The website also gives advice for parents and carers on how to help get their child excited about reading.

The new business “came to light” when the Meeks found their own son was finding it difficult to read.

“Going to a bookshop or the library is great, but can also be overwhelming with choice,” said Ms Meek, a lecturer at Norwich City College.

“Our selected books give parents or grandparents a nice option of easy-to-read, fun books for their young person.”

Mr Meek explained that he was himself a “reluctant reader” as a child and teenager.

“One day in lockdown I found a book that looked quite interesting so decided to put the kettle on and give it a go,” he said.

“I finished the first few chapters and my tea had gone stone cold without me even taking a sip.

“I had realised what I was missing: if only I had found a book to capture my imagination at a much younger age, maybe I could have been an astronaut or the prime minister.”

Torchlight Books carefully selects books that are fun and interesting. The majority are dyslexia friendly, which means the line spacing is increased and there are fewer words on a page.

The books are a great option for readers who may be struggling or feeling overwhelmed with other books.

All the books are individually wrapped in tissue paper and presented in an exciting box that can be coloured in, making it a unique gift.

The start-up business said it received excellent advice from Broadland District Council, which resulted in a business grant that allowed the Meeks to convert their garage into an office, packing area and storage unit.

Torchlight Books has many plans for the future and hopes to help as many children as possible foster a love of reading.

Torchlight Books

Email: info@torchlightbooks.net

www.torchlightbooks.net

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Volunteer Barry Barker (pictured) will be in attendance every Wednesday and Saturday between 8 am and 1 pm and at these times, weather permitting, there will be a stall in the front of the Bircham Centre.

Books for sale cover all tastes from the classics to antiques, arts and crafts, gardening, cookery and poetry.

There is also a large selection of paperbacks at 50p each and hardbacks at £1, as well as CDs and DVDs at 50p each.

The book room will be open during the library opening hours (below) and, if unattended, money can be placed in the green box on the wall next to the door, where there is a price list.

Reepham Library is open:

• Monday: 10 am – 1pm, 1.30–4 pm
• Wednesday: 1–6pm
• Friday: 10 am – 1 pm, 1.30–4 pm
• Saturday: 10 am – 1 pm

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Mr Harkness, who lives in Reepham, wrote Bird Therapy (published 2019) about his experience of suffering a mental breakdown in 2013 and subsequent recovery through the benefits of birdwatching.

View the Facebook show HERE (scroll to 18.40).

Bird Therapy is now available in paperback.

Mr Harkness has also produced a free 40-page teaching pack, based on the ideas in his book. It is suitable for KS3, KS4 and adult learners and is a self-contained resource pack. Send an email to get a free copy.

He can also be contacted to request commissions or talks/events. Visit his website HERE

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With drawings by Mike Cowdrey, who now lives in Finland, Operation Catflap was written by Worstead-based children’s author Peter Tye.

With more than 200 pages the story is aimed at seven-to-nine year olds and contains over 100 black-and-white illustrations, mostly of garden birds.

The central character is Razzdazz Oriole (“everyone calls me Razz”), a bird with magical powers who lives in seven-year-old Leo’s garden.

In the run-up to Christmas, Leo breaks his promise to feed the birds while his grandfather is away.

Leo then receives a nocturnal visit from Razz, who turns him into a robin and takes him out into the frozen garden to meet the other birds to share their struggle for survival.

Following some feather-raising encounters and faced with the prospect of falling off his perch on the coldest night of the winter, Leo devises a plan to overcome the physical limitations of being a robin.

With the help of his cat, Monty, and Sophie, one of his mother’s brown hens (who turns out to be multilingual), Leo manages to get the desperately needed food out from the house and into the garden, where his new-found friends are anxiously waiting.

Operation Catflap (October 2019, ISBN: 978-10-81964-93-1) is available from amazon.co.uk: paperback £6.94; Kindle edition £2.34.

Peter Tye is the author of the Little Red Tractor stories, Toliman the Barn Owl, Crocodile Tours, Bee Keeping for Cats, Badman: The Ghost of King John and other children’s books.

For more information, telephone: 01692 535047 or email: mail@petertye.co.uk or visit his website.

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Parents are invited on board to weigh their new arrivals, browse the books (adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction) and meet other parents.

Near Reepham the mobile library with a baby weigh scale will be visiting Booton, Cawston, Elsing Haveringland, Lyng and Weston Longville among dozens of other villages across the county. Download the timetable HERE

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Compiled and edited by Reepham-based Denise Treissman, who was a friend of Fr Robert and is now his literary executor, and illustrated by artist Jules Allen, also of Reepham, Why Pray? reveals how prayer is beneficial, not just for everyone, but also for the wider world.

The book outlines his thoughts on silent and contemplative prayer, prayer as praise, use of the Rosary in prayer, praying for ourselves and others, and the fruits of prayer.

About the author

Robert Llewelyn was an Anglican priest, retreat leader, educator, speaker and spiritual director, and for many years chaplain of the Shrine of Lady Julian of Norwich. He wrote ten books on prayer, spirituality, Julian of Norwich and the saints, and was editor of the bestselling Enfolded in Love series. He died in 2008, aged 98.

• Why Pray? Paperback (178 x 110 mm), 128 pages, ISBN, 978 0 232 53378 1, published in February 2019 by Darton, Longman & Todd, price £6.99. Available in bookshops, or from the publisher or through www.lightforthejourney.org.uk

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With longer stops and vehicles staying out later in the afternoon in many villages, this will allow more users after school and after work to be able to choose and borrow books and DVDs – with eight-week loan periods and no overdue charges.

All route timetables will be changing from 1 April 2019.

For Haveringland, Booton and Cawston, download route CEN417 HERE

For Swannington, Great Witchingham, Bawdeswell, Foxley, Sparham, Lenwade and Attlebridge, download route CEN216 HERE

For Guestwick, Kerdiston, Wood Dalling. Foulsham and Bintree, download route EDE507 HERE

For more information email, telephone 01603 222303 or visit the website.

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This year’s challenge was called Mischief Makers and was inspired by The Beano, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

The challenge runs throughout the school summer holidays and offers children of all ages a fun and engaging way to keep up their interest in reading over the summer.

Children collected stickers as they read and completed the Beano town map to find the treasure. All children who read six library books received a certificate and a medal.

Reepham Library had 73 children who successfully completed the challenge, some of whom also gave themselves extra reading challenges to become a “Super Achiever”.

“This is absolutely fantastic reading. The number of Reepham-area children who successfully read all six books is up by 7% on last year, which is brilliant,” said Cllr Peck. “Well done to all those who took part, and thank you to all the brilliant parents, grandparents, carers and teachers who supported the children to achieve this.”

Reepham Library holds many events throughout the year. Coming up are slime workshops, craft events and author visits, as well as a regular Lego club. The library is keen to hear if there are any other events or clubs, for all ages, which people would like to see taking place.

Reepham Library also works with the Royal Voluntary Service, offering those who are unable to come into the library the chance to have their books and audio books brought to them by fully vetted volunteers.

For further information contact Reepham Library 01603 870474.

Photo: Reepham Primary School

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Illustrator Maude Smith and author Anthony Foottit.

This new 120-page publication – A Calendar of Wild Flowers – has been written and published by the Rt. Rev. Anthony Foottit, who is now an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Norwich.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Maude Smith, who designs dresses, wallpapers, and fabrics, illustrates cards and paints furniture.

The Rt. Rev. Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, described it as a book that “takes us more deeply into the natural world and also into the mystery and beauty of God”.

This latest publication follows Tony Foottit’s earlier work, A Gospel of Wild Flowers, published in 2006 and illustrated by artist Pat Albeck, which traced some of the ways in which wildflowers have illustrated the Christian gospel and religious faith.

A Calendar of Wild Flowers is available from: Revelation, St Michael at Plea Church, Redwell Street, Norwich. Tel: 01603 619731. Email: norwichcrc@btconnect.com Price £10 (mail order £12, including postage and packing).

It can also be purchased from Jarrolds, the cathedral bookshops in Norwich and other local bookshops, including Johnson’s of Reepham, Market Place, Reepham (01603 870230).

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This year Norfolk Library and Information Service is focusing on “Mischief Makers”; the challenge is to read six or more books over summer, and collect stickers as you go.

At the end of the challenge the child will receive a certificate of completion.

So if you know of any mischief makers who would love to take part in the challenge please bring them along to any local library or mobile library to receive your pack of goodies.

In the Reepham district, the mobile library visits:

• Cawston – Monday, four weekly, next visiting 30 July and then 24 September (route no. CEN145)
• Weston Longville – Wednesday, four weekly, next visiting 6 August and then 3 September (route no. CEN147)
• Bawdeswell, Foxley, Great Witchingham, Lenwade and Sparham – Tuesday, four weekly, next visiting 31 July and then 28 August (route no. CEN243)
• Elsing and Lyng – Wednesday, four weekly, next visiting 11 July and then 8 August (route no. CEN343)
• Alderford, Booton and Swannington – Friday, four weekly, next visiting 3 August and then 31 August (route no. CEN540)

For specific times please see: www.norfolk.gov.uk/mobilelibraries, or email central.mobiles.lib@norfolk.gov.uk

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