Joseph Coelho's Library Marathon
We were delighted that Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho visited Stanmore Library Tuesday 17th January as part of his epic Library Marathon tour of the UK and would like to say a huge thank you to him and the BookTrust for a fantastic time.
The award-winning performance poet, playwright, and children’s author is undertaking an ambitious challenge to join a library in every authority across the UK, championing libraries and the vital role they play in our local communities.
Space blankets and chocolate were at the ready for the arrival of the intrepid Children’s Laureate as the marathon reached Harrow. Joseph signed up to be a member of Harrow Libraries – his 146th library membership card.
We were also delighted that Year 1 pupils from @stjohnsschoolstanmore could join our Rhyme time families for the marathon tour visit and had the chance to enjoy a special reading of Joseph’s Luna Loves Dance, published by @andersenpress.
Signing up for Harrow Libraries is free and simple. No one is too young to have their own library card.
Membership includes access to thousands of books, e-books, e-audiobooks and digital magazines, comics and graphic novels plus we have an all-year programme of exciting activities in branches and online!
Find out more about Harrow Libraries
Come and borrow a book today!
The ‘Library Marathon’ is one of three major initiatives announced by the current Waterstones Children’s Laureate, which is managed by BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, as part of his two-year tenure. Coelho’s other campaigns include the ‘Poetry Prompts’ weekly online series, which celebrates the power of poetry in all its forms, and, and ‘Bookmaker Like You’, which aim to showcase a diversity of new talent within the book industry so that every child can see themselves as a bookmaker.
For more details regarding the Waterstones Children’s Laureate programme please visit:
We provide the following services in our children's libraries
- Rhyme Time for under 5-year-olds
- Story times for under 5s
- Story times for 4 to 7-year-olds
- Chatterbooks reading groups for 8 to 12-year-olds
- Summer reading challenge every year - a fun way to read your way through the holidays
- Events during school holidays
- Books for homework, for fun, and free web resources
- Audio recordings and dual language books
- DVDs and videos
- Picture books and easy reading books
- Magazines
Rhyme time
Rhyme time is a free service for under fives. It is a popular session for a fun and stimulating half hour of classic nursery rhymes, little stories and finger rhymes.
A great opportunity to meet other local parents and learn new songs that your children will love.
The service is provided at all our libraries at the following times:
- Greenhill Library: Wednesdays & Fridays 11.00 to 11.30
- Kenton Library: Tuesday 11.00 to 11.30
- Pinner Library: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10.30 - 11.00
- Roxeth Library: Thursday 11.00 to 11.30
- Stanmore Library: Tuesdays & Thursdays 11.00 - 11.30
- Wealdstone Library: Thursday 11.30 to 12.00
Story time
- Greenhill Library: Saturday 11.00 - 11.30
- Pinner Library: Friday 10.15 - 10.45
- Roxeth Library: Tuesday 11.00 - 11.30
- Stanmore Library: Saturday 11.00 - 11.30
Chatterbooks reading groups
The Chatterbooks reading group is designed to help children build a relationship with books. Children can talk about what they are reading, take part in fun activities inspired by the best children's books and choose new books to take home and read.
Chatterbooks runs at Pinner Library on the first Thursday of the month 4.15 - 5.15