This month, we are proud to introduce . . .

A brand new, previously unpublished story by Alexander McCall Smith

PRECIOUS AND THE PUGGIES

Precious Ramotswe’s Very First Case

A world first from Itchy Coo, this is a brand new book for younger readers, telling the story of the girlhood adventures of Precious Ramotswe, founder of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Written by one of the world’s favourite authors, Alexander McCall Smith, and translated into Scots by award winning author, James Robertson, this story will not be available in any other language until 2011. The Scots is simple and accessible, and a glossary is provided for those not familiar with Scots words.

Alexander McCall Smith’s bestselling series featuring the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency has been translated into more than 45 languages, but he describes the fact that Precious Ramotswe’s latest adventure is appearing in Scots, as the ‘icing on the cake’.

‘Language is one of our greatest treasures. It is a great pity in my view that some languages are dying out, because that means that the richness and the variety of human life are diminished. Every language has something to offer – a way of looking at the world, a story to tell about a particular group of people, a stock of poetry and song. The disappearance of a language is like the silencing of some lovely bird.

I have long admired the Scots language and I admire people who are determined that we should not forget how to speak and read Scots…’

– Alexander McCall Smith

Don’t miss your chance to get your hands on a signed copy of this new chapter

in Mma Ramotswe’s life and meet both authors:

Thursday 25 February

4-5pm

National Library of Scotland

57 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh

Please see the NLS website for more information.

Next month’s sneak peak:

This brilliant sequel to Millie Gray’s first novel, In a Class of Their Own, continues the story of Rachel Campbell and her family.	Meg Henderson’s hugely absorbing story of a working class Clydeside community facing the horrors of wartime.