Former SBC convener's nursery rhyme book up for Scots language award

Alasdair, a former MEP and SBC Convener, said he was “surprised and very pleased” to discover that the ‘Luath Treasury of Scottish Nursery Rhymes’ has been selected in the ‘Scots Bairns Book o’ the Year’ section which will be judged by a public vote.

“I do not know who proposed the book for the award, but it is most encouraging that it has been noticed and will be competing for this award which has been sponsored by the Scottish Government,” Alasdair said.

He originally compiled the book of old Scots nursery rhymes in a hardback edition in 2015 with illustrations by Scottish artist Bob Dewar. It was reissued this year in paperback with the same illustrations.

Also known as the Voice of the Tattoo, Alasdair said, in his introduction to the book: “Every child loves the rhythm and the music of words. In every country on earth children learn these from the moment they are born and most of what they learn comes from the nursery rhymes they hear as they are growing.

“In this little book I have gathered some of the best loved of the rhymes which Scottish children have heard for centuries. Most of them are old, some of them are very old, but all of them have weathered the years and shown their staying power and each one has helped to imbue every child who has heard them with a love of the rhythm and music of words.”

The voting for the Awards opens on September 1 at www.scotslanguageawards.com.

“If you would like to vote for this book from the Borders it would help to highlight the contribution of Borders writing to the use of the Scots language,” said Alasdair.