A new BBC Radio Scotland 4-part series on Scottish children's writers and illustrators, written and presented by Kirsteen McCue, new lecturer in Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow.

Scottish literary tradition has always catered well for children, just think of the novels and poems of Robert Louis Stevenson in the nineteenth century to poems in Scots by William Soutar and his contemporaries in the 1930s. But it would be true to say that at no time in our history has there been so much exciting new material for children.

These four programmes, produced by Kay Ritchie, take listeners on an adventure around Scotland to find out more about 4 favourite Scottish picture-book characters: Katie Morag from Struay (Island of Coll) written and Illustrated by Mairi Hedderwick; Maisie, who is a Morningside cat from Edinburgh, but who has adventures all over the world, written and illustrated by Aileen Paterson; Rory, who has adventures on the beach in Galloway with his Scottie dog, Scruff Macduff - written by Andrew Wolfe and illustrated by Tom Cole; and Pookie, the rabbit with fairy wings, originally written and illustrated in the Borders by Ivy Wallace in the 1950s and recently re-published for the original readers' grandchildren to rediscover.

Commenting about her involvement Kirsteen McCue said that 'It's been a real privilege, and also just great fun working on these programmes. There's been an opportunity to see four beautiful areas of Scotland and to spend time with an inspiring group of writers and illustrators. The thing that has struck me most, though, is that excitement of discovery that the kids have when they are reading these books and when they were talking about them. We just don't realise at the time how important these first reading experiences are...but these stories and their little heroes and heroines really do live with us for the rest of our lives.'

She also explained how the programmes bring these children's picture books to life on radio - with wonderful readings and descriptions by local children and interviews with the authors and illustrators.

The programmes will be broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland on the following dates:

Katie Morag - 3rd Feb at 11.30 am/4th Feb at 22.30p.m.
Maisie - 10th Feb at 11.30 am/11th Feb at 22.30p.m.
Rory - 17th Feb at 11.30 am/18th Feb at 22.30p.m.
Pookie - 24th Feb at 11.30 am/25th Feb at 2.30p.m.

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First published: 31 January 2003