Big Story Hunt

To celebrate World Book Day 2023, we’ve teamed up with Read North East to hide terrific tales for 0 to 12 year olds all over the centre on Saturday 4 March. Find a book and it’s yours to take home or visit our stand located in St Andrew’s Way and swap it for one you love. After reading your book, don’t forget to pass it on to someone else to enjoy.

Books will be hidden throughout Eldon Square from 10am to 3pm, so make sure you keep a lookout on our social media channels for clues about where the books can be found. When you find a book, don’t forget to tag @EldonSqNCL and @ReadNorthEast in your post.

Don’t worry if you can’t find one of the hidden books; you can also visit the Read North East stand from 10am to 4pm located in St Andrew’s Way, where they have a limited supply of free books to give away. We suggest arriving early to avoid disappointment. *One book per child while stocks last.

Read North East is a campaign that focuses on raising children’s literacy levels in the North East. The campaign encourages parents to chat, play and read to their babies and children, strengthening the culture of reading across the region and engaging businesses to play an important role in addressing the literacy challenge.

Reading with your baby or child? Follow Read North East top tips:

Introduce your child to your local library as soon as possible. It’s free to join, welcoming and fun
Choose stories with lots of pictures for opportunities to interact
Find a quiet place to read and turn off the TV and mobile phone if you can
Don’t be afraid to share favourite books over and over again – this will help your child to learn new words and join in
Sing songs or nursery rhymes together
As your child gets older, choose longer chapter books to come back to each day. It will help to build their memory and understanding.

For more information on the Read North East campaign, including tips and activities for families to enjoy, visit www.facebook.com/readnortheast