Guy Bass Opens School Library

Guy, author of the Stitch Head books, the first of which is due to be released as a feature length animation in the UK in February, spent the day with us at Fressingfield, leading an assembly, signing books and generally creating a buzz about books.

The children loved Guy’s fast-paced, energy-filled assembly, which included a mixture of drama, stand-up, poetry, stories from his childhood and readings from his books, including Stitch Head and Scrap. The children were full of questions about his characters, his own inspiration, his writing process and his favourite book. They especially loved his poems, “But Why?!” and “Why won’t this poem rhyme?”

In the afternoon, the children all gathered for the official opening of the revamped school library. This was the culmination of a year-long project to transform the previously uninspiring space into a haven for books and reading. The project started on World Book Day in 2024 with each child producing a design for an ideal library. These were put to the vote and a woodland theme was settled upon. At the same time, the children, supported by the Friends of Fressingfield Primary School (FOFSA), began fundraising. A sponsored walk raised £1500. Persuasive letters were written by children in Years 5 and 6 to local business leaders, which raised a further £2000, including £1000 from Cranswick, £500 from John Hunt and £500 from Peter Davidson. The Harleston Ladies also made a donation of £350. This money is being spent exclusively on revamping the reference library, which had become out-of-date and uninspiring. Finally, through the summer term, a team of volunteers worked hard to thin out the books in the library, to add all of these to our new digital lending system and to redecorate the space. The results of all this hard work is a place that the children can be proud of. A space to get lost in a book. A place that celebrates books, reading and all the places reading can take you.

The school was also joined by Diss Publishing Bookshop, who were on hand with a selection of his books for the children to buy, and which Guy was happy to sign.

It was a fantastic day, which marked a fabulous new beginning for our school library.

If you feel you would like to donate a book to our school library, please see our online wish list at https://bookbugsanddragontales.com/wishlist/c281b1/ Thank you.