Children’s author Barbara Henderson to explore local legends with Canisbay pupils

Award-winning children’s author Barbara Henderson will be teaming up with Canisbay Primary School this week to create a number of dramatic scenes based on local legends.

The initiative is part of the John O'Groats Story Festival, which has developed from the previous John O’Groats Book Festival to run a series of story-based events.

Inverness-based Barbara will work with the school to explore how some scenes from local legends can be acted out by the pupils. She will spend time in the school this Friday and then, at 6pm that evening, the children will perform some of these scenes at the John O’Groats signpost before continuing on a story walk along the path towards John O’Groats Mill.

Everyone will be welcome.

Barbara is based in Inverness and writes predominantly for children. She is the author of nine books and her next title, Made from Girders, will be published by Luath Press in October.

Twice winner of the Historical Association’s Young Quills Award for historical fiction for young people, she is the Forth Bridge’s inaugural writer-in-residence.

Barbara was one of a trio of writers who gave an insight into their work as part of the concluding weekend of the fourth John O’Groats Book Festival in October 2022.

Weekly story walks run on Thursdays at 3pm, meeting at the John O'Groats signpost. Donations to the John O’Groats Development Trust will be welcomed.

Story festival coordinator Ian Leith said: "John O’Groats and the surrounding area is rich in stories, histories, legends and folklore and the intention is to bring these to everyone visiting John O’Groats, be they from the local north of Scotland areas or visitors from across the world."

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.