SWINDON Libraries will be celebrating this week’s National Bookstart Week with special story and rhyme time sessions.

National Bookstart Week, which runs from today to June 16, is an annual celebration of Bookstart, the flagship reading programme from national charity Booktrust.

Bookstart aims to help every child in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to develop a lifelong love of reading that will give them a flying start in life, through gifting free books to every child. This year millions of families across the UK will come together to discover stories, rhymes and reading.

Libraries in Swindon will hold story times with a My Hero theme, while the Bookstart Bear will also make an appearance.

Children are being encouraged to visit their local libraries dressed as their favourite superhero book character.There will also be an opportunity for children to join the Bookstart Bear Club.The Bookstart Bear will attend special half hour long story times at Pinetrees Library today at 10.15am, Wroughton Library tomorrow at 10.30am, Liden Library on Thursday at 10.30am, Park Library on Friday at 10am, Central Library on Saturday at 11am and West Swindon Library next Monday at 11am.