CHILDREN’S author, Caryl Hart, officially opened a new library at a Basingstoke infant school.

The new library at South View Infant and Nursery School was officially opened on Thursday morning by the author.

Caryl, who has written a number of children’s books including How to Catch a Dragon, Girls Can Do Anything and There’s a Monster in my Fridge, came to open the library and read to pupils.

The school in Shooters Way had not previously had a designated library for the children to sit down in and read and share stories in.

Previously all the books were in one of the school’s corridors, with students having to sit in hallways to read a book.

Year 2 leader at the school, Hannah Flynn, who was the driving force behind the project, said: “We had a library before that was just in the corridor. So we didn’t have a space for the children to enjoy reading without people passing through.”

Mrs Flynn along with headteacher Sheila Pape got to work on delivering the £15,000 project, with the school working with a number of companies to design a new library space where the children could go to read.

Now the school has a state-of-the-art library with reading benches and a storytelling corner.

Mrs Flynn added: “It’s nice and colourful and somewhere where they want to spend some time, reading and enjoying books because that’s such a crucial part of their learning and development.”

Mrs Pape said the need to have a library was a key priority for the school.

She said: “Reading is a vital life skill and we think it is so important to give children the opportunity to enjoy a book.

“It is great that they now have a space where they can come and read in a relaxed environment.”

After the official opening, Caryl read to the students from one of her books and held storytelling workshops.