Pop up Chosen by you events in libraries and schools across the city will invite children and their families to vote for their favourite books. And with activities including don’t judge a book by its cover, the free events promise to be fun for the whole family to enjoy.

Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life, said:

Chosen by you offers the people of Glasgow the chance to have their say on what books are available in their local libraries.

It’s a fantastic way for young people to share their favourite books, and also explore new titles they perhaps haven’t tried before. I hope many young people and their families come along to the Chosen by you events to share their thoughts on what books Glasgow Libraries should have on their shelves.

Don’t miss your chance to have your say on the books we buy, and be sure to look out for the chosen reads appearing in your local library in April.

The initiative was launched at St Roch’s primary school, with fifteen families from P1 – P7 sharing their old and new favourite books with Glasgow Library staff.

Pupils picked their favourite books from a wide selection of new titles all of which will appear in a special display in Royston Library later this month, and will be available to borrow from libraries across Glasgow from April 2019.

Leo Findlater, aged 6 recommended Dinosaur Farm by Penny Dale to library staff. Leo said:

I like funny books and this one looks really funny. I’d like it to be in Royston Library as I go there on Saturdays. My favourite books are ones about dinosaurs, and in this one the dinosaurs get to ride in tractors. The T Rex even gets to feed the piglets!

Adam Ali, aged 7, who chose Perfectly Polite Penguins by Georgina Deutsch and Ekaterina Trukhan, added: 

I like reading books in school and I chose this one because it looks funny and I like the cover. I like that in the story there is one penguin who you think is bad because he wants all the fish and he’s always messing about but then the bad penguin helps the little penguin because the little penguin is scared and it’s all OK in the end.

With consumers paying more than ever before for children’s books, Glasgow Libraries are hoping to remind people that all of the most up to date titles are available to borrow, for free, from their local library.

And with the added seal of approval from the city’s kids, it is hoped that the new collection will spark the enthusiasm of the next generation of readers.

If you and your young bookworms would like to have your say on the children’s books that Glasgow Libraries buy, come along to the Chosen by you events at Hillhead Library, 2pm – 4pm on Saturday 16th March, Springburn Library, 3.30pm – 5pm on Tuesday 19th March and Ibrox Library, 2pm-4pm on Saturday 23rd March.

And, young adult (YA) audiences haven’t been forgotten either with Chosen by You events taking place in selected secondary schools across the city and an online vote for your favourite YA title at https://young.scot/glasgowyabooks/

If you can’t make it to any of the Chosen by you sessions, children and their families can still suggest new titles for their local library by talking to staff or submitting recommendations online through Glasgow Libraries web catalogue.