KEVIN is a roly-poly Dartmoor pony. Max is a young boy living in an ordinary tower block, longing for adventure in his life.

He gets it when a flying pony crashes into his flat, blown in by a magical storm - this is Max’s introduction to Kevin who ends up living on top of the flats.  Together they become heroes, saving Max’s home town.

More Kevin books by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre have since followed.  Recently children in the area met the authors, each receiving a copy of the book for themselves.

This was the result of a project run by The Bookery, the award-winning independent, community-owned bookshop on the High Street at Crediton.

A total of 300 children at Hayward’s and Landscore Primary Schools in Crediton who attended the event all received a free copy of “The Legend of Kevin”, the first book in the series.

Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre brainstorm ideas for the books they write and illustrate, both loving the Dartmoor landscape where Philip lives.  Sarah lives in London.

They are a whacky pair, dressing up “just for fun”, signing books and meeting children.

The Bookery volunteer, Cathie Holden, who runs its Schools Outreach programme, said that getting children interested in reading had taken a back seat over the last few months with lockdown and many children not going to school.

Local businesses Redrow Homes and Cavanna Homes UK sponsored events held with Sarah McIntyre at The Cornerstone Academy Trust to enable children at Broadclyst and Monkerton schools who attended the event to each have a signed book of their very own to take home.

Another local benefactor donated funds for copies of Sarah’s book "Grumpycorn" for all the children who attended the event from East Worlington, Lapford and Chulmleigh Primary Schools to go home with a book.

Cathie said many children do not have books at home but book ownership is key to reading for pleasure, which is now recognised as important for children’s academic and emotional development,

The Bookery is keen to develop its sponsorship programme to improve literacy and inspire children to read for pleasure.