One Book. One Community.
Read DL is a county-wide reading movement, designed to bring the people of Donegal together by collectively reading the same book.
The aims of the Read DL project are to:
Click here to find out more.
Please explore our website to find out how to get involved!
Join our annual festival from the 28th – 30th March 2023. From writing and art workshops, to performance readings and Q&As, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
To celebrate the festival and closing ceremony, here’s a special message for you all.
The chosen book for Read DL 2019 was Mr Stink by David Walliams. We were delighted that all our participants received a very special message from the author. You can watch it online here!
Chloe, the loneliest girl in the world, makes friends with Mr Stink, the local tramp. One day, she decides to help him out when she realises he might be driven out of town. How does she do that? Well, she hides him in her shed.
She has to make sure that no one finds out her secret. And speaking of secrets, there just might be more to Mr Stink than what meets the eyes (or the nose). This hilarious and charming story is filled with love, life and surprising secrets!
Based on an original concept by author Siobhan Dowd, the story is about a boy who is struggling to come to terms with his mother’s terminal illness. Unexpectedly, he is visited one night by a monster, asking if he can tell him three stories. In return, he wants the most dangerous thing of all from Connor: the truth.
Patrick Ness and the book’s illustrator Jim Kay won the Carnegie and Greenaway Medals for writing and illustration, making history with this unprecedented win.
A Monster Calls also won the British Children’s Book of the Year, the Red House Children’s Book Award, a national award voted by British children; and the Kitschies Red Tentacle award. In the U.S., the American Library Association magazine Booklist named it the “Top of the List” for 2011 youth fiction.
We were very lucky to have a special message sent to us by Patrick Ness; it was shown to our delighted readers for the closing ceremony in 2018. You can watch it online here!
Advice and Support: A Monster Calls tells the story of a young boy coming to terms with his mother’s terminal illness. Click on the link above for resources, advice and support for anyone who may have been affected by the themes presented in this book.
Registration is now closed for Read DL 2023; but don’t worry, there are lots of other ways to get involved.
Audio and digital versions are available online, plus you can get a copy at your local Donegal Library!
Participating groups and schools are encouraged to take part in their own activities; the more creative you are, the better! In the past, schools and community groups have organised lots of events. Some examples include reading the book in school and at home, having mystery guest readers in school classes, participating in writing competitions based on the book, and finally, taking part in art and other creative projects inspired by the story.
If you are taking part in a project based on the book, please let us know! We would love to post up any photos or stories you have on our website and social media pages.