International Book Giving Day
Today marks International Book Giving Day, so our Learning and Engagement Officer Imogen is here to share her thoughts on the importance of reading, and to ask you a little favour…
Written by Imogen Hinchliffe
Humble beginnings
I was a reluctant reader as a child. I never found the book that clicked and I couldn’t understand why someone would want to look at words printed on a page. My librarian mum tried everything to get me into reading; Enid Blyton’s books were too old-fashioned, Daisy Meadows’ books were too simple. Mum even tried reading a book about mice in the theatre (I was an Angelina Ballerina superfan). Everything changed when mum brought the Harry Potter audiobooks home for me to try. Who knew books could be so gripping? I devoured the series, savouring every word that Stephen Fry uttered. I then swiftly moved on to the Twilight bandwagon. I was gripped by Bella and Edward’s love story and met my first love – the Robert Pattinson poster I bought at HMV.
I spent my lockdown living with my parents, and it was there that I needed books to escape the monotony of daily life. In lockdown, I started reading Enid Blyton and found a love for Mallory Towers. My mum and I connected over something she had adored as a child and it made the days go a little faster. I fell so in love with the stories that I called my dog Enid, after Blyton herself.
Imogen with puppy Enid.
Falling in love with books
Imogen with her book club friends on a trip to the Harry Potter studio tour.
After lockdown I was left feeling alone in the world, I felt like I didn’t quite fit in anywhere. That was until I joined a book club. We bonded quickly over the books and our never-ending to-be-read lists (‘TBR’ in book club slang), I found community and friendship within the book club.
We usually read romance or crime fiction so when we chose to read Little Women last year I thought it was quite off-piste. Some of the girls had read it as children and loved it, and others like me dismissed it as old-fashioned and dull. Boy, was I wrong!
I was enthralled by the March sisters! So when I found out that a production of Little Women is coming to Leeds Grand Theatre I jumped at the opportunity to work with a group of young people and quickly developed a project based on the book.
Every week we will read a section of the book independently, then come together as a group to chat about the book and craft. Our crafts will be pieced together to create a tapestry inspired by the March sisters.
Get involved
Each participant at our book club will receive a copy of Little Women – and that’s where you come in…
Do you have a copy on your bookshelf collecting dust? Give your copy a new lease of life this International Book Giving Day and donate it to a young person. Please contact learning@leedsheritagetheatres.com to arrange a time to drop off your copy in the city centre. We would be ever so grateful for any donations, no matter how dogeared.
Leeds Heritage Theatres Engagement Fund
Every year, we work with young people across the city – in schools, youth groups and other sessions – to help them build skills, confidence and pride through our creative learning and engagement programme. All donations to this fund will help us to continue our work and reach more people across the region.
