May is National Share-a-Story Month in the UK. Beginning in 1974 as National Share-a-Story Week, it was decided in 1998, by The Federation of Children’s Book Group, to extend it to a month instead.
Each year has a different theme, and this year’s theme is Once Upon a Storytime. As part of the National Year of Reading, numerous literacy organisations are making an extra special effort to promote this annual event which is dedicated to bringing children and stories together.
https://www.emmacarpendale.co.uk/
The event is used by schools, parents, publishers, librarians, booksellers, communities. and bloggers to promote storytelling. It is a way to share the joy of reading aloud and helps to spark children’s imaginations.
There has been much research over many decades that proves reading to children helps them on their journey of learning to read independently, as well as creating a lifelong interest in storytelling over a broad range. The National Year of Reading website has many resources available to help parents and carers with ideas for sharing books and making up stories together.
Books help children to discover new things and provide opportunities to chat with them about the words or the pictures. It is also a great way to bond with your child and spend some peaceful, relaxed time with them. However, stories don’t have to come from just books. You can make up your own stories, just by chatting about everyday things at home, or in the park, at the shops, or on the beach. You can make up stories about almost anything – from a twig that you find, or a feather, or pebbles on the beach.
However you choose to celebrate National Share-a-Story Month, and whatever you choose to make up a story about, we hope all the characters live happily ever after!
Happy storytelling!
[Editor’s note: Don’t forget you can find loads of free books in Camber’s two bookstops!]
