Exciting new library programme for under-5s aims to boost children’s love of books

An exciting new early years reading programme with stickers to collect has been launched in libraries across Devon and Torbay, aiming to inspire a lifelong love of reading.

Libro’s Friends is an extension of Libraries Unlimited’s hugely successful The Secret Book Quest, which was launched in 2021.

Both programmes have been created as part of Libraries Unlimited’s drive to boost the reading skills of children in the county.

The Secret Book Quest uses a free sticker collection book to set older children a 50-book goal and takes them on a journey through topics ranging from space to animals.

With Libro’s Friends, under-5s will get a similar sticker book and the chance to collect ten unique stickers to find out where Libro the Cat’s animal friends are hiding. Libro is an established character in The Secret Book Quest, created by the illustrator, Emily Fox. Emily is an acclaimed children’s book illustrator whose has created artwork for the covers of children’s classics as well as a compilation of writing edited by award-winning author, Katherine Rundell.

Children who go to their library with their parents or carers and sign up for Libro’s Friends will be able to collect a free sticker book and their first sticker straight away. We hope this will encourage them back to enjoy more stories at the library! They’ll be able to pick up a new sticker for each new visit, with each sticker revealing one of Libro’s animal pals including Marli the mouse, Ollie the owl and Faisal the fox. Once they’ve found each of Libro the Cat’s eight friends, they’ll receive a final sticker as a reward for completing the adventure.

To sign up for Libro’s Friends visit your local library in person. This is also an opportunity to discover the other exciting activities going on in libraries aimed at babies and young children, including Bounce & Rhyme and Stay & Play groups, Storytime reading groups and baby weighing facilities.

Libro’s Friends will be available from all libraries from Saturday 6^th April.

!!!Holiday Club – Summer 2025!!!

After the success of the last two years, we will be offering our holiday club offer in the Summer of 2025!

Further details to follow.

Please get in touch to register your interest: duchypreschool@googlemail.com or tel: 01392 881975

Or if your child does not currently attend the preschool, please complete and submit the Holiday Club Registration Form below;

Holiday Club Registration Form

Childhood vaccinations

When your child starts nursery they will be learning and playing with more children. If they are not up to date with their jabs, they could be at risk of catching preventable diseases.

A list of the vaccinations a child should have had, by age, is available via the NHS website: NHS vaccinations and when to have them – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

If you are not sure if your child has had all of their vaccinations, you are able to check their personal health record (the red book) if you have any questions, you should contact your child’s doctor’s surgery.

The benefits of vaccination and possible risks to a child if they were to catch these diseases, can be found in the links below: