A YOUNG author from Altrincham, who started writing children’s books for a bet, is backing a campaign to get youngsters reading.


Becky Donovan, 26, is supporting Altrincham Retail Park’s Get Altrincham Reading, which was launched by magician, Barrington Powell, last month.


A key feature of the campaign is a competition which challenges budding young authors to write their own short story based on the sentence `I Like Altrincham Because …’


The stories will be displayed in the retail park and shoppers will be encouraged to vote for their favourite.
 

The winner will be awarded a bumper stack of books for their school and entries are being received until 5pm on May 9.


Becky, who is a marketing manager by day, has always dreamed of writing a children’s book and finally took the plunge when friends bet her £100 she wouldn’t do it a couple of years ago.
 

She took them up on it immediately and had written her first book, Hatty the Giraffe, in no time.


Becky has since gone on to produce four more books for children, all of which are on the theme of animals and carry a moral to benefit their young readers.


“I’m delighted to give my full backing to the campaign because I think it is so important to get children interested in reading and books as early as possible,” said Becky.
 

“I’d encourage as many young people as possible to enter the competition because getting the chance to have someone else read your stories is an incredible thing.”
 

• To enter your story, visit the Altrincham Retail Park Facebook page, or contact Louise Scott on louise.scott@eu.jll.com or 0113 261 6257.