We launched this year's Bookbag roll-out at Our Lady Immaculate SNS last week, on Wednesday, 13th March… and it was SUPER!

Our Lady Immaculate is a Senior National School based in Darndale with 180 students. Bookbag is a children’s book gifting initiative, now in its fifth year!

It was established by picturebook maker and creator of the Henry Hugglemonster series, Niamh Sharkey Author and Illustrator, during her term as Laureate na nÓg (2012–2014) and is delivered in partnership with Brown Bag Films and Children’s Books Ireland.

Niamh Sharkey helped kick things off with some background into Bookbag and an intro to the team. Then our Episodic Director Marten Jonmark lead a quick masterclass on how to create a Superhero character as modelled on our own Digital Assistant Eoghan Lynch!

We then had an amazing 'Superhero Doodle’ with students paired up to draw their friends' portrait envisioning their superpowers! And the artistic skills on display had our Brown Bagger's in awe!

Check out the SUPER artwork! As you can clearly see, we've got some future creative hero's in this bunch:

In addition to the books for the school library, each student received their own book to keep.

Everyone then formed a human chain to deliver the books to the school library!

As a special gift, CBI's Elaina Ryan presented the school principal with a Bookbag certificate designed by our very own Lead Texture Artist Barry O'Donoghue.

The Bookbag team also organised illustrator Tarsila Krüse, authors Alan Nolan, Erika McGann and Shane Hegarty to drop in and do workshops with the children!

Special thanks to Niamh Sharkey, Elaina Ryan, Ciara Houlihan, our Brown Bag volunteers, the teachers and parents at OLI and all the fabulous gang from Children's Books Ireland for making it such a spectacular launch!

Bookbag is a joint initiative of Brown Bag Films and Children’s Books Ireland delivered by Children’s Books Ireland.

Bookbag was initiated by picture book-maker Niamh Sharkey during her term as Laureate na nÓg (2012–2014). Niamh campaigned throughout her tenure for a universal book-gifting scheme, which would ensure that every baby born in Ireland receives the gift of a book in their first year of life. For more info on Bookbag, please visit: Bookbag