'Book fairies' bring stories to life for children in lockdown

"Book fairies" who read stories online to children around the world have been a "godsend" during lockdown, according to one mother.

Carys Wiggans, the Cornish Book Fairy, started filming herself reading children's books in March 2020 as a way of helping people isolating at home.

Since then she has been joined by others across the world, bringing "stories to life" for children.

Ms Wiggans said people have enjoyed "hearing other voices" during lockdown.

"We just wanted to try and entertain I suppose when we were stuck doing nothing."

The Book Fairies project usually involves hiding books for people to find, but it had to adapt during the coronavirus pandemic.

They have read a variety of children's books on YouTube including The Secret Garden, Black Beauty, Wind in the Willows and Anne of Green Gables.

People around the world have been listening to the stories during the coronavirus pandemic

"We love the different voices for different chapters... bedtimes are now not a battle as it's book fairy time," said Kerri from St Columb in Cornwall, whose daughter Delilah enjoys the tales.

The stories read by book fairies "have been a godsend", said a mother from Falmouth.

Lou said having two children, aged nine and three, in the house all the time "was tricky" but "peace was reinstated" when they found the Cornish Book Fairy's YouTube channel.

Ms Wiggans said feeling isolated during the pandemic has "definitely spurred everyone on to read a bit more".

"I think that people have found reading in a new way this year - I suppose it's because we don't have that escape and reading does offer that."

Three of the Cornish Book Fairies, Carys, Amy and Katie

At the start of the first lockdown, Ms Wiggans decided to read a story online for children who might be struggling, recording one chapter a night.

"It started in Cornwall, but it's now worldwide - we've got Canada, America, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia and Trinidad working with us," she said.

"It's gone so much bigger than I expected."

Nastja Besednjak, a listener from Slovenia, said it "feels so special to have so many accents" reading the stories.

"Where else would you get a Scottish accent, followed by an Australian accent and then an American."

Malina Yeager, the Idaho book fairy who has been enjoying helping with the project said it has helped "dispel some of that anxiety" children can feel when reading out loud.

"When children listen to us read they can hear that it's completely natural to make little mistakes…which is encouraging for them."

Carys Wiggan said the Canadian Book Fairy got an "amazing" response from children across the world

Ms Wiggans said she had received some "amazing" videos from listeners showing their children enjoying the daily readings.

Some of the fairies "dress up and go all out" when reading, which the "kids absolutely love" she said.

Cordelia Oxley, who originally founded The Book Fairies, said: "I am so proud of Carys for setting up a beautiful initiative to help book fairies in isolation."

The Cornish Book Fairy said she plans to continue with the project despite lockdown restrictions easing because of how much people are enjoying it.

The remote readings are going to continue beyond lockdown