Storybook England

Posted by Mike Gerrard Oct 13, 2006

English books and English authors feature in a new website launched by Enjoy England, the official English Tourist Board. A free map is available through the website, called Storybook England, and you can order it by clicking here. Books covered include the all-time favorite Harry Potter, and others such as Adrian Mole, Cider with Rosie, His Dark Materials, Shadowmancer, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Kes, Doctor Dolittle, Paddington Bear, Mary Poppins and classic titles like Lorna Doone, Peter Pan and Gulliver's Travels.

You can search the site for your favorite authors too, including JK Rowling, JRR Tolkein, Lewis Carroll, Michael Morpurgo - in fact almost everyone, from Enid Blyton to Ian Fleming. There's an online bookshop too, just in case you haven't got every single Harry Potter book yet, and I like the way the site is kept simple and can be used by adults or children.

The fancy graphics look good too, though they sometimes take a while to load and poor design means you have to go back to the Intro sequence, and then skip it, to return to the Home page. Click on your favorite book or author and some information pops up on the map, and the main books and authors have lots more information available by then clicking on the map itself. There are loads of links for gathering further information too.

The site also caters for teachers, who can download a teaching pack (click here) to help them create reading, geography and art lessons. Another link takes you direct to the Enjoy England website, where you can research more information about destinations and holidays in England. I might even see you at platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station, which I see every time I visit London!