Children across Omagh are ‘Chatterbooks’

CHILDREN are becoming lost in the wondrous stories which they are reading at the Omagh Library – and they want their friends to join them!

Each month, the local primary school pupils meet to explore the splendour of different books and novels – but they also partake in wordsearches, crosswords and crafts to keep their creative sparks alive after a busy school day.

The group, aptly entitled ‘Chatterbooks’, further helps children make friendships across the community and teaches them perhaps one of the greatest life skills of all: To never judge a book by its cover!

Claire Keys, library assistant, helps to run Chatterbooks along with her fellow members of staff, and says it is fantastic to see how much enjoyment local children receive from reading.

“The children thoroughly enjoy Chatterbooks – they have such a wonderful time,” she said. “We pick a book for the children to read, let them have some time to read it during the group and at home, and then they are given fun activities to do that relate to it. Sometimes they are even keen to write reviews on what they’ve read!

“If they enjoy an author, we will introduce them to more books by that person but we also show them completely different styles of books and writing. This way, they can expand their vocabulary, accelerate their reading skills and learn that just because they mightn’t like what a book looks like on the outside, they may love the story within!”

Claire added, “During the group, the children also make friends from all walks of life, and they even say they’d love it if their friends from school would come along too.

“We would encourage all parents to bring their children along to Chatterbooks to see how their passion for reading flourishes, and reading skills improve. It really is a fantastic group!”