LIBRARIES across Somerset are asking families to join them in celebrating National Libraries Day on Saturday, February 6, by taking part in a national Gruffalo story time.

Around the county, libraries will be running a simultaneous story time for children at 11am on National Libraries Day – reading aloud The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson at the same time.

Many Somerset libraries will join libraries across the LibrariesWest, as far as Thornbury in the north, and Weymouth in the South.

The Gruffalo is a popular children’s story that has sold over 13 million copies and won several prizes for children’s literature.

We don’t want to spoil the plot, but it centres around a brave little mouse taking a walk through a forest, and all the animals he encounters there, including a Gruffalo.

This event is recommended for children up to five years old, and costumes and dressing up is very much encouraged!

Cllr David Hall, cabinet member with a responsibility for Somerset Libraries said: “Our libraries always have a fun and exciting calendar of events taking place all year round for children, but they have gone above and beyond to celebrate National Libraries Day 2016.

“The Gruffalo is a very popular story with young children, and if yours haven’t heard it then I strongly recommend you pop down so they can share in this great family event.”

Other events taking place within Somerset libraries for National Libraries Day include:

• Coffee Morning 10.30am -11.30am at Wellington Library (Friends of Wellington Library)

• Coffee Morning 10.30am - 2.30pm at Frome Library (Friends of Frome Library)

• Create a Comic Club 11am -11.45am at Taunton Library (booking required)

• Magical Worlds – attend Taunton Library’s school of magic 2pm-3pm (booking required)

• Harry Potter readings and activities 2pm-3pm at Frome Library

• Coffee and Cake with WI Firecrackers at Bridgwater Library. (All day event)

• From Wolf Hall to Shakespeare: 16th Century dancing 1pm-2pm at Yeovil Performing Arts Library

• Harry Potter story and craft session 10.30am -11.45am at Minehead Library (booking required)

• Parchment craft and jewellery making with Cornish Crafty Girls, a visit from the Book Start Bear, face painting and a treasure hunt at Bridgwater Library. (Events taking place all day).

If you haven’t visited your library in a while, why not use this opportunity to pop in on National Libraries Day and see what they have to offer.

You can get in touch on the day via Twitter - @LibrariesWest #librariesday and ‘like’ Libraries West on Facebook (/librarieswest) to share what you love most about your library.

Visit www.librarieswest.org.uk/nld16 for more details on what’s happening at your library on Saturday, February 6.

For more information on National Libraries Day visit www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk

Bridgwater library will ‘Pop Up’ at Angel Place Shopping Centre, Bridgwater on Tuesday 2, Wednesday 3, and Friday 5 of February, from 10am to 2pm.

Go along with your little ones to enjoy face painting and a story. They can even meet the Book Start Bear.

There will be Duplo Lego for children to play with while adults can try out Extreme Knitting, and the opportunity to sign up for free computer courses and access to the internet through WiFi or on our public computers.