Time to go Wild with Suffolk Community Libraries and Suffolk Wildlife Trust!

By James Powell | 4 September, 2025

Suffolk Community Libraries will again be hosting the successful Wild Reads campaign with Suffolk Wildlife Trust this autumn.

Wild Reads will run from early September to 30 November and celebrates the natural world and the written word.

The three-month campaign includes the Wild Reads book collection with six nature-themed fiction and non-fiction titles which can be reserved and borrowed from any library in the county. Four libraries will also host the collection, Ipswich County, Framlingham, Southwold and Saxmundham.

For younger readers there are also Go Wild recommended books and fun educational events to enjoy to inspire the next generation of naturalists. There is a Go Wild colouring competition running until November. The colouring sheets can be downloaded from the Suffolk Community Libraries website or picked up from libraries.

Melissa Matthews, Cultural Programmes Manager for Suffolk Community Libraries, said:

“We’re very excited to be bringing Wild Reads back this year. The aim is to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the very best in nature writing, to explore the great outdoors and our beautiful county! From events bringing mysterious mushrooms to life and some of the best nature-themed books around, Wild Reads aims to help people get in touch with their green side.”

Jack Cripps, Marketing & Communications Manager, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, added:

“There is so much beautiful nature writing that captures the magic of connecting with nature, and explores the challenges faced by our wildlife and landscapes. We’re delighted to team-up with Suffolk Community Libraries again to celebrate the power of the written word to inspire action for nature.”

The campaign will kick off with an event featuring Sunday Times bestselling author Tom Cox, who is giving an exclusive online talk on Thursday 4 September focusing on his featured Wild Reads book, Villager! The event is free but you must register on Zoom to receive an invite via this link

The full list of Wild Reads books are as follows:

• The Grassling – Elizabeth-Jane Burnett
• My Life in Sea Creatures – Sabrina Imbler
• The Lost Rainforests of Britain – Guy Shrubsole
• Villager – Tom Cox
• The Offing – Benjamin Myers
• Wakenhyrst – Michelle Paver.

Along with a special booklist for younger readers, Go Wild will feature several performances of ‘The Mushroom Show’ by the critically acclaimed Scratchworks Theatre in October. Scratchworks fuse their signature style of physical comedy, audience interaction and family theatre with the world of fungi, bringing together science, music and participatory activities for whole families to experience.

Tickets must be booked in advance for these performances which are taking place at the following venues:

• Saturday 25 October – Beccles Library at 10am and Geography Fieldworks Academy in Southwold at 3.30pm
• Sunday 26 October – Framlingham Library at 10am and Woodbridge Library at 3.30pm
• Monday 27 October – Haverhill Library at 10am and Sudbury Library at 3.30pm
• Tuesday 28 October – Felixstowe Library at 10am and 3.30pm.

For more information about all the Wild Reads books and related events visit our Wild Reads pages.

Wild Reads will also coincide with Green Libraries Week run by CILIP, the Library and Information association. Green Libraries Week runs from 27 October to 2 November and focuses on the role of libraries caring for nature and promoting sustainability an understanding of the importance of or protecting the natural world.

Suffolk Community Libraries will also be launching a new Wild Writer’s residency opportunity in collaboration with Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the National Centre for Writing.

The Green Libraries Campaign is a UK-wide programme focused on the contribution of librarians, information and knowledge professionals to the sustainability agenda.