Children’s Library Opens At Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Former Home – Undershaw
Posted by Steve Emecz on
Continuing the legacy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at his former home, Undershaw, this week saw the opening of a children’s library on site as part of the Undershaw School for children with special educational needs. It was particularly poignant that the two external guests represent links with both the local writing community and the character Sherlock Holmes.
The children were treated to three readings by local author Claire Nicholas whose ‘Sunwood’ series of books is based in a local wood near Undershaw. Claire read from all three Sunwood books including the latest ‘Sunwood Magic At Christmas’.
Claires books tell of a magical wood populated by many animals from all around the world who live together under the protection of a unicorn.
Also supporting was Steve Emecz, the co-founder of MX Publishing, the world’s largest Sherlock Holmes publishers and a passionate supporter of the school. The library was part funded from the donations from the MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories which, since 2015, has had all author royalties go to legacy projects at the school. With over 200 authors contributing over 800 Holmes stories to the 42 volumes of the anthology so far, the amount raised has now passed over $120,000.
A suitably foggy morning for the library opening
The collection was created and is edited by writer David Marcum who has visited the school several times. You can read in depth about David and Undershaw on his blog - 'A Seventeen Step Program'.
The anthology has had the support of leading mystery writers such as Lee Child (of Jack Reacher fame), Jonathan Kellerman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and many others.