In Our Words: Portsmouth schools celebrate with award-winning author and comedian
As part of Lib Dem-led Portsmouth City Council's ambition to instill a love of reading in every child, over 1,300 children from primary and junior schools across the city enjoyed a special event this morning with acclaimed author, actor, presenter, and comedian David Walliams to celebrate the launch of his latest book, The World’s Worst Superheroes.
The event, organised by Portsmouth School Library Service, was held at the Kings Theatre and was part of the 'In Our Words' reading project organised by Portsmouth Creates.
Children from years 4 to 6 gathered for an inspiring, free event that not only celebrated literature, but also promoted creativity and storytelling throughout the city.
David Walliams captivated young fans with readings from his bestselling books, and by sharing how he transformed his passion for writing into a world-renowned literary journey.
This was a great opportunity to bring local schools together to celebrate literature in the city. I know many of David’s books are very popular with school-age children and we are grateful to him for helping them grow their love for reading.
Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council and Cabinet Member for Culture
David Walliams has revolutionised reading for children and become one of the most influential children’s writers today. Since the publication of his first novel, The Boy in the Dress, in 2008, he has seen unprecedented growth with global sales exceeding 59 million copies in 55 different languages. Today, David's books have spent a combined 79 weeks at number one in the UK and 243 weeks as children's number one. He's published 43 books, including The Queen's Orang-utan for Comic Relief and The World's Worst Superheroes which he shared which Portsmouth schools today.
It’s a thrill to perform to so many people. As always I hope to inspire the children to read more. Not just my books! And to share all my top tips for writing their own stories. Perhaps one of those children will be an author one day.
David Walliams
We're sure that at least one of those children will go on to be a successful author, following in the footsteps of Charles Dickens who was born in the city. Portsmouth has a strong literary heritage with Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, Olivia Manning, Simon Armitage, and many more all having ties to the UK's island city - a perfect literary inspiration.
The Portsmouth School Library Service is dedicated to encouraging reading and providing library services for schools in Portsmouth and beyond. These include books to borrow or buy, eBooks and eAudio books, training and advice to support school staff, and reader development activities. With over 30,000 books on their shelves, they have one of the largest collections of children’s books in the area, catering for all age groups from Early Years through to Key Stage 4.
Photo: Portsmouth City Council
Portsmouth Creates is the city's sector-led champion of the creative industries, founded on a belief that creativity enriches everyone's lives. By supporting a creative Portsmouth, they help build a vibrant and inclusive community with a strong sense of identity and pride, partnering with various organisations to support Portsmouth’s creative growth. They create opportunities for our creative and cultural sector to platform work and develop skills, working with and in communities, co-creating across Portsmouth to animate spaces and collaborate with city stakeholders to put our city on the map.