(c) Liverpool Daily Post and Echo

50,000 copies of The Unforgotten Coat are being given away free as part of the Our Read initiative which launches on World Book Day, 3rd March. Our Read aims to help young people experience reading for pleasure and encourage them to respond to books in new and imaginative ways.

Our annual reading campaign was launched in 2003 under the name Liverpool Reads. Previous books given away in their thousands include Andrea Levy’s Small Island, Holes, by Louis Sachar, and Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s own popular book-turned-film Millions (hugely popular in our Get Into Reading groups) in 2005.

Frank’s waived his commissioning fee to allows us to distribute the book for free. He says:

The whole point of writing for me is to share the stories that are in my head.

And nothing makes me happier than hearing that a parent has shared one of my books with their children, or their friends or their work-mates.

So the opportunity The Reader Organisation has given me here to share an idea with my whole city – and my whole city with the whole world – is the biggest thrill ride I can possibly imagine.

We have teamed up with Walker Books to publish The Unforgotten Coat, which features original photography from Edge Hill lecturer Carl Hunter who is also a member of Liverpool band The Farm (remember this?):

Jane is, as we all are, totally thrilled that Frank has given us a this wonderful book:

This is the first year our campaign book has been a specially-written title.

And we’re also going to be able to give more copies away than ever before across a much bigger area.

While the vast majority of the books will be shared and read in Mersyeside our international work means the book it will be sent as far afield as Australia, Denmark, North America and Mongolia. This means that Our Read is the biggest community shared-reading experience in the world.

More to come on where you can get your copy of the book soon. If you want more information now, please contact Charlotte Weber: charlotteweber@thereader.org.uk

David is said to be ‘stunned’ to take this top international prize. We are delighted! It’s thoroughly well deserved and I know that the thousands and thousands of people that were able to read one of the 20,000 copies of The Savage we gave away last year will agree!

Read more about the award on the Guardian‘s website here.

This exhibition features a selection of original artwork from this year’s Liverpool Reads book The Savage including the original front cover from the hard back edition which is both intriguing and chilling.

Dave McKean has illustrated several award-winning comics including Arkham Asylum with author/playwright Grant Morrison, Signal to Noise and Mr. Punch with author Neil Gaiman. He has written as well as illustrated two books (Cages and Pictures That Tick) released four different collections of his photography (Black and White Lies, Option:Click, The Particle Tarot: The Major Arcana and The Particle Tarot: The Minor Arcana) and has created hundreds of comic and book covers including the hugely popular Sandman series.

Multi-talented, Dave has created ad campaigns and over 150 CD packages for Michael Nyman, Tori Amos, Counting Crows and Alice Cooper amongst others. He has worked on a variety of book and film projects with John Cale, The Rolling Stones, Milcho Manchevski, Stephen King, Lars Von Trier and Iain Sinclair. He is currently directing and designing films including the recent Jim Henson Studios produced Mirrormask and character design on the Harry Potter movie franchise. He also jointly oversees the running of the jazz record label Feral.

The Bluecoat is delighted to host an exhibition featuring a selection of original artwork by Dave McKean from The Savage. The exhibition starts outside the bar (press 2 in the lift) and continues on the floor above. It is open from 10.00am until 10.00pm Tuesday to Saturday and 10.00am until 6.00pm on Sundays and Mondays.

The images displayed are courtesy of the artist Dave McKean with support from Walker Books and David Almond.

This exhibition features a selection of original artwork from this year’s Liverpool Reads book The Savage including the original front cover from the hard back edition which is both intriguing and chilling.

Dave McKean has illustrated several award-winning comics including Arkham Asylum with author/playwright Grant Morrison, Signal to Noise and Mr. Punch with author Neil Gaiman. He has written as well as illustrated two books (Cages and Pictures That Tick) released four different collections of his photography (Black and White Lies, Option:Click, The Particle Tarot: The Major Arcana and The Particle Tarot: The Minor Arcana) and has created hundreds of comic and book covers including the hugely popular Sandman series.

Multi-talented, Dave has created ad campaigns and over 150 CD packages for Michael Nyman, Tori Amos, Counting Crows and Alice Cooper amongst others. He has worked on a variety of book and film projects with John Cale, The Rolling Stones, Milcho Manchevski, Stephen King, Lars Von Trier and Iain Sinclair. He is currently directing and designing films including the recent Jim Henson Studios produced Mirrormask and character design on the Harry Potter movie franchise. He also jointly oversees the running of the jazz record label Feral.

The Bluecoat is delighted to host an exhibition featuring a selection of original artwork by Dave McKean from The Savage. The exhibition starts outside the bar (press 2 in the lift) and continues on the floor above. It is open from 10.00am until 10.00pm Tuesday to Saturday and 10.00am until 6.00pm on Sundays and Mondays.

The images displayed are courtesy of the artist Dave McKean with support from Walker Books and David Almond.

The book is a modern retelling of Othello, in which the Moor of Venice and his wife Desdemona are transformed into the South American equivalent of Posh and Becks.

Read more on the Guardian’s site.

The book is a modern retelling of Othello, in which the Moor of Venice and his wife Desdemona are transformed into the South American equivalent of Posh and Becks.

Read more on the Guardian’s site.

David and Dave talked to kids from local schools inside Liverpool Central Library about where the idea for the story came from and the creation of the illustrations. They kids left eager to get in to the book (and maybe to pick up a pen and paintbrush too) and were encouragemd by Jane Davis to share it with another – a sibling, parent, friend – to get the book out there to as many people as possible.

Got yours yet? Read yours yet? If so, pass it on!

We’ve got 20,000 copies of The Savage by author David Almond and illustrator Dave McKean, to give away across Greater Merseyside as part of Liverpool Reads 2009.

Today, author of The Savage, David Almond, illustrator Dave McKean, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mike Hagen and Director of The Reader Organisation, Jane Davis, along with trainee firefighters, will be helping to load up fire engines with free copies of this year’s Liverpool Reads book, The Savage, and begin the quest to get them to communities across Merseyside.

You can get your copy of The Savage from: all Greater Merseyside libraries (across Halton, Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St. Helens, Warrington and Wirral), Merseytravel bus stations and M2Go rail station shops, Waterstone’s (Bold Street and Liverpool ONE), News from Nowhere (Bold Street), Amorous Cat (Lark Lane), Starbucks (Bold Street) and all Liverpool Football Club Stores.

It’s a busy time in the office here, making sure that the 20,000 books are in the right places for collection (click here to find out where you can get yours), organising the final plans for the launch events (more information to come on that soon) and getting the word about Liverpool Reads out there.

All the Merseysiders out there, hope you’re looking forward to getting your copy of The Savage! If you want to find out more at this stage, email liverpoolreads@thereader.org.uk.

The Savage, written by David Almond and illustrated by Dave McKean has been chosen as the Liverpool Reads book for 2009. Liverpool Reads is a book bonanza – a city-wide initiative, coordinated by us encouraging the reading and sharing of one book each year – launching a week today!

The Savage is a uniquely presented, touching tale of grief, solace and hope from a master of contemporary storytelling and a visionary artist. David Almond, acclaimed author of Skellig – a children’s novel recently adapted into a major drama for Sky television – is a Whitbread Children’s award winner and was short-listed for the Carnegie Medal for The Fire-Eaters.

This year there are 20,000 copies of The Savage (published by Walker Books) to give away across the whole of Greater Merseyside. The Savage will be available for you to collect from 15th September from: all Merseyside libraries (across Halton, Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St. Helens, Warrington and Wirral), Merseytravel bus stations and M2Go rail station shops, Waterstone’s (Bold Street and Liverpool ONE), News from Nowhere (Bold Street), Amorous Cat (Lark Lane), Starbucks (Bold Street) and all Liverpool Football Club Stores. Get there quick to get yours!

Director of The Reader Organisation, Jane Davis, says:

The Savage may be the boldest choice of book we’ve made for Liverpool Reads. It’s a graphic novel, it’s a children’s book, but also a book for adults. It’s a book to share with your family – read it aloud, or to take it to work and talk it over with your workmates. We’re very excited about bringing 20,000 free copies of The Savage to Merseyside. Make sure one copy has your name on it.

David Almond, author of The Savage spoke of his delight about being involved in the project:

I was really thrilled when I heard that The Savage had been chosen for Liverpool Reads. It’s a groundbreaking project – imaginative, creative, optimistic and wonderfully democratic – and it’s a great honour to be part of it. The Savage is in many ways my favourite of all my books, not least because it is my first collaboration with the visionary artist Dave McKean. I hope that the people of Liverpool enjoy it!

Dave McKean, illustrator, says:

It’s a wonderful initiative, encouraging people to read is always welcome, but getting everyone to read the same book so they can talk to each other about it and share their own thoughts on the story is particularly inspired.

Throughout the Liverpool Reads project, we’ll be reading the book aloud in Get Into Reading groups, where people across Merseyside communities will be able to share their thoughts and feelings on The Savage together.

We’ll be reading it with older people, asking how the book makes us feel about young people. We’ll be reading it with young people, asking what the book makes us feel about fear, love and creativity.

There are plenty of ways you can get involved and find out more, which will be on our website once Liverpool Reads has launched: .

An exhibition of Dave McKean’s original artwork from The Savage will be on show at the Bluecoat from 15th September – 31st October 2009. Books will be available until they’re all snapped up!

For more information email liverpoolreads@thereader.org.uk or call 0151 794 2830.