If you find yourself travelling the Wild Atlantic Way as spring blossoms, be on the lookout for an intriguing bus journeying the slender lanes of Donegal, Mayo, and Kerry. The perceptibility of the brightly coloured bus, adorned with balloon-like decorations, is undeniably eye-catching against the scenery of emerald fields and dull cliffs, with the sapphire sea and sky setting a remarkable backdrop. This bus is the official conveyance for Whole Wild World, a custom-built 30-seater designed to transport the most distinguished Irish children’s authors and illustrators across Ireland’s west coast, from Malin to Mizen Head.
Patricia Forde’s central outreach project, during her two-year stint as Laureate na nÓg, is this “artist-mobile”, as mingling with maximum people, especially remote-living children who have possibly never interacted with an author or illustrator, is our paramount mission. This bus is characterized by its child-friendly and whimsical persona, designed to promote the joy of reading and illustrating. “We set out to devise something conspicuous, akin to a town’s spectacle,” says Patricia.
The notion of fun is vital to her ideology as a writer for children in the post-pandemic world. She claims that there is immense pressure on children and teachers owing to the lack of key stages in literacy development which were missed due to the pandemic. There is a fear of reading turning into just another school subject that kids are obligated to master. The Whole Wild World tour aims to counteract this, promoting the fact that reading and books can still be a source of delight.
Paddy Donnelly, the author-cum-illustrator, is one of the 30 craftsmen who will accompany Forde on her tour along the west coast. Being a native of Ballycastle, situated at the northernmost coastal point of Co Antrim, he is aware of the trials of maintaining cultural connectivity when living outside a metropolitan area. The Belgium-residing author recently revisited his birthplace for author events, which also involved a boat trip to Rathlin Island, the setting for his latest picture-book, The Golden Hare, where he visited a school of only 12 students.
“He describes the school he visited as a charming, small institution, and clarifies that no writer had ever come to meet the pupils before him. They felt delighted by his presence. Donnelly’s lineage from Ballycastle and the fact that the book was set on their island made the visit even more memorable for them, he asserts. They were particularly fascinated when he showed them some of his books that have been translated into other languages, such as Chinese and Dutch. The idea that a tale that originated from their little home could become globally recognised seemed magical to them.
Having penned over 20 books for children and having a thriving career that spans more than two decades, Forde also understands the profound impact a live author visit can have on children.” Reading your own book to children face-to-face brings about a particular difference. It’s almost like magic having the author physically present. Initially, children may not appreciate that there is a real person behind the books, but the moment they meet you, it dawns on them. They are even interested to know the creative process behind it, and eventually, whether they can create something similar. It is an empowering experience for them.
The Whole Wild World tour was planned along the Wild Atlantic Way because of its remote location and the communities living there. As Forde points out, most of the schools they will be visiting hardly get a visit from authors. It’s not as if authors have no interest in visiting them. The economic unrealism plays a role here. A school would need to consider accommodation costs, transportation costs and the whole setup simply might not work.”
Elaina Ryan, the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Books Ireland, who also plays a role in managing the Laureate na nÓg programme, remarks that the Whole Wild World campaign primarily exists to address a significant lack in children’s literary events. She observes a recent reduction in such events particularly those centred around literature and arts festivals – which had previously been more active. While Elaina Ryan acknowledges some festivals like ILFD, which features numerous Irish artists through its school’s programme, bear the financial capacity to be daring, other festivals do not have the necessary resources or proficiency to do the same. Libraries, she suggests, help to bridge this gap by offering events for children – such as the Summer Stars campaign, the Spring into Storytime, Children’s Book Week in October and the Right to Read initiative. Yet, she expresses disappointment at the overall decrease in these provisions.
Echoing Elaina’s sentiments, Forde also expresses her unhappiness at the downward trajectory in event programming for children. She believes children should not be considered as a lesser demographic. They derive as much enjoyment from festivals as adults do. Children yearn to attend festivals for the same reasons adults do – to locate like-minded individuals and discuss shared reading interests. People often overlook the fact that these children are the potential future audience and if we do not engage and motivate them at a young age, they might not participate in the future. Forde stresses that provisions for children should not be an afterthought when planning an adult festival – organisers should pause and consider their obligations towards children. If they are planning to bring in a major star, why not consider the needs of the younger audience simultaneously?
Forreen mentions that engagement with one’s audience is critical for authors, especially given the solitary nature of writing and illustrating. She finds that showcasing their works in front of a live crowd allows authors to gauge what resonates most with their audience. Forreen also remarks on the power of illustrated books to appeal across various ages and linguistic barriers. In her experiences at schools, she’s found that visual art is universally engaging.
Additionally, being proficient in both English and Irish places Forreen in a favourable position to interact with children from different regions of the Gaeltacht. Additionally, an interpreter will be present on their tour bus to ensure the considerable Ukrainian student population in some rural schools feels welcomed and included.
Ryan stresses the necessity of incorporating the children’s perspective in their events – a core principle guiding Children’s Books Ireland. The vibrant design of the Whole Wild World bus, for instance, was influenced by suggestions from local children in Kilkee. This collaborative approach is also extended to each stop on their journey, where children’s feedback is used to shape the content of each event, allowing visiting artists to cater their presentation to each specific audience.
Finally, Forreen enthusiastically regards their Whole Wild World book tour as an exciting opportunity to gain a snapshot of childhood sentiment in the West of Ireland.
The Whole Wide World bus tour is set to visit schools not included in the official circuit. Its journey encompasses a stopover at Eyre Square in Galway during the Cúirt Literature Festival for a Monster Doodle event. For avid young readers across the country not directly on the route, they will have the opportunity to follow the bus tour virtually through social media, benefiting from frequent activity videos. This journey commences from the northernmost point of Ireland, Malin Head in Co Donegal, on Monday, April 15th and concludes on Sunday, April 28th at Kinsale Library in Cork. A comprehensive list of all schools, bookshops, libraries, and cultural venues participating can be accessed on the website childrenslaureate.ie.