidays coming to an end why not spring into the new term with fun new authors and books to explore and enjoy! Our enormously popular Dr Book service is hosting clinics across the festivals, prescribing books packed with belly laughs and pulse-quickening adventures.

We’ll be at the BBC at the Edinburgh Festivals site on Lauriston Place on Thursday 11^th August (2pm – 4pm) helping young readers discover books and authors they will #lovetoread

We’re also visiting our friends at Edinburgh International Book Festival in Charlotte Square for the WHOLE DAY on the Friday 19^th August. We will also be in attendance at the Schools Gala day on the 30^th August and will be on hand to treat any reading emergencies caused by the return to school and the end of the Summer Reading Challenge!

Teddy Bears Sleepover

Last week nearly 30 children from across the city brought their soft toys (not the favourite ones!) to the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

They enjoyed stories and songs in the cosy Imagination Lab after that the toys were tucked in for a sleepover.

As their carers were away for the night, the soft toys decided to stay up late and explore the book festival venue.

What did they get up to during the night? Look through the full range of pictures on Flickr to find out!

The ‘Tedinburgh’ Book Festival sleepover

Lots of young readers brought their special soft toys along to Edinburgh International Book Festival on Friday for our very first teddy bear sleepover. Author Linda Strachan brought Hamish McHaggis!

After some songs and stories the children tucked their toys up and left them to settle down for the night.

Or so they thought. Almost as soon as Linda had left the room the teddies were getting up to all kinds of mischief…

They enjoyed Linda’s story so much they thought they’d sneak a look at her web site.

Snip introduced his new friends to his favourite titles at the bookshop.

Look! Doctor Book! Everyone queued nicely for a reading prescription.

“Antony Beevor? Any relation?”

All this was hungry work. Might there be some food at the authors’ yurt?

Bingo!

“This is my first trip to the book festival. How about you?”.

And off to bed, although Snip’s snoring made Big Ted wish he’d brought his earplugs.

You can see more of the teddies’ adventures on Flickr.

 

 

Missed out on book festival tickets? Here’s the next best thing

This YouTube playlist features some of the hottest tickets at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, including Val McDermid, Christopher Brookmyre, Jenni Fagan, Richard Holloway, AL Kennedy and Irvine Welsh.

The authors were all visiting Edinburgh Libraries as part of our “Edinburgh Reads” series of free author events. View our calendar to see what we’ve got planned for the weeks and months ahead

Bored kids? Make an appointment with Doctor Book!

We’re gearing up for a bonanza of events for babies through to teens (and parents and carers) at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Once again we are running our amazingly popular Bookbug Rhymetime Sessions where babies, toddlers and their parents and carers can enjoy half an hour of nursery rhymes and songs both traditional and new, including everything from lullabies through to bouncy action rhymes. Lots of fun and laughter guaranteed. Although we’re hosting no fewer than 14 sessions this year, such is their popularity that yet again we were fully booked within 48 hours of the box office opening!

We’re also bringing the ever popular Summer Reading Challenge to the Book Festival with two events based on this years theme ‘Circus Stars’.

For 5 to 8 year olds these sessions combine books, oral stories, songs and crafts and a chance to join in the ‘Circus Stars’ fun and get some special ‘Circus Stars’ goodies! Tickets have gone now for these sessions too, but there’s always a chance there might be returns so if you’re at the Festival anyway it’s worth asking at the box office or coming along to the venue in case not everyone turns up. Head over to the Edinburgh International Book Festival site to find out more.

Not everything we’re doing is ‘sold out’. On Friday the 19th of August from 11.00 to 12.30 at the back of the RBS Children’s Bookshop our very own Dr. Book will be holding a surgery to dispense advice to children, teens, parents and carers on books for children and young people. Come along and meet the book doctors and get your reading symptoms diagnosed and your very own prescription to take away. No appointment necessary, this event is free and drop in, no ticket required. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Edinburgh International Book Festival runs from the 13th to the 29th August in Charlotte Square Gardens.