A LAVERSTOCK author is streaming live readings of The Scar Gatherer series to keep children entertained during the coronavirus pandemic.

Julia Edwards is going to be reading a chapter a day from Monday to Friday every afternoon at around 2pm. She is currently reading the first book in the series, The Leopard in the Golden Cage.

She said: "I'd been thinking of doing this for a while, but I'd previously prioritised writing my new book. With the sudden onset of the coronavirus however, I felt a real need to do something positive to help other people in a small way, and to cheer them and myself up. With so many of us having our children at home for the foreseeable future, I hope that having half an hour every day of guaranteed entertainment with an educational slant might be helpful for parents and enjoyable for children."

There are seven books in the series and Julia adds: "I've started reading the first one - The Leopard in the Golden Cage - this week. I'm planning to read a chapter a day from Monday to Friday, at the same time every afternoon. We'll reach the end of that book on 8 April, and after that, I might pause for Easter, or I might just start straight in reading the second book in the series, Saving the Unicorn's Horn.

"Altogether, it would take me just under six months to read the whole series in that way, so it seems likely we'll get through at least the first two or three books while we're all stuck at home.

"I hope we'll have been able to get back to normal before I get to the end of the series, but if I have enough people keen to keep listening, I'll keep going until I finish the seventh book in the autumn."

The readings are being streamed live on Facebook and are available by going to facebook.com/scargatherer.co.uk

"Every chapter will still be there for the next year too, so if you've missed the beginning, or the live stream isn't at a good time for you, you'll be able to find the earlier chapters among the videos on that page" added Julia.