Our Read, The Reader Organisation’s big shared read

Books Another book related event in Liverpool I thought might be of interest:

From Bootle to the British Library

World Book Day, Thursday 3rd March, marks the launch of Our Read, The Reader Organisation’s big shared read and this year, it’s bigger than ever. There are 50,000 copies of a brand new book, The Unforgotten Coat, written especially for Our Read by Frank Cottrell Boyce be given away.

The Unforgotten Coat is about a young girl from Bootle, who begins to see things differently after she befriends two new Mongolian boys, who turn up suddenly at her school and tell her of their travels, was written especially for The Reader Organisation.

To celebrate the start of the world’s largest shared-reading project, The Reader Organisation will be taking 25 young people from Liverpool to London onboard a Virgin Train, accompanied by Frank Cottrell Boyce who will be reading the story aloud to them for the very first time. Many of these young people have never travelled outside Liverpool before, let alone visited London. The journey will culminate in a trip to the British Library.

Trains, and journeys, are very important themes in the story of ‘The Unforgotten Coat’ – and in its creation. Last year, after being asked by The Reader Organisation’s Director, Jane Davis, to write a new story for their book giveaway, Frank penned the first draft on the very same Virgin train route to London that the project will be launching from on Thursday. Frank says:

“I'm not sure what it is about trains - maybe it's that sense that you're going somewhere, or maybe it's that your time is limited, or maybe it's that magical thing of the world rushing past your window while you are sitting still which is a bit like dreaming. Whatever it is, I always have my best ideas on trains.”

The train journey marks the growth of this huge initiative, which began in Liverpool in 2003, under the name ‘Liverpool Reads’.

Aimed at encouraging more young people between the ages of 10-16 to read for pleasure, and share reading with others around them, Our Read begins with a huge book giveaway and a chain-read of the book at the Bluecoat on 3rd March.

Director of The Reader Organisation, Jane Davis, explained that the project is a hugely exciting new venture for the charity:

“Ever since 2003 we have had an annual book give-away, and this year, we can share our Liverpool-grown project with the rest of the country, which makes it very special indeed.”

“We really want people to read and share The Unforgotten Coat with friends, family, neighbours and teachers. You can find Our Read on Facebook and Twitter and tell us your stories: what you think of the book, who you’ve been reading it with, uploading photos – don’t keep it to yourself! Keep your eyes open for Our Read postcards hitting the streets and write to us telling us where you’ve from and who you’ve shared the book with”

Thousands of copies of The Unforgotten Coat will be available from 3rd March and people can pick their copy up from any library on Merseyside and the following city-centre locations:

Liverpool City Library at World Museum;
Waterstone’s (Bold Street and Liverpool One);
Costa coffee (Bold Street and Liverpool One);
Brew tea bar (Bold Street and Old Hall Street).

The books will also be available to pick-up from selected Merseytravel locations across Merseyside – this includes major train and bus stations such as Liverpool Central, Lime Street and Moorfields, as well as Merseyferry terminals at Seacombe, Woodside and Pier Head - and The Beatles Story.