Going to new extremes to push reading

AS EXTREME sports go, it is perhaps not the most dangerous.

Pupils and staff at an Edinburgh primary school have jumped on the adventure bandwagon – by inventing "extreme reading".

Youngsters at Granton Primary have been hunting the most adventurous place to read a book, ranging from a police car to horseback.

The youngsters have been taking photos of themselves in "extreme" locations clutching their favourite books in a bid to win the competition, which will be judged tomorrow.

Other adventurous pupils have been snapped reading books while buried head to toe in sand, in the middle of a football match and during a surfing session.

The competition has been organised to show children the fun side to reading and demonstrate that they can read a book wherever and whenever they choose.

It forms part of the school's renewed focus on reading, and teaching staff hope the fun element will encourage more pupils to pick up a book.

Morag Innes, acting principal teacher at the school, said: "It has been really fun and the children are engaging in it.

"They have really gone that extra mile, which is fantastic.

"We are hoping that allowing the children to see that reading can be fun in any situation will inspire them to read any time, anywhere.

"We hope that while they've been out taking their photos, they've stopped and thought that they wanted to continue reading their books."

Other entries include pupils reading books on a garden shed, in a hot tub, in a microlight and on a police motorbike.

Primary six pupil Sarah Kennedy chose to be pictured in the microlight.

She said: "My dad took me along to the place where he has flying lessons and my mum suggested the microlight and I thought it would be a good idea. It's been fun thinking of places where you could go to do it."

Teachers have also got involved, and have been pictured reading their books on the back of a tractor and on a farm, while Mrs Innes was pictured reading in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Extreme reading is the latest take on the phenomenon sparked by the extreme ironing craze, which sees daredevils scale peaks and even dive underwater to find the most bizarre location to iron a shirt.

Edinburgh hairdressing chain Boom Barbers came up with the idea of extreme hairdressing last year, crafting hairdos at a rugby match at Murrayfield, on the top of the Forth Bridge and on the peak of Ben Nevis.

Granton Primary will announce the extreme reading winner during a special reading assembly tomorrow, which will see children dress up as characters from their favourite books.