Myths, Magic and Mayhem : National Share-A-Story Month May 2021.

Discover the magic of storytelling, the lore of myths and legends and the mayhem roused by a great adventure!

National Share-A-Story Month #NSSM2021 is an annual celebration of the power of storytelling and story sharing, bringing children and stories together.

This year with the ongoing Covid-19 situation there is no better time to share stories and books and to read and write together. National Share-A-Story Month - organised by the Federation of Children's Book Groups - provides a wonderful opportunity to do this. 

The theme for National Share-A-Story Month 2021 is Myths, Magic and Mayhem - leading us to discover the magic of storytelling, the lore of myths and legends and the mayhem roused by a great adventure. 

There is an exciting range of booklists for schools, libraries, and families available to download from the website. 

Children are also being encouraged to take part in three brilliant National Share-A-Story Month competitions :

Illustration Competition

Mythical beasts are a large part of our legendary and mythical stories. We want to challenge students in three age groups to create their own mythical beast- one we may meet in a future story! Have fun and be imaginative and creative!

Short Story Competition

Award-winning authors Kevin Crossley- Holland, Robin Stevens and Michelle Harrison have each written a story-starter for one of the three strands of the Myths, Magic and Mayhem theme. Children aged 7 - 12 are invited to choose one strand and finish the story. We look forward to reading the entries and to spotting future budding authors.

Library Display Competition

Librarians are being urged to get creative and produce a vibrant and wonderful library display on the theme of Myths, Magic and Mayhem and to send photos in to be in with a chance of winning a book bundle for their school.

Diane Gaunt FCBG Chair said, "The theme of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups National Share-a-Story Month this year is Myths, Magic and Mayhem. What a fantastic opportunity to focus on a bit of fun and on other worlds, including those in our imagination - just what we need after over a year of restrictions! It is a wonderfully positive focus to help us to start to rebuild wider reading communities, which have been apart during this time."

The Federation of Children's Book Groups is a national voluntary, self-funded organisation whose aim is to promote enjoyment and interest in children's books and reading and to encourage the availability of books for children of all ages, from first picture books to young adult.