Lucy Banks
@lucybanks.bsky.social
Programme Manager @ASCEL. Advocate for libraries. Author of stories: Caged Little Birds, The Depths, Dr Ribero etc.. (Sandstone, Bloodhound Books, Chicago Review Press). Full-time book-monster and #folkhorror obsessive. All views are my own.
My latest read - borrowed from my local library (BorrowBox). A slow build but when it got going, it really got going! Very psychological, an excellent unreliable narrator, trigger warning for a quite shocking ending that came out of nowhere. Overall, enjoyable. #amreading
My latest read - The Dead of Summer: Strange Tales of May Eve and Midsummer, edited by @johnnymains.co.uk. Given the recent heatwave this felt like an appropriate read - a great collection of short stories from some well known writers and some I’d never heard of. A few genuinely eerie ones too…
My latest read. This took me a loooong time to get through. Some of the short stories I really enjoyed, and some were a bit of a slog to get through. An unusual mixed bag; normally I enjoy all of Stephen King’s short stories…he’s a bit of a master of the form! #amreading
It was a great joy to hear Michael Rosen speak at this year’s #CILIPconference25. Inspirational, funny and thought provoking. The man’s a legend!
I finally made it to Birmingham Library! What a building; it’s absolutely got the wow factor. I also got to spend time with one of my favourite young people - my awesome fashion designer niece :-) #libraries
What a great day at @hullsls.bsky.social James Reckitt Reading Conference! #amreading #libraries #schools
Hello Hull! I’m off to the James Reckitt Reading Conference today! @hullsls.bsky.social #amreading #libraries #schools
My latest read - a clever, compelling rewrite of Huckleberry Finn, putting the character of Jim in the spotlight and shining a light on the savagery of slavery. I was engrossed from start to end. #amreading
I found another library! Well, two actually; I’ve had a lovely day with two of our members in Barnet and Tower Hamlets. Colindale Library and Watney Market Idea Store are doing amazing things with children and young people in their area as part of our Youth Engagement Network. #libraries
Watching Shifty (Adam Curtis) on BBC iPlayer. As per his signature documentary style, great juxtapositions of footage to examine how ‘life in Britain today has become strange’. #shifty
Finally got around to watching Haxan - mind blowing that this film was made over a hundred years ago! #folkhorror
Big Shipping at The Cavern in Exeter. Fab!! We need to keep our music venues open; not just places for musical talent to shine but also valued community spaces bringing people together.
My latest read. Very enjoyable and diverse collections of essays on the subject, ranging from the Woolpit children to the folk horror of Dr Who. Fun! #folkhorror #amreading
I loved speaking at this years’ Libraries Connected Seminar about our work with libraries across the country, focusing on our collective role in the equitable redistribution of power to children and young people. When we work with communities and bring people together, we achieve great things!
At #LCSeminar2025, @lucybanks.bsky.social spoke about the @ascelnetwork.bsky.social Youth Engagement Network. ASCEL is working with #Libraries across the country to ensure young people's voices are heard within our sector. Find out more about the pilot phase results here: ascel.org.uk/node/357
The final three copies of this beautiful lathe cut limited edition vinyl of our Summer Solstice single are now available to pre-order in our Bandcamp shop rowanambermill.bandcamp.com/merch Vent Records have done a stunning job on the release. Head over and take a listen. #folkhorror
What do you know…I’ve found another library! And this one is a chained library no less… #libraries #amreading
Those who attend the HELL TOR FESTIVAL this year will be privy to exclusive special guest films sharing the their favourite ghost moments on film / TV. Tickets go on sale June 2025 #uncanny #helltor #exeterphoenix
Just finished - this was sent to me by a friend. Very lovely children’s book about a Jewish boy’s experiences in Poland in World War 2. Sad in places (as you might expect) and the writing has lovely restraint to it. #amreading
Very enjoyable. Interesting exploration of the role of nostalgia in folk horror, hauntology and more. #amreading #folkhorror
This was tonight’s televisual pleasure - a bit of a fever-dream exploration of our connection with the land (and what we’ve lost). #folkhorror
One of the finest puzzle games EVER, that no-one else seems to have heard of! Has anyone else out there played Return of the Obra Dinn? #ps5
Looking to gather a small network of primaries to work with me in researching techniques for maximising the links between reading and writing. Ideally year 4/5 and some year 6 and ideally Chesterfield/Sheffield area or close proximity. Shares greatly appreciated.
Just finished. It was as great as his other books; an engrossing exploration into the weird and the eerie in popular culture, by way of Lovecraft, Lynch and The Fall. I especially enjoyed that it ended with Picnic At Hanging Rock which is a book I’m completely obsessed with :-) #amreading
Enjoying watching Children of the Stones again, and remembering our own visit to Avebury a while back…in my opinion, a much more atmospheric spot than its more famous neighbour, Stone Henge. #folkhorror
Just finished - passed on to me by a friend, I was about 200 pages in before I realised I’d read it before. Loved the premise (time travel with a mission to save JFK) but was a slog to get through. However, there were definitely moments when I was sucked in. #amreading
