IT was a special day at Bere Alston Primary Academy on Monday when the children took their first steps into a library created for them by a team of volunteers from the village.

As headteacher Gareth Bemister explained, up until now the school’s only books had been housed on shelves in a corridor. He thanked the volunteers who made the Atlantic Rainforest Library happen.

For the opening, a special guest was invited – famous children’s author Ian Whybrow, author of Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs, who has written over 100 books.

As well as reading to the children in the main hall, he read to them in the library – with the very first peek reserved for school prizewinners.

There to watch the children’s first look at the library were the team who wielded the paintbrushes, unpaid, during the summer holidays, to get it all ready.

They included teacher Sara Pike, Caroline Clark, artist Anne Crozier and Dr Frances Howard.

As they watched the children explore the magical interior, complete with story chair and cushions and suspended mobile birds, they reckoned their hard work was worth it.

“We got the reaction we wanted,” said Caroline with quiet satisfaction.

Benefactor Philip Harrison, who financially supported the library, also came along to the ceremony attended by parents and teachers.

Headteacher Gareth told the children that the project was “special on two counts” both in creating a library for the school and because people in the village had made it for the children.

“The whole community came together here to do something amazing. When I first came to the school the library was in the corridor. How could we promote reading without somewhere for the children to read? I think the children have learned a valuable lesson here as to how we as a community do things for each other.”

Ian Whybrow was delighted to find his own famous book, Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs, depicted on the walls – which he signed.

“I think the library is an absolute knockout,” he said. “It is a tremendous achievement, it is so beautiful. All these women – and it is mainly women – have spent their summer holidays putting it together. Several artists have worked on it with them.”

Also unveiled on the day was a storytelling chair created by Andy Morton of Sallerton Wood in the Tamar Valley.