Weel duin tae Doric Books CIC – Awa Doon e Toon wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Bairns’ Book o the Year (sponsored by the Scottish Government) in the Scots Language Awards. Vote now!
The 2026 Scots Language Awards tak place on Saturday 19th September at the iconic Discovery Centre, home of the RRS Discovery Ship (1pm). Reserve yer ticket here.
The awards will be a daytime event this year, making them as inclusive and accessible to as many award nominees from across Scotland as possible.
We askit Jackie Ross o Doric Books CIC – Awa Doon e Toon thae speirins.
Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
Doric Books CIC is a community-interest publisher based in e North-East o Scotland, wi a passion fur gettin Doric (North-East Scots) intae print, especially fur bairns. We wint oor bairns tae see an hear thir ain language in e beuks they read, an tae ken aat e wye they spik is somethin tae be prood o.
Awa Doon e Toon, which his been nominated for Best Bairns Book, is written bi Julia Lynch an beautifully illustratit bi Caitlin Moffat. It tells e story o a wee loon fa wints tae ging doon e toon, tryin oot a variety o different wyes tae get ere, bit e wither aye seems tae hinner him! E beuk includes ideas for makin e story mair sensory, helpin bairns tae engage wi e story in different wyes.
Ere’s a free audio version inna. Aat’s affa important tae us. Doric is maistly a spoken leid, sae we wint bairns an thir families nae jist tae see e words on e page, bit tae hear thim spoken an enjoy readin an listenin igither.
Fur us, Awa Doon e Toon sums up a lot o fit Doric Books is aboot – makin oor mither tongue accessible tae bairns, celebratin e words, rhythms an humour o e wye we spik, an creating fun, engagin beuks aat mak Doric feel like a natural pairt o everyday life.
We wint bairns tae pick up a Doric beuk an recognise somethin o thimsels, thir families an e place they come fae – an tae growe up kennin aat thir language belangs in beuks jist as muckle as ony ither leid dis.
Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
Maistly we wintit tae pass it on tae oor bairns an grandbairns. We wintit tae mak oor mither tongue accessible in print an gie bairns e chance tae see e language they hear an spik reflected back at thim in beuks.
It’s aboot celebratin e wye we spik an e local culture aat comes wi’t, an makin shur aat somethin aat’s bin passed doon thro generations keeps gettin passed on.
Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
Cos it’s e wye we spik. It’s oor language an it’s pairt o oor culture an identity.
We need tae eese Scots in ilka situation, nae jist keep it fur special occasions. E mair folk hear it bein spoken, read it in print an see it bein eesed confidently, e mair normal it becomes. An houpfully aat empowers mair folk tae spik thir ain leid wi pride, instead o feelin they need tae change e wye they spik.
Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
“Dinna fash yersel, quine!”
Ere’s nae muckle aat canna be made a bittie better wi aat!
Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
E folk we hear spikin it ilka day. E fairmers, e fisher fowk, an ordinary folk across e North-East fa spik thir mither tongue as a maitter o course.
It’s hearing Scots spoken naturally, fae folk fa arenae tryin tae mak a pint or fa ainly spik it in performance, aat inspires us. They’re jist spikin e leid aat belongs tae thim, an bi deein aat they’re keepin it alive.
Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
Ay, especially fin we spik it oorsels! Sometimes it feels like folk jist need a bittie “permission” tae spik thir ain leid. Start spikin Doric tae somebody an, afore lang, they’ll aften answer ye back in Doric.
Ere probably are fewer bairns spikin it naturally noo than ere wur in previous generations, an aat’s somethin we need tae be aware o. But it’s really encouragin tae see mair skweels embracin Scots an deein mair wi e language. Aat can ainly be gweed news.
Ony particlar career heighlichts
A real hichlicht is seein mair an mair folk wintin tae create an publish beuks fur bairns in North-East Scots — an bein able tae gie thim a haun tae dee’t.
Ilka new beuk means mair stories, mair voices an mair opportunities fur bairns tae see thir ain language on e page. Tae be able tae help mak aat happen is somethin we’re really prood o.
An, nae doot, seein Awa Doon e Toon nominated fur a Scots Language Award in e Best Bairns Book category is rare – a real hichlicht fur shur!
Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
Tae cairry on!
We wint tae keep publishin mair beuks fur bairns in Doric, an tae keep helpin ither folk bring thir ain ideas an stories intae print.
E mair Doric/Scots beuks ere are oot ere fur bairns tae read, enjoy an share, e mair they’ll see aat thir mither tongue belangs aawye — in e hame, in e skweel, in beuks an oot in e wider warld.
Read more about Doric Books CIC – Awa Doon e Toon
http://www.doricbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoricBooks
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Instagram: @doricbooks
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The Scots Language Awards are in Dundee on the 19th September at 1pm. There wull be some grand entertainmint includin a recitals fae Yvonne Tait an Hugh Macmillan alang wi musical performances fae Iona Fyfe and Scott Gardiner.
To attend the Scots Language Awards there are a few tickets remaining. Click here to reserve your tickets.
Join Elfie Picket Theatre for the Scots language nicht BLETHER, fur a nicht o music, poetry and stories aa celebratin Scots Leid & culture. We hae twa special guests jynin us and a wee open mic. Leadin us intae a big Dundee Fringe Ceilidh! Startin at 6pm, tickets £10.
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