Book Week Scotland 2023
Book Week Scotland is an annual celebration of books and reading that takes place across the country. Book Week Scotland 2023 will take place 13–19 November with events across Dundee Libraries. Supported by Creative Scotland and SLIC.
Mark A Smith Children’s Author Event
Mark A Smith is a Scottish children’s author and primary teacher. His award winning book, Slugboy Saves the World, is a comedy adventure featuring the world’s worst superhero and is set in various locations around Scotland. Slugboy won the Kelpies Prize and has also been nominated for a Fantastic Book Award, the Waverton Good Read Children’s Award and was named one of the top 12 Great Scottish Children’s Books of the Year (8-11) by the Scottish Book Trust.
Join us for this lively interactive event, with lots of laughs, fun and games, singing, storytelling, superhero-creating and much more! Mark’s number one aim is to get children excited about reading and inspired to do some writing of their own.
Monday 13th November 2023
4 – 5pm
Coldside Community Library
150 Strathmartine Road, Dundee DD3 7SE.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Adventures in Writing – in conversation with author Susi (S.J.I.) Holliday
Susi (SJI) Holliday is a Scottish writer of dark fiction including the acclaimed Banktoun trilogy. Her psychological thrillers Violet, which is set on the Trans-Siberian Express and The Hike, set in the Swiss Alps, both feature travel adventures that go horribly wrong. Her latest novel The Street takes her back to her Scottish roots with a brand new housing development that hides some sinister secrets.
Join us in conversation with Susi as we learn more about her amazing thrillers.
Monday 13th November 2023
6 – 7pm
Central Library
The Wellgate, Dundee, DD1 1DB.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Write Your Own Adventure!
A creative writing workshop with Sandra Ireland
Using this year’s Book Week Scotland theme of Adventure as a springboard, novelist Sandra Ireland will lead a creative writing workshop guiding participants to explore their creativity in a supportive environment. Whether you are a beginner or have writing experience, all welcome!
Tuesday 14th November 2023
3 – 4pm
Central Library
The Wellgate, Dundee, DD1 1DB.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Story Café
“A strong fighting woman”: Celebrating Agnes Owens
“We both kicked and struggled and I believe I would’ve got the better of her, if a strange man hadn’t come in, got hold of us, and pushed us into a van as though we were dogs being taken to the dog pound”. Described by Alasdair Gray as “the most unfairly neglected of all living Scottish authors”, Agnes Owens chronicled working class life like no other.
Join us to discuss a selection of her searing short fiction. Story Café is a monthly short-story discussion group. We meet on the first Tuesday of every month at Dundee Central Library.
Tuesday 14th November 2023
6 - 7.30pm
Central Library
The Wellgate, Dundee, DD1 1DB.
Memories Scotland Reading Adventures Session
Whether your reading adventure began in a wood, by a river bank, or fleeing a crocodile with a ticking tum, join us to reminisce over a cuppa about the books and stories that inspired, scared or transported you to another place as a child (possibly with lashings and lashings of lemonade!).
Our Memories Scotland Group meets in Central Library once a month.
If you are interested in joining please contact: Central Library on 01382 431539
Wednesday 15th November 2023
10.30 – 11.30am
Central Library
The Wellgate, Dundee, DD1 1DB.
How To Read A Book with Dr Mhairi Rutherford
You can’t judge a book by its cover... but you can find out a lot about it! Rare books are fascinating historic objects in their own right, picking up tales to tell as they pass between owners and libraries over the centuries. Join Dr Mhairi Rutherford to explore a selection of rare and historic books from Dundee Libraries’ collections, and discover what we can learn from bindings, typography, owners’ inscriptions, bookplates and much more.
This event is in partnership with Abertay Historical Society.
Wednesday 15th November 2023
2 – 4pm
Central Library
The Wellgate, Dundee, DD1 1DB.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Mark Simmons Author Talk
Bled Out by Mark Simmons is a tense thriller that leaves the reader wondering, who exactly is the criminal? Join us for this afternoon talk as author Mark tells us more about his writing journey.
Thursday 16th November 2023
2.30 – 3.30pm
Blackness Community Library
225 Perth Road, Dundee, DD2 1EJ.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Transatlantic Zoom Virtual Reading Group Event
Join staff from Dundee Libraries and our friends at Alexandria Public Library in Virginia, USA for a virtual transatlantic discussion of Ali Smith’s short story “The Universal Story”.
Thursday 16th November 2023
6 – 7pm
Online
This is a virtual event via Zoom is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential. Follow instructions in the confirmation email to register for the Zoom link and discussion content.
Souper Stories
Back again this year by popular demand in what has become a real Book Week Scotland Dundee tradition. Sit back, relax and enjoy a hearty bowl of soup while library staff regale you with some specially chosen tales of adventure that are dear to their hearts.
Friday 17th November 2023
2pm - 3pm
Central Library
The Wellgate, Dundee, DD1 1DB.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Natalie Russell Book-making Workshop for Children
Natalie Russell is a Scottish writer and illustrator. She has published 10 titles in the UK, USA, Japan, China, Korea and Thailand with leading international publishers. Natalie was shortlisted for the Scottish Book Trust Early Years (Best New Illustrator) award. Her book Lost for Words was runner up in the Scottish Children’s Book Awards and was included in the Bookbug P1 Pack gifted to children across Scotland.
During this one-hour book-making workshop, which is aimed at children aged 9 to 13, Natalie will share some of the skills and techniques she has developed during her successful career.
Friday 17th November 2023
3.45 – 4.45pm
Menzieshill Community Library
260 Dickson Avenue, Menzieshill, Dundee, DD2 4TQ.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Storytelling Event with Owen Pilgrim
Owen Pilgrim is a storyteller who delights in telling traditional stories from cultures around the world. His stories range from the magical and mysterious, to the wise and foolish.
Whether you are 5 or 95, if you enjoy listening to a good story join us for a hot chocolate and tales of adventure.
Saturday 18th November 2023
10.30 – 11.30am
Broughty Ferry Community Library
Queen Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, DD5 2HN.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
The Irish in Scotland: The Tannahill Songs, an illustrated talk with Professor Fred Freeman.
This illustrated lecture, drawing musical examples from Freeman’s internationally acclaimed Complete Songs of Robert Tannahill, concentrates on a unique collection of songs – with their Irish melodies and subject matter written in defence of the early 19th-century Irish emigrants to Scotland. A non-sectarian Presbyterian, Tannahill contributed a great deal to changing perceptions of the downtrodden Irish as they settled into their new country; and, at the same time, he left us with a lovely body of Irish song.
After releasing The Complete Songs of Robert Burns (12 vols, Linn Records 1996-2003) Fred turned his attention to a sadly neglected artist: Robert Tannahill of Paisley (1774-1810). Tannahill was a weaver, a song-writer and poet who wrote over 100 songs of a quality comparable to Burns.
Saturday 18th November 2023
2.30 – 3.30pm
Lochee Community Library
High Street, Lochee, Dundee, DD2 3AU.
This event is free but booking via Eventbrite is essential.
Photography Competition
Share Your Book Week Scotland Adventures With Us.
Book Week Scotland 2023 (November 13 – 19) is a week-long celebration of books and reading and this year’s theme is Adventure.
We know from your feedback how much you enjoy celebrating Book Week Scotland at Dundee Libraries through the events, author talks and workshops we deliver throughout the week. We look forward to seeing you at some of these events again soon. Keep an eye on the website and our social media for updates – we wouldn’t like you to miss out on these great free events!
This year we’d also like to invite you to share how you celebrate Book Week Scotland when you aren’t in the library. Send us a photo that captures your version of a reading adventure. It must be your own work, but (for the camera shy among you) you don’t have to be IN it –just use your imagination to take a photo which captures the spirt of your love of reading.
How to Enter
Email a photo of your very own reading adventure to: central.library@leisureandculturedundee.com, stating which category of the competition you wish to enter;
- Adult (aged 18+)
- Older teens aged 16-18
- Early teens aged 13-15
- Children aged 12 and under
Photos should be taken during Book Week Scotland (Monday 13th November and Sunday 19th November) and must be submitted by 5.00pm on Monday 27th November.
Prizes Thanks to funding from Scottish Book Trust the lucky winners will receive book token prizes as follows;
For Adult Winners (18+) 1st place will receive a £50 token, 2nd place a £30 token and 3rd place a £20 token.
One winner will be chosen in each of the Children’s, Early Teens and Older Teens categories and they will each receive a £50 token.
Terms and Conditions of Entry
By emailing the photo the sender confirms it is their own work and that if the photo becomes a winner it can be published on the Leisure & Culture Dundee website.
Only one entry per person is permitted.
Leisure and Culture Dundee cannot be responsible for any entry which is not received.
Entries may be received from children – however they must be submitted through the email account of a responsible adult.
For those without email, library staff will be happy to assist with submission.
The decision of the judging panel is final.
Winners will be contacted by email and invited to collect their prize from their most convenient Dundee Library.