Basket: 
Reader-in-Residence Claire Jennings shares the inspiration behind her Midsummer Magic event.
“This evening I promise you a tale which will remind you of nothing and of everything,” Goethe.
Walking through the door into the storeroom at Thornaby Central Library, I was so excited to imagine what I might find there. A folklore collection that has long been stored away, it was amazing to see shelf after shelf of myths, tales, legends and tradition in all its multicolour glory.
The front covers! The inside illustrations! Almost every book held some visual delight that had me sending my fellow folklore fan all the heart-eye emojis. Like the true library gal that I am, I gathered an armful and delightedly plonked myself on the floor, cross-legged, to start browsing.
Inside I discovered the real magic. Yellowed pages, some so fragile that I had to turn them carefully to read the contents. Dictionaries and almanacs of festivals; their traditions, customs, heritage and in-depth details right down to the colour of the bunting that have all shaped the inspiration for my first Reader-in-Residence event: Midsummer Magic.
The best news of all? I was even allowed to bring them home…and you can bet I absolutely did that! Living on my desk for the last few weeks have been ancient poems, hauntings and superstitions, fairy tales, folk tales, stories inspired by the four elements, nature poetry and an anthology of all the English festivals in a book that’s as old as my dad (80 years old!). What. A. Haul.
Reading, learning, adding tabs and many, many notes later, I can’t wait to share all my discoveries with you, dear readers. I’ve curated a collection that I hope you’ll adore, as much as I have loved choosing it.
You can look forward to all the above plus folklore tales from all around the world. You’ll also be able to try your hand at some Blackout Poetry. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it before, I’ll let you in on a little secret, I hadn’t either…but I think you’ll love it. I’ve selected poems inspired by the month of June, Midsummer and traditional flora which you’ll shape to make a brand-new poem – magical!
And speaking of magic, a massive thank you to the team at Thornaby Central Library who have helped to make my ideas come to life. Diane and Lizzie have been crafting the glorious bunting of crimson and gold that tradition tells would drift gently across eastern skies, before moving onto twisting vines and wildflower crowns, all from coloured card and ribbons galore. I can’t say thank you enough for indulging my whimsy to make it look just so.
There’s only one thing left to say friends – book your tickets and join me!
Tickets are free, the parking is also free and plentiful, and I can’t wait to meet you all. I’ll be the one in the t-shirt emblazoned with a big yellow and orange sun, ready to share the magic and chat all things books, libraries and reading. A pretty perfect evening if you ask me!
Event details:
Midsummer Magic
Venue: Thornaby Central Library
Date and time: Tuesday 16 June, 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Book tickets now https://www.ticketsource.com/crossingthetees/t-mjjppvg
Please note that parking is free for 3 hours, if you plan to stay any longer than this, refer to the car park signage.
Thornaby Central Library is in the Pavilion at Thornaby town centre. This is accessible on public transport via Arriva bus numbers: 15, 16 and 17 (Lidl stop).
