Tour de... Leeds

Today I am writing a story for a project related to the 2014 Tour de France.

The Tour de France starts in Leeds this year. And I am going to be working with Leeds Libraries to use the buzz around the Tour to get children excited about visiting their local library and reading for pleasure.

There are 40 libraries in the city, adding on a couple of mobile libraries. During the two weeks leading up to the start of the Tour, I will visit them all to speak to invited classes of school children. Four libraries a day. And I'll be doing it all by bike, cycling a couple of hundred miles in the process.

The idea is that I will cycle up to each library and read a specially commissioned story and speak for half an hour to the children. This is what I'll be doing:

* reading the story about a girl (aged 10) who cycles to her local library and takes out a book - as she cycles home that book takes her on an adventure related to the topic of the book she borrowed

* talking about how Leeds Libraries gave me access to books that changed my life in several ways - how reading books from my home town's libraries gave me ideas, opportunities and took me on an adventure in my life that made me a reader, a successful writer and a happy person

* showing the kids round the library, making them comfortable there, helping them to know that it is a place for them - and encouraging them to bring their parents along to have a look

* give all the kids library cards, if they don't already have them

I am really excited about doing this. Leeds Libraries really did change my life.

How?

They got me into books when I became interested in reading - age 17 - and could never have afforded to buy 1% of the books I devoured.

Their books inspired me to travel and find out about people and countries I could never have dreamed of - or dreamed of visiting.

They gave me access to university prospectuses that I would never have seen and acted on, changing the course of my life.

They fed me books when I did the last year of my university degree largely from home (and not the course base in Berkshire): I had to be in Leeds because my mum was terminally ill and I was the only one at home.

Leeds Libraries changed everything for me.

I want to pass on that message to today's Leeds children. That's what our Tour de Leeds project is about.

Now to finish the story.

Sports Literacy for 2014

This year I am going to be doing a lot of literacy work linked to several sports. I thought it'd be a good idea to blog about it regularly to give teachers, librarians and parents ideas on how to engage their children with literacy through sport. And to gather ideas from other people doing the same sort of thing.

In 2014 I'll be doing the following:

* creating a set of resources and bespoke story and writing exercises inspired by the World Cup football for the National Literacy Trust

* working with the States of Guernsey to create a different sports story every month during 2014, using ideas and editorial feedback from Y6 and Y7 children on the island - sports will include sea fishing, coasteering and marathon running

* writing three rugby union books for Barrington Stoke

* touring my Football Reading Game and Rugby Reading Game throughout year in 150+ schools

* cycling to 40 libraries in Leeds to enthuse children about library use and the Tour de France

* blogging from New Zealand, as I research rugby union for a children's book set in that country, funded by Arts Council England and Society of Authors

* celebrating the publication of a football/WWI novel in March and a rugby union/RAF novel in October

I will probably be involved with other sports literacy projects as the year goes on, but this is what is planned so far. Whatever happens I will have a lot to blog about - and a lot of ideas to share and gather.

Feel free to email me via www.tompalmer.co.uk if you want to get in touch with questions or to tell me about your sports literacy activities.

Thanks for reading. Have a great 2014.