SCHOOLKIDS were enthralled when an award-winning children’s author read them extracts from his books.

Ross MacKenzie, from Renfrew, visited the Barrhead Foundry as part of a programme of activities organised by East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure (ERCL).

He told senior pupils from Carlibar Primary, in Barrhead, about his career as an author and how his love of books as a child played a big part in encouraging him to start writing his own material.

Ross, author of The Nowhere Emporium and Shadowsmith books, has since won the Scottish Children’s Book Award and the Blue Peter Best Story Book prize.

Anthony McReavy, chief executive of ERCL, said he was delighted to welcome Ross to Barrhead.

He added: “Ross had the youngsters eating out the palm of his hand when he was speaking to them and they were asking him to read even more from his books.

“Having someone like Ross visit one of our libraries is a great way of encouraging youngsters to read and that’s exactly what we want to do.”