Have you met Halibut Jackson? I hadn’t. Not until I found him hiding in Dave’s basket of books in the Acorns’ charity shop in Ledbury last week. I read him from cover to cover, bought him for 50p, and brought him home with me.
Category Archives: Ledbury
Keep reading ’til it sticks in 2026
Last year, my motto was: “Make reading come alive in 2025!”. The year before that, my motto was: “Has learning to read become a bore and a chore in 2024?”. I think I’m going to adopt this motto for the year ahead: “Keep reading ’til it sticks in 2026”. I started this website in JanuaryContinue reading “Keep reading ’til it sticks in 2026”
Read With Julia: The Story So Far…
2025 It’s 31st December 2025 and I’m evaluating my attempts to reach the objective I set out for myself on 1st January 2025 – ‘let reading come alive in 2025’: I’m following a wise man’s advice (aka Theodore Roosevelt) and continuing to do what I can, with what I have, where I am. As theContinue reading “Read With Julia: The Story So Far…”
I’m with you, Floppy
I was overjoyed to find a 50p Floppy favourite in the Acorn’s charity shop last Saturday. I couldn’t hold back my delight and, before I knew it, I was reading page 30 aloud to Dave at the counter. My 3 children loved the Biff, Chip and Kipper stories. When my youngest started bringing them homeContinue reading “I’m with you, Floppy”
Wait a minute, Mr Postman!
As a subscriber to the Children’s Poetry Summit, I enjoy receiving regular introductions to poets through their blog. Last week, children’s poet and author, A. F. Harrold, shared his happy habit of sending poetry postcards. As I began reading the article, my heart sank when I saw, ‘I know the age of the letter isContinue reading “Wait a minute, Mr Postman!”
Has learning to read in 2024 become a chore and a bore?
Saturday 29th June marked the end of my ‘Read with Julia’ pilot project at Ledbury Community Hub. If you look at the numbers, it wasn’t a rip-roaring success – but it’s given me plenty of food for thought…
Shared Reading at Ledbury Community Hub
In April, I visited Ledbury Community Hub for a pot of peppermint tea and I met Nic, the hub leader. We talked about his vision for the hub, opportunities for me as a volunteer… and he kindly offered me use of the space for four, free, drop-in reading sessions for local children and families.
‘The Very Busy Spider’ by Eric Carle
Let’s share a story and a walk through the Herefordshire countryside.
Read with Julia 