Award-winning author to inspire story-telling in Renfrewshire schools

Tour dates are included in this release. If you are interested in an interview with Ciaran Murtagh or would like a reporter or photographer to attend one of the events please contact:

keara.donnachie@scottishbooktrust.com or 0131 524 0184

Ciaran Murtagh is a multi-award winning author and BAFTA-winning TV writer

Next week, Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, brings the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour to schools in Renfrewshire.

Award-winning children’s author and screenwriter, Ciaran Murtagh, will help pupils in P4 – P7 create their own adventures, demonstrating how to build a story from scratch.

Ciaran will visit Newmains Primary School and Todholm Primary School on 11 September, and St James Primary School and Heriot Primary School on 12 September. The tour, which is provided completely free of charge to schools, is sponsored by Scottish Friendly and run by Scottish Book Trust.

Ciaran Murtagh is an exciting star in the world of children’s literature. He currently lives in London and, to date, has over 30 books to his name, including The Genie and The Dinoseries. Ciaran has written for some of the most best-loved TV shows, includingDangermouse, Mr. Bean, and The Legend of Dick and Dom.

His most recent series, The Fincredible Diary of Fin Spencer, stars twelve-year-old aspiring stuntboy-rockstar, Fin Spencer. In the first book in this series, Stuntboy, Fin is given a magical and mysterious diary which changes his life in the most unexpected and often hilarious ways. The Fincredible Diary of Fin Spencer won the Leicester Best Book Award, and prior to that Ciaran won a Riveting Reads Award for Genie in Training.

Commenting on the tour, Ciaran said:

“Scotland is a land full of stories and I’m thrilled I get the opportunity to devise some more alongside the children I meet on tour.”

Every year there are six Scottish Friendly Children Book tours – four in Scotland and two in England, visiting a vast range of different communities: from rural schools with an eight pupil roll in Mouswald to 400-seat theatres in Glasgow. The tour visits both primary and secondary schools and has enthralled over 90,000 children since it began in 1998.

Commenting on Ciaran’s tour, David Strain, Scottish Friendly’s Community Managersaid:

“We are excited to have Ciaran touring with us for the first time.  Not only will pupils get to meet a star author, Ciaran is sure to leave a lasting impression as he shows pupils how to create stories for themselves.”

Scottish Friendly has sponsored the programme for the past 19 years, touring some of the finest children’s authors and illustrators including former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell, Malorie Blackman, Michael Rosen, Jacqueline Wilson, Melvin Burgess, Steve Cole, Michael Morpurgo and Sophie McKenzie.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, added:

“Bringing an author into schools is hugely inspiring for pupils and we are delighted to work with Scottish Friendly to share this magic with young people in Renfrewshire. Ciaran’s visit will generate excitement about reading and inspire the children to write their own stories.”