PRIMARY school children are being encouraged to talk about books through a new venture in Bishop Auckland.

Children from Cockton Hill Junior School, in the town, enjoyed an afternoon with Durham County Council's poet-in-residence, Kevin Cadwallender, at Woodhouse Close Library. He talked to the youngsters about poetry and read extracts at the launch of the Chatterbooks reading group, sponsored by communications company Orange.

Bishop Auckland Town Hall's deputy centre manager, John Cowell, said the group would meet once a month to encourage children, not only to read, but to share their findings with parents, teachers and friends.

He said: "We aim to introduce them to some books that, perhaps, they might not have found themselves, and to make them feel at home in their library.''

The group is aimed at children aged about eight, who will have input into their activities when they meet.

The youngsters will take the books home to read and discuss them when they return to the library.