I'm very excited because I'm on a six-week tour of libraries. I started in the very far north of Scotland, and have been travelling to the opposite tip of Britain – Lands' End and back up again to Carlisle.
What makes me even more excited is that in every single library a class of children is acting out a story for me, or else reciting a poem or singing a song. I so look forward to seeing these performances, as I love drama and music and always enjoy watching acting and singing. But I'm not just sitting back and watching: after the children have put on their show for me we act out some of my stories together.
It's a shame I can't invite every child in the UK to one of these library visits, but I had the idea that you might like to share in my celebration of libraries by telling me what you love about your own library, or perhaps writing a poem about it or drawing a picture.
To get the ball rolling, I thought I would tell you the 10 things I like best about libraries.
1. Libraries are the places where you find out who your favourite authors are. When I was a child I was always borrowing the William books by Richmal Crompton and the Mary Poppins books (there are lots of them!) by PL Travers.
2. They can inspire you to write. I used to try to write stories like the ones I borrowed. Actually, I don't think I'd be an author today if I hadn't discovered all those other authors in the library. And now I often go to the library to do my writing – I can get some peace and quiet there, without the phone going all the time and the fridge tempting me.
3. They are such characterful buildings. Some are like stately palaces, others are glassy and modern, some are cheerful bungalows.
4. Librarians can be characters too, as well as being helpful knowledgeable people. I used to like my local librarian because she put on puppet shows as well as recommending books. Recently I got back in touch with her. She's over 80 now, but she likes living it up at the Notting Hill Carnival!
5. I like doing author visits in libraries, as they are great places for acting out stories. In fact, one of the first times I ever acted out The Gruffalo was in a tiny little library. I got the librarian to be the Gruffalo and to pop out from behind one of the bookcases.
6. The books are free to borrow! Some children don't realise this, and when I ask them how much it costs to borrow a book they guess £1, or even £5. And you can borrow quite a lot. When I was a child we were allowed to take out six at a time.
7. Libraries are great places for doing research. You can do your homework there or find out about almost anything, as there are so many non-fiction books and also computers there. They have DVDs too – I recently got one out about penguins as I'm thinking of writing a penguin book.
8. The Summer Reading Challenge happens in libraries, which is enormous fun. Thousands of children join in, reading at least six books over the summer holidays.
9. As well as being quiet places where people can read and do their homework, libraries can be noisy fun places. Sometimes you find lots of toddlers in libraries, singing songs and chanting rhymes with their parents or carers and sometimes there are book club groups, in which lively discussion of books takes place.
10. Lots of other things go on there. I started a writing club in a library once, and some libraries have storytelling sessions and craft activities and exhibitions.
It would be lovely to see pictures of you outside – or inside – your library. And perhaps you could write a poem about your library too. Here is mine.
Everyone is welcome to walk through the door.
It really doesn't matter if you're rich or poor.
There are books in boxes and books on shelves.
They're free for you to borrow, so help yourselves.
Come and meet your heroes, old and new,
From William the Conqueror to Winnie the Pooh.
You can look into the Mirror or read the Times,
Or bring along a toddler to chant some rhymes.
The librarian's a friend who loves to lend,
So see if there's a book that she can recommend.
Read that book, and if you're bitten
You can borrow all the other ones the author's written.
Are you into battles or biography?
Are you keen on gerbils or geography?
Gardening or ghosts? Sharks or science fiction?
There's something here for everyone, whatever your addiction.
There are students revising, deep in concentration,
And schoolkids doing projects, finding inspiration.
Over in the corner there's a table with seating,
So come along and join in the book club meeting.
Yes, come to the library! Browse and borrow,
And help make sure it'll still be here tomorrow.
