BBC
CBeebies reveals festive bedtime story readers
CBeebies Bedtime Story readers for the New Year include French pop star Christine and the Queens and Paralympic cyclist Lora Fachie
Kate Winslet leads a stellar line-up of stars who will read stories on CBeebies over Christmas and the New Year.
On Monday 19 December, Kate reads Grumpycorn, written and illustrated by Sarah McIntyre, a story celebrating teamwork, friendship and the joys of storytelling. It tells the story of Unicorn, who wants to write the most fabulous story in the world, but has no idea what to write. When his underwater friends try to join in, he turns into a Grumpycorn, but despite his rude behaviour, his kindly friends don’t give up on him and work together to help him out.
On Thursday 22 December, boxing pro Anthony Joshua will read the classic children’s book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats about a little boy named Peter who puts on his snowsuit and steps out of his house into a world blanketed in snow. When the story was first released in 1962, Peter was among the first African-American characters to be featured in a major children’s book. Keats’ illustrations helped to pave the way for more inclusive and diverse children’s literature.
Other readers over the festive season include actor Richard E. Grant, who reads The Snowflake by Benji Davies on Friday 23 December. On Christmas Eve, Justin Fletcher reads The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, which is also available on the CBeebies Storytime App.
On New Year’s Day, French pop phenomenon Christine and The Queens takes to the stage of the Royal Festival Hall, sitting in a suspended crescent moon, to tell the story of a polar bear who has a new job as a moon keeper. The Moon Keeper written and illustrated by Zosienka is about friendship, the phases of the moon and how it’s ok that in life, things come and go.
On Wednesday 4 January (World Braille Day), Paralympian Lora Fachie returns to CBeebies Bedtime Story to read in braille. She will read The Black Book of Colours written by Menena Cottin and illustrated by Rosana Faria about experiencing a rainbow of colours through our senses of touch, taste, smell or hearing.
CBeebies Bedtime Story is on daily at 6.50pm and on BBC iPlayer
