A TOP writer will be visiting Bradford Library after being impressed at the work done there to remember those who died in World War One.

Hilary Robinson will visit City Library for International Women’s Day on Thursday, with her latest book Peace Lily, which is being launched nationally on the same day.

The children’s author was impressed with the work done in the district’s libraries to create a “reading rug” to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War.

The author has written a number of children’s picture books inspired by the war, with Peace Lily being her fourth and final one in the series, which has also included Where the Poppies Now Grow.

It pays tribute to the women who played a role in the First World War, making its launch on International Women’s Day particularly appropriate.

The book looks at the title character’s friendship with Ben and Ray, characters from previous books in the series.

As Lily witnesses her friends leave home for the battlefields she decides to join the war effort as a nurse.

Pupils from Keighley St Andrews CofE Primary; Sandal Primary and Lidget Green Primary have been invited to City Library for Thursday’s event..

Mrs Robinson will read the story to the children and answer questions. After that every child will get to have have a “hands on” rag rug making session.

The reading rug has been created over several years using traditional “rag rugging” techniques, and will be completed later year, in time to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war.

The rug, covered in colourful poppies, will be used in the district’s libraries for story sessions.

Since the project started in 2014, 1,300 children and adults have added to the rug during visits to the library.

It was created through using different coloured pieces of cloth, often recycled from old t shirts, being woven onto a large piece of fabric.

It was created with the help of the West Riding Ruggers and will be used in different libraries across the district for storytelling sessions, especially those that look at the war.

It reads “In Flanders Fields the poppies blow” on the sides of the rug, and a list of everyone involved with its creation will be kept with the rug.

Mrs Robinson is one of the hundreds of people who have added to the rug during recent visits to Bradford.

Other big names to contribute to the rug include children’s author and illustrator Chris Riddell and even rap superstar and member of Run DMC Darryl McDaniels.

Mrs Robinson recently wrote to the library to congratulate them on the rug, saying it will “inspire and interest many for years to come.”

She also said it was “an honour” to be involved in the project.

Christinea Donnoley, Development Officer for Young People at Bradford Libraries, said: “Throughout the making of the WW1 Commemoration Reading Rug the story of Where The Poppies Now Grow has been read and so it is both poignant and significant that as it nears completion that the final book in the quartet, Peace Lily is part of the rugs’ own beautiful story.