Children living in direct provision and homeless hubs to be gifted a thousand books

Culture Night is coming up this Friday, September 18th.

And to celebrate, the Arts Council and Children’s Books Ireland are encouraging families to open up Irish culture by opening a book together and sharing a story at bedtime. As part of Books Make Things Better reading guide, which aims to highlight the best Irish children’s books of 2020, and accompanying book-gifting programme will support children least likely to have access to a book to read by gifting 1,000 books to children and young people in schools, direct provision centres and family hubs across Ireland. "On Culture Night, over one thousand children will have the joy of immersing themselves in a brilliant Irish picturebook and knowing that children all over Ireland are reading that same story," explains Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland. "With the Books Make Things Better reading guide, we hope we can lead children, young people and their families to discover great new books, while also supporting Irish authors, illustrators and publishers." Children’s Books Ireland’s vision is an Ireland in which books are central to every child’s life and where meaningful engagement with books is supported by passionate and informed adults in families, schools, libraries and communities across the country. The Books Make Things Better reading guide features 123 Irish authors, illustrators and translators, 13 Irish publishers, and original cover artwork by Belfast illustrator Oliver Jeffers. It will be distributed free of charge through bookshops and libraries nationwide and will be available to view or download on www.childrensbooksireland.ie. Here is what Director of the Arts Council, Maureen Kennelly, had to say about the campaign: "Ireland boasts a wealth of artistic talent that, this year more than ever, we must promote and support," Kennelly said. "Our goals for Culture Night in 2020 are that it represents the vitality of art across diverse communities, that it acknowledges the value that art brings to all our lives, and its essential role in promoting wellbeing within society."