They told me they had a particular problem with some of their boys in the 7 to 9 age group.

They needed inspiring.

Despite my reservations about returning to the classroom, and also doubting my ability to have a positive impact on them in that environment, I felt it was almost my duty to answer their call for help.

Since leaving fulltime education I have only been back into schools for playgroups when my child was a pre-schooler and thereafter for parent consultations, school performances and fairs.

I have played chaperone on a few school trips, and a couple of years ago I went into my son’s school to tell the children about a charity walk I made along Hadrian’s Wall so had a tiny insight of what to expect.

Still, the idea of trying to engage with a 30 strong group of Key Stage 2 children, and thus attempt to get them more engaged with literacy was a shade more than daunting.

However, armed with some guidance from friends and folks of the Internet, I set off for my morning at the school.

My idea was to try and convince children, that although literacy is hard work – for some – that the rewards are enormous and virtually limitless.

I started by asking if they enjoyed literacy, and before giving them enough time to answer explained that it wasn’t really something I enjoyed at school.

It wasn’t until I discovered that it’s what you are writing and reading about that creates any interest that my love of language developed.

And that’s what I tried to practically convey in the next 60 minutes or so.  I showed them examples of my writing, specifically that I’ve done reviewing books, toys and days out.

Then I gave each group of children some toys – most of which I’d been sent to review – and asked them to write about them.

Imagine someone who’d never seen these things before, a parent perhaps, and then write an explanation of these toys for them.

What were they?

How had they been made?

What could you do with them?

What improvements would you suggest?

I levelled the playing field for them too.  Expressing that spelling and grammar (in this exercise) was not important, and it was more the language they used and how they expressed themselves and the toys in front of them.

Hopefully so they knew that it wasn’t necessarily the ‘best’ at literacy who was automatically going to come up with work trumping everyone else.

Many seemed to get it, and some of the specific children I was targeting really engaged with trying to put into words how they would describe the toys.

I hope they could see that by working hard in their future literacy lessons that this would be a process they would find easier.

Introducing a bit of healthy competition, specifically with those reluctant boys in mind, I awarded one of their children for their excellent work with a prize.

The prize being a Tidy Books Cabin Puzzle.

But all the children were brilliant, as was my experience of spending time with them on this subject, one that I feel passionately about.

That said I’m not in a rush to repeat this process and don’t envy those in the teaching profession.

Yet I comforted myself in the belief that I made one teacher’s job a tiny bit easier, if only for an hour!

If you’ve volunteered to help out at your children’s school, what’s been your experience?  If it’s something you’ve not done before, is it something you’d consider?  Are you a teacher? What do you think about parents volunteering in the classroom?

You can read more about one scheme to get volunteers into classrooms in London, sponsored by the London Evening Standard through Volunteer Reading Help which operates throughout the UK.  If your young reader and writer is in need of inspiration, you could visit the Ministry of Stories which is inspired by Dave Eggers Pirate Store in the US

Inspiring reluctant readers in the classroom is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Can you guess what it is yet? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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5. Could this be the justification for buying more books?

Our thanks go to all the bloggers who’ve made this ultimate giveaway possible!

To enter visit Just Children’s Books and you can choose how much or how little you do to enter.

The Journey of the Noble Gnarble by Daniel Errico from NobleGnarble.com
Meet Einstein by Mariela Kleiner from MeetEinstein.com
A Quest for Good Manners by Karen Lefranc from AQuestForGoodManners.com
In Search of the Light by Leonard Jacobson from insearchofthelight.com
Freight Train Trip! by Susanna Leonard Hill from SusannaHill.com (signed copy)
Can’t Sleep Without Sheep by Susanna Leonard Hill from SusannaHill.com (signed copy)
Terra Tempo: Ice Age Cataclysm! from IceAgeCataclysm.com (signed copy)
Blunderbuss Wanderlust from VictorVonVector.com
Right Where You Are Now by Lisa Montierth from RightWhereYouAreNow.com (signed copy)
Nate Rocks the World by Karen Pokras Toz from KarenToz.com (signed copy)
Ruby’s School Walk by Kathryn White from NatReview.com
Girl Coming in for a Landing–a novel in poems by April Halprin Wayland from TeachingAuthors.com (signed copy)
Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami from UmaKrishnaswami.com (signed copy)
Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand by Scott Alex from Trish @ Yoke
Costume Trunk by Bob Fuller from Paddywhack Lane (signed copy)
A Dog Is a Dog by Stephen Shaskan from Chronicle Books

Win an instant library! Signed copies and a Tidy Books bookcase! is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Tidy Books is exhibiting at the Kind und Jugend Fair this month, and our stand is inspired by Jules Verne’s classic novel; ‘Around the World in 80 Days’. Which got me thinking about the books that I used to love as a child, whether classic or not.  Here a selection I was able to dig out of the family attic with their original ‘vintage’ covers.  They are not first publications, but still pretty old!

“Which Witch” by Eva Ibbotson, “Stig of the Dump” by Clive King and “The Diddakoi” by Rumer Godden.

The fact that I’ve hung on to them means they were favourites, and probably re-read many times.  There were others too, such as “Charlotte’s Web” EB White and very much still a favourite with kids, and “Harriet the Spy” by Louise Fitzhugh, still in publication and now called a modern classic.  I wondered how well they’d date when I gave them to my 7 year old.  He turned up his nose at the cover of The Diddakoi and declined to open it, but loved ‘Stig’ and ‘Which Witch.’

What books make you nostalgic for your childhood?  Have you kept favourites?   Are you planning to give them to your own kids?

And if you do happen to be on your way to Kind und Jugend there are nostalgic children’s books on the Tidy Books stand for visitors to browse through, and a comfy seat too!

Kind und Jugend is from 15th -18th September, Cologne.  Tidy Books stand Hall 11.1 Stand C49

Books from our childhoods: A nostalgia trip is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Lucky readers have the chance to win one of two Tidy Books storage sets:  One original Tidy Books bookcase and one Book Box, and another set of a Tidy Books bookcase and a Bunk Bed Buddy, all in our stylish natural finish.

All you have to do is visit Netmums here and send them an email!  Simple as pie.

The competition is open until 22nd September and to UK residents only.

Win a Tidy Books storage set worth up to £188 with Netmums is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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When you place an order on Tidy Books’ website, or join our mailing list, we will generate a unique code for you.  When you share this code with friends, and they make a purchase at Tidy Books online, you will earn a £5 book voucher! There is no limit to the amount of book vouchers you can earn, so there’s a great opportunity to fill your bookcase!

Geraldine Grandidier, Tidy Books’ founder says: “Our new book voucher initiative is just the thing to get parents talking and sharing.  There is no limit on the number of book vouchers you can earn, so you can stock up on great kids’ books, or club together and help your school or nursery.”

For more information on the Tidy Books book voucher initiative, visit the Tidy Books website or call us on 020 8520 4647.  Offer currently limited to the UK only.

We hope you’ll have fun sharing and collecting lots of brand new books!

Our kids bookcases, bunk bed buddies, and book boxes:

A little help to fill your Bookcase! Earn Book Vouchers from Tidy Books is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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One Savvy Mom said that now the kids’ books are easy to see and to pull out “without emptying the shelves.”  And her kids are reading more frequently during the day: The books are there, look attractive and are easily within reach.   It strikes us that everyone’s a winner!

You can be a winner too.  Its easy to enter the competition, and you can do as much or as little as you like to enter.  Go to One Savvy Mom’s blog.

Entries are limited to the Mainland US and Canada.   (There will be a UK competition next month!)

Win a Tidy Books bookcase! Giveaway with One Savvy Mom is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Nothing makes you feel more like a celebrity than a room full of children hanging on your every word. As a parent I have always loved reading to my own two children, and that pleasure is just as great each time I visit a school, a library or a book festival and engage with my young audience. What better job could there be?

I first started writing for children when my youngest was learning to read. Unlike my daughter who lapped up the alphabet with gusto, my son was more reluctant to take to words. I resorted to writing about his favourite thing in the world penguins! My first book, Pip Likes Snow, was a simple story that I hoped would get him hooked on reading.

Later, my daughter made a miniature school for her toys, with an upturned shoebox for a desk and tiny notebooks, pencils and paper set out for each pupil. One of the books she made was about 4cm square, with a little penguin drawn on the cover and a one-word title: PINK. “That’s a great title for a book!” I told her. “What’s it about?”

She explained that this penguin had woken up to find he had turned pink. The idea really caught my imagination, and I began to wonder how a penguin might feel in such calamitous circumstances. Imagine if he were a BOY penguin, how awful that would be! It was from this little kernel of an idea that my first full-size picture book was born.

After Pink was published, I received a very moving letter from the mother of a little girl with special needs in Vancouver. She told me she had discovered Pink on a trip to London, and bought several copies to take home with her. The story had great resonance for her daughter because, like Patrick the pink penguin, she was different from her peers and struggled to fit in. Patrick and his friends eventually learn that being different isn’t a bad thing, and in the end his pinkness is forgotten. For this reason, the little girl’s mother used Pink in her daughter’s classroom to engage the children in a discussion about diversity and tolerance.

When I first wrote the story of Patrick I had no intention of tackling the subject of diversity. The underlying message of Pink simply developed organically from the central dilemma that my daughter had given me! But the story of that little girl in Vancouver inspired me to create an educational resource that could be used in the classroom to help young children understand how it feels to be different, and how important it is to respect each other. Pink turned out to be the perfect vehicle for exploring these issues.

I hope in the two years since its inception, the Pink Project has contributed to changing children’s attitudes about those who don’t quite fit in. Despite differences of race, culture, language or ability, we all deserve respect and understanding. If my book can have even a small influence in that regard, I will feel blessed indeed.

Lynne Rickards is the author of six books for children:

Pip Likes Snow (illustrated by Belinda Worsley)

Jack’s Bed (illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw)

I Win! (illustrated by Melanie Williamson)

Pink! (illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain)

Jacob O’Reilly Wants a Pet (illustrated by Lee Wildish)

I Do Not Eat the Colour Green (illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain)

Lewis Clowns Around (illustrated by Gabby Grant) will be published by Floris Books in the autumn.

Links:

http://www.lynnerickards.co.uk/books.html

http://lynnerickardsauthor.wordpress.com

The Pink Project

http://www.lynnerickards.co.uk/pink.html

Lynne’s first book bag was launched as the Pink Project in 2009, and has sold widely in schools and libraries across the UK. She has since developed educational resources to complement her two subsequent books. The Pets bag and the Green bag have also proved popular. A white puffin bag (for Lewis Clowns Around) is currently in the works.

Pink inspiration is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Our thanks to the young readers, and their parents for the pictures and video.  If you’d like to send in pics of your Tidy Books Bookcase, Buddy or Box in action, then we’d love to hear from you.

Firstly, here is budding film star, three year old Annalise of BabyBudgeting giving her verdict on the Tidy Books Bookcase

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FzfGquPVgk

And this is CJ reading Nonny a story, plucked from her bookcase:

and there are a couple of before and after stories that we can relate to!

Here is Jessika of Oh My Handmade Goodness and her daughter’s bookshelf, with a little makeover!

And we were alerted to Tasha at Wahm Bam’s Operation Reverse Pandora.  It looked like they needed our help!

Wahm Bam’s living room, before Reverse Pandora (name speaks for itself!)    And after!  Great job!

A story in every picture is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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5. If you enter the competition, we’ll donate to Book Aid International!

Congratulations Daisy Doo!   We will get in touch to get your prize to you.

Congratulations too,  to everyone who told us the book that got them reading with torches under the duvet!   You’ve helped Tidy Books donate to Book Aid International, who send lots of  books to African schools and libraries, helping another generation of readers to get stuck in! As a thank you for getting involved, there is a special discount on Tidy Books bookcases.

We had some great favourites, from Swallows and Amazons (from BeckyWilloughby) and Charlotte’s Web (from Susan Chew), but the ones that got the most mentions were The Secret Garden and any Enid Blyton book!

We’re really proud to be able to help Book Aid International’s work and hope to continue working with them in the future.   Its a great way to celebrate World Book Day and change a life!

And, to continue the celebrations, we are offering a special discount code of 20% off the price of a Tidy Books bookcase.   Use code WBD20 at the checkout!

Tidy Books donated £2 or $3  for every 4 nominations up to a total of £300.  We received 55 nominations, meaning that we will send 14 books to Africa.  Its a small step and we hope to keep on working with Book Aid International to help further.

Book Aid International registered charity number 313869.

You helped send books to Africa! is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Barbara Stevens, Director, Kasiisi Project, Uganda

“Friends I would like to tell you we are happy with our school and the beautiful beloved books which are in our school library.  We spend much time in our good library, reading the books you sent us.  We have explored most parts of the world using the books.  So the only thing I would say is thank you a thousand times!”

Beatrice Mbabazi, Florence Murungi, Moreen Nsungwa, and Albert Busobozi  Children at Kasiisi School,

That’s why,  in the run-up to World Book Day, we are supporting Book Aid International, and we’d love you to play a part too.  And it’s easy.

Simply go to the Tidy Books Facebook page, and tell us which book changed your life (or your favourite as a child).  For every four nominations, Tidy Books will send a book to Africa, the equivalent of £2 o3.

As a thank you for getting involved, everyone who nominates a book will be put into a draw to win a Tidy Books Bookcase on World Book Day, on March 3rd.  There will be a special discount on Tidy Books’ products too.

Help send more books to libraries like this one… is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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That’s why,  in the run-up to World Book Day, we are supporting Book Aid International, and we’d love you to play a part too.  And it’s easy.

Simply go to the Tidy Books Facebook page, and tell us which book changed your life (or your favourite as a child).  For every four nominations, Tidy Books will send a book to Africa, the equivalent of £2 or $3.

As a thank you for getting involved, everyone who nominates a book will be put into a draw to win a Tidy Books Bookcase on World Book Day, on March 3rd.  There will be a special discount on Tidy Books’ products too.

Just to get you started, here are some of the Tidy Books’ staff favourite books:  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl), Blue Beard (a classic French fairytale by Charles Perrault), The Diddakoi (Rumer Godden) and The Mountain of Adventure, by Enid Blyton.

And you can watch what some of the books that you help Tidy Books donate will do in some of the communities in Africa here. This is Book Aid’s film:   Books Change Lives

So, come and join in, and tell us which book changed your life - and help change another life with a book!

Book Aid International registered charity number 313869.  We hope to develop a long term partnership with Book Aid International and keep on giving.   Tidy Books will donate £2 or $3  for every 4 nominations up to a total of £300.

Which book changed your life? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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But, 153 million adults in Africa cannot read, and are denied access to vital knowledge which could lift them out of poverty.  At Tidy Books, we want to share the gift of reading with disadvantaged children around the world, and as part of our World Book Day celebration, we are very proud to link up with Book Aid International who help children have brighter futures by sending new books to some of the poorest countries in the world.

We’d love you to play a part too, so look out for our competition which starts next week on Monday 21st February.   There’ll be a chance to get involved, and help Tidy Books send books to Africa.  And on World Book Day on March 3rd, there will be a chance to win a Tidy Books Bookcase.

Over the past 56 years, Book Aid International has sent over 25 million carefully chosen and high quality books to sub Saharan Africa.    Much of their work supports the education of girls, enhancing their life prospects, and that of their families.  Book Aid International provides the books for libraries, in schools and community centres for the most disadvantaged people.   Without quality books, it is impossible to get a good education and have the chance to escape poverty.

We are very excited about our work with Book Aid, and we’ll be bringing you news about some of the vital work that Book Aid are doing over the next 3 weeks in the run-up to World Book Day.

Will you help Tidy Books and Book Aid International change someone’s life with a book?

Book Aid International registered charity number 313869

Help us change a life for World Book Day with Book Aid International is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Guaranteed to make you feel warm and cosy inside!

Available in sweetest pink (and our other usual colours too)

Use code 4LUV20 at the checkout on both our UK and US websites 11th-14th Feb.  Love, Tidy Books xxx

Share your love on Valentine’s Day and get 20% off! is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Meet Geraldine, Tidy Books’ founder is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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We like the train set ideas and the very cool looking Studio Skinky crayons too.  You can read Kids Style File reviews of the Tidy Books Bunk Bed Buddy here.

The mentions of summer holidays and t-shirts give us a whole new perspective on the idea of Christmas too…

Christmas gift ideas from Oz is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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5. It’s roomy at the top!

We’re really proud to have won a clutch of awards recently for our newest idea, the Tidy Books® Box, a portable book box for kids that looks great anywhere in the home.  Parenting and educational awards have given the seal of approval to the Tidy Books® Box, and it’s great to have our enthusiasm for kids’ reading recognised by the experts.

We’re entered in to the hall of fame as Silver medal winner in the Right Start Toy Award and Practical Pre-School Award, and finalist in the Practical Parenting Award.   Judges said the Tidy Books® Box was “A good portable storage unit, attractive design encouraged children to replace their books back in the Box. Easy to assemble, it does not take
up much space. The clock has educational value too”

You can find out more about the Tidy Books® Box on our website.  We’d love to know what you think too.  Where would you use a Tidy Books® Box?

New awards for Tidy Books is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Most homes today are designed specifically to avoid productive activity. The biggest investment is most likely a big screen television topped off with a Wii or Xbox. A virtual shrine to not being productive. The most productive our kids can be while watching television is learning how to cook via the food channel. Making Wii people, while creative, is not going to set anyone up for future glory.

family activities

The amazing thing about the “do something productive” line is that it actually seems to work. My youngest often disappears upstairs and starts reading a book. The 11 year old often goes to her desk and starts designing the next big fashion sensation (to be seen at a designer store near you around 2025).

Why does it work? Maybe it just gets them thinking. Maybe all of us need a reminder that watching a not so compelling television show or constantly checking out Facebook is perhaps not the best way to spend your time.

The next step might be to create a productive space that makes being productive easy. Could be why the Tidy Books bookcase works so well. It creates a space for kids to be able to interact with books and read. Many people have already created productive spaces. A workshop in the garage. A room set aside for painting. Could be that productivity just needs some room. Let us know how you have created productive spaces in your home for yourself and your kids.

Being productive is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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It is certainly amongst my to-do items, and I shall also be casting my attention to my son’s summer reading soon.

Reading throughout the impending school holidays can be of enormous benefit.  As well as keeping children in the good habit of reading, the extra freedom of reading exactly what they want to, can turn a possible chore into a positive joy.

That’s the hope of the Reading Agency, who will soon be releasing their Summer Reading Challenge.

Libraries from all over the country will be involved in rewarding children for their reading throughout the summer.

The challenge for children aged between 4 and 11 is simple, read six or more books of their choice.

They will be incentivised by receiving collectable items and rewards along the way, with certificates and medals for all that complete the challenge successfully.

This year’s theme is space, and has been called Space Hop.  Children will be boldly going where no one has been before, as they continue to nurture a life-long love of reading books through an exciting galaxy.

As well as having a tangible Space Hop pack, there is also an interactive website linking children with top authors and illustrators, and giving them the chance to share and discuss their favourite books and reading tips.

My local library will be registering children from the 10^th of July, and you should get in touch with your local library to see how and when you can get involved.

And how should we put together a quality reading list?

Well of course children can look for books they have yet to read from their favourite authors, but if you’re at a library already, it is a good idea to make use of the experts at your disposal.

Terry wrote an excellent post on the Booklights blog about how to make a great summer reading list.  As well as exploiting initiatives such as Space Hop, libraries are an excellent resource for putting together a book list.

Based on age, author, or even subject.  If you have a passion for bugs, or princesses, then it is the experts at the library, who will be able to point you in the direction of books about, or containing, your favoured subject.

So will your children be taking up the challenge? Or were yours some of the 750,000 to benefit from this initiative last year?

Summer reading lists is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Here is a list of a few reading initiatives for children.

The National Literacy Trust is a great place to start.   This is a trust that believes that improved literacy can genuinely improve people’s lives.  I would not argue with that.

They operate numerous projects.  Gaining funding from the Department of Education, Early Reading Connects aims to strengthen literacy development in the under fives.

After government figures recorded that boys’ performance was lower than their female peers, Reading Champions was created to increase boys’ enjoyment of their reading.

Reading for Life is also borne of the National Literacy Trust.  And this was set up to encourage everyone to read.  Promoting the benefits of reading to all ages.

Booktrust is an independent UK-wide charity dedicated to encouraging people of all ages to enjoy books.  It operates a large number of specific initiatives and partners with Reading for Life and the Arts Council.

Bookstart is its national programme concerned with encouraging children from the earliest possible age.  One of its main aims is to provide a free pack of books to every baby in the UK.

Booked Up is a similar scheme that aims to give a free book to every child starting secondary school in England.

Booktime concerns itself with the children between these two age brackets.  And my own son was very pleased to receive his free Booktime books and bag during his first school year.

Another independent charity inspiring more people to read is The Reading Agency.  They do a lot of work with public libraries and throughout the summer will again be running its Summer Reading Challenge.

The idea of this initiative is to encourage children to continue reading throughout the lengthy school holidays, and to help kids turn their reading from a chore to a pleasure.

An initiative that they run all the time is Their Reading Future.   Working in partnership with libraries, supporting them to deliver the best possible reader development programmes.

The Scottish Book Trust aims to inspire readers and writers.  And what four year-old would not be delighted with an explorer backpack?

In America Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has really taken off.  The idea of this initiative is that each community provides every child with a free book every month until they turn five.

A project that many communities have bought in to after its initial launch and success in Dolly’s home county in east Tennessee.

It is spreading into Canada, and also parts of the UK.  You can go and see if there is an affiliate near you here.

Another stateside project I have stumbled upon is Reach Out and Read.  This not-for-profit organisation aims to promote school readiness by providing new books to children and advice to parents via America’s network of paediatric exam rooms.

But what wonderful initiatives am I missing?

And I would love to read about any positive impacts reading initiatives have had.

Children’s reading initiatives is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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I am somewhere in the middle of those two groups.  I enjoy watching football, and usually a major football tournament would be of great interest to me.  But my interest this time has only really been ignited by ways in which my son is engaging with it.

The stubbornness within my son’s personality means that it is a much more joyous thing to let him choose a topic to aid his learning and development, than force him down a road he is reluctant to travel.

It seems this is true of a lot of children, especially boys, as they start their formal learning lives.

I did not expect it to, but at the moment the World Cup really has my son’s attention, and I have been looking at ways of making the most of that.  I haven’t had to look too hard, as my son has found ways of doing that himself.

He was given a Panini World Cup sticker book.  And he has enjoyed looking for the numbers that correspond with the stickers he has got, and has been slowly populating his new treasured sticker book.  Regardless of who the player actually is the number is all important to him, which is great.

Older children at his school have been collecting Match Attax cards, some of which have been kind enough to give their duplicates to my son.  He thinks the few he has got are great, and has been using them to learn how to spell names of countries, and also as guides for when he is drawing footballers from the respective teams.

His drawings have been brilliant, using different colours for the different teams.  Replicating national badges and flags, and coming up with scorelines for most of the scenes we have both drawn.  England always seem to score 10, he still has a lot to learn obviously.

During England’s first appearance in the tournament he and a couple of his friends made flags and footballers on sticks.  They had great fun, barely paying any real attention to the game – not that they missed anything, unlike England’s goalkeeper.

Then last night, with a little help from CITV’s Share-a-Story contest, using their template, he started his own World Cup cartoon.  Which included drawing and writing in speech bubbles.

Yesterday really was a ‘football’ day as he wanted to conclude it with a football story at bedtime.  I had to think quickly (no mean feat) if we had one, then I remembered that Roger Hargreaves’ Mr Cool, from the Mr Men series, includes a footballer and he was more than happy with my choice.

I am delighted that my son is engaging with the World Cup in such positive ways, and not just kicking a ball about, which he is enjoying doing too.

Has it been the same in your house, and do you have any more ideas for me?

Using the World Cup as a learning aid is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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This is something I’ve thought about a lot, probably too much, as I have introduced books into my son’s life.

My general parenting philosophy has always been to be as honest as possible with him, and even when I know the answer may be upsetting, or even if my explanation may be a little difficult for him to grasp at his age, I have still stuck to the honesty behind my policy.

Like if he queries: “Do I have to?”

My reply often starts with ‘no’ but going on to explain the consequences if he doesn’t, or my case as to why I believe he should do something.

With reading, or with books, there was enjoyment there from the start, and that is something I never want to sap away, as to me, that’s the key to wanting to read.

Which is why I was a little perturbed when the pressure started from school, for my boy to start to read for himself, rather than letting me do it.

He found this frustrating, like I’m sure many children do, a mixture of not being able to do it straightaway, and not being given a choice of books, or any that where anywhere near as appealing as the ones in his own collection.

I must admit to being tempted to entice him into reading his school books with bribery, but thought better of it.

My fear being that spurring a child to read with other rewards, or treats, implies that reading is a necessary evil, rather than a joy itself.

Instead I listened and sympathised with him, agreeing with his angst about some of the dross he had been given to read, but tried to motivate him to read them by explaining how many literal doors reading competence can open, and how wonderful reading can be given the choice of material.

Either policy carries an amount of risk, and indeed, can mean very different things in the short, and longer terms.

Joyce Grant, who writes the excellent Getting Kids Reading blog wrote about using a rewards system to get reluctant readers to read.

KidsCash is an earning and redemption system, where children get ‘cash’ for doing jobs that their parents want them to do, which can then be redeemed for things they want, like toys or TV time.

I commented as to why I thought this was possibly dangerous, and I am glad that I did, as Joyce reminded me that parenting is not a one-cap-fits-all scenario, even citing an example where paying a child to read can work.

However I recalled the impending report of Michael Norris, an American publishing expert, who is recommending that reading should not be considered a chore, or good behaviour.

But as I hope I’ve demonstrated, parenting is not perhaps an exact science, and it is the outcomes that we are all interested in rather than the means at any one given time.

Have you ‘bribed’ a child to read?  Or would you ever consider doing so?

Bribing your children to read is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Sometimes this is a very quick process, like on days when we have already discussed what to read at bedtime, or if we have played along a theme featured heavily in one of his books during the day.  Like if we’ve played with dinosaurs, popular bedtime stories then become things like Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs or Dinosaurs Love Underpants.

At other times, the process can seem to take a disproportionate amount of time, as my son refuses to choose, and also refuses any of my suggestions.

We commonly read two books each bedtime, adding more for good behaviour and if time allows.  I do reduce reading down to one if there is reason to limit his reading, like a late bedtime, or poor behaviour.  Luckily instances like that are relatively rare, as to this point, I have chosen to run to a reasonable rigid schedule and the boy generally knows where my lines of good behaviour are.

I have also been mindful, increasingly so, to let my child choose what we are going to read.  I really want him to enjoy reading, and I think a big part of that is being allowed complete freedom when it comes to choosing literature.

My focus on this was heightened recently, when I read a report, that pointed out that well meaning parents can actually have a negative effect on a child’s reading.

However, my boy, such is his giving nature, likes to allow me to ‘choose’ a book to read.

So, when we have two books, the principle is that he chooses one, and I choose the other.

Great idea, except my son reserves the right of veto.  Which means my choice is actually limited to going through the list of his books, until I land on one he wants to be read to, or have a go at himself.

This irritates me a little, and at times I have said to him; “Why do you even ask me to choose?” to which I get a beautiful and all knowing grin.

We both really know he is in control of choosing what he reads, and long may it continue.

But, who chooses the books in your house?  And do your kids do the same thing to you?

Who is dictating the bedtime reading? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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I have always enjoyed being consumed by a book, getting totally absorbed by what I am reading that I ignore everything around me, and appear zombie like to everyone else.

Sadly, I am nowhere near as cute as this wondrous child when I bump into people, totally engrossed in what I am reading.

Since becoming a parent, my novel reading has dropped off to a near snails pace, as I have struggled to cope with accepting that children are just not as susceptible to ignorance as adults are.

But I need to embrace interruption if I am going to re-engage with books, at any other time than that of when I am completely on my own.

And further to that, I have been interested to read how distraction can be a positive thing, especially with children, as they learn to read.

My son is very easily distracted, and his concentration span is thus very limited.

It is all part of a very active mind, and an unquenchable thirst for understanding and enjoyment.

Means we have to make reading more than that, reading often ends, or is interrupted by us picking out our favourite characters, ranking them in some way or guessing how a book may turn out.

But what of consistent, and deliberate distraction to quell and help concentrate an active mind?

When I read about dealing with a moving audience, on the Booklights blog, I was interested in the parts relevant to my child’s age, and also mindful to keep in thought the ideas for his future years.

There are some top tips there of how to deal with those that may wander, in mind, as well as physically.

But do you deliberately distract your children?

Does bouncing a ball, listening to music, or anything else help focus their attention better, and actually end up assisting with their reading?

Positive distraction from reading is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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It is reassuring when you do read ideas, and pick up tips, when they are things you already do, seemingly without guidance, naturally so to speak.

Like, in my case, I have always encouraged my child to read what he likes, asked about things we are discovering together in books, and highlighted how an ability to read can be useful in other ways, not limiting reading to books.

But there are also times when I see advice, and think, what a simple idea, why have I not thought of doing that before?

Subtle changes, easy to adopt, and perhaps, even techniques adopted for other aspects of parenting, without realising they could be useful things to do to encourage your own little bookworm too.

I have always been a fan of leading by example, and certainly that actions speak louder than words. Which I suppose, on the face of it, means we need actions to encourage the consumption of the written words.

Children like to imitate adults, especially those closest to them, so of course it is a glaringly good idea to have children see that you enjoy reading for yourself, rather than simply concentrate on reading to them, or listening to them read to you.

As beneficial as that it, it must also be a good idea to be a model reader.

Great in principle, but I’ve found, while I read a lot, it is mainly limited to that on my computer screen, and that in my child’s books when he is around.

As I like to be consumed by a book, I tend to read them when my son is not awake, or is in the care of others.  Fearing interruption of my reading will turn it into an annoyance.

But I have decided I am not following my own ideas, and why should I limit my leisure reading – of printed material – to books alone?

For that reason I have bought my first copy of Private Eye for a good many years, and I hope this will lead me down other literal roads.  With the overall aim of having material I can pick up, and read snippets of, or get consumed by if the situation allows, all of which can be witnessed by my offspring.

I have also been on the look out for books with short chapters, so having to start one over again is only a minor irritant.

Fingers crossed these things will contribute to my son continuing a healthy relationship with books, and I look forward to the day we can sit and ignore each other, with heads in our respective books.

How about you? Are you an unwitting model reader?

Being a model reader is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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I would love to know if it is limited as a British colloquialism, but it does very much seem to be a parent-kid-parent cycle here.  Where, eventually we remember our own parents saying those words, to then only repeat the process with our own children.

Granted, it is a phrase I hear used a lot for parents to chastise children for poor behaviour, that just wouldn’t be acceptable in their childhood, and also to encourage children to appreciate the many material things, and opportunities now available to them.

I have yet to fall into this trap, at least I don’t recall citing my own childhood in such a way, mainly as I don’t see it as relevant, and my own childhood was not one of strict rules, routine and in anyway lacking in opportunity or love.

I wonder if I appreciated it at the time?

However, I am guilty of revisiting things I loved in my childhood, using my child as an excuse, or prompt.

When my wife was pregnant with our son, getting towards the end of her pregnancy, I became aware that I had not bought any thing for him, or her, to celebrate their safe arrival.

Not really a surprise, as I am not one for counting eggs before they hatch, nor am I keen to buy things for the sake of them being bought.

But never the less, I became aware that I had not really thought about buying my first child anything.

So, I decided to order a complete set of books, that I loved as a child.  And here’s a video review of the Mr Men Library Bus that I bought.

These excellent books by Roger Hargreaves have always been fondly remembered, and such was my adoration of the series, that I had my bedroom decorated with Mr Men wallpaper.

I wanted to share these books with my child at the earliest possible moment.

And it was something I very much enjoyed doing, even when my son was just a slobbering baby, simply enjoying the pictures and my dulcet tones.

As he has grown the books have stayed relatively popular with him.  They seem to carry favour for a few bedtimes, to then disappear again for a few weeks.

And I have been mindful to not force my son to read them, or anything else for that matter, reading should be his choice, and therefore fun for him, even if his nightly choice is sometimes not to my liking.

It seems many folks agree with this attitude, Susan wrote an excellent post on the Booklights blog, about how it is great to have childhood favourites, but appreciation that these may differ vastly by generation, and using those more familiar with today’s children’s literature for recommendations, are great ideas too.

Then there was the impending report I covered last week, about how it is expected to be reported that well meaning parents can actually harm a child’s love of reading.

Personally I believe it is all about balance, and I think I know my own child well enough to know when telling him what I liked as a child is a good idea, and when it is not.

But how about you?  What books that you loved as a child have you read with your children?  And how, more importantly, do you think this has affected their relationship with books?

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I have always wondered how I can affect my son’s potential love of reading, writing previously about my own childhood reading exploits, hoping for a different outcome for my boy.

How much I can actually impact his possible love of books is not exactly quantifiable, but I like to think I have carefully considered my overall approach to reading in our lives to positive effect.

Since my child started school in September, and as mentioned in my opening line, my own appraisal of personal involvement in his reading has carried increased focus.  Due to the fact that the introduction of school brings the evolvement of the ‘reading books’ process, and therefore a method of dealing with them as entities at home.

I have never been entirely keen on some aspects of school reading books, fearing that the monotony of this process, and the somewhat forced direction of reading, could have an overall negative effect, much as I believe it had with me in my latter schooling.

I was interested to read an article published in The Observer this weekend, that is reporting on an American publishing expert, who is expected to advise parents not to force their children into reading what, they as parents, would like them to.

Michael Norris is expected to include evidence in the monthly Book Publishing Report that well-meaning parents can actually have a negative impact on their children picking up a healthy reading habit.

Norris says that parents have too much of say in deciding what a child reads, and if children are always led to books, rather than choosing them themselves, it really will turn them off.

He also argues that books should not be talked about with “work words” and not be stereotyped as being good, when things like video games are deemed as bad.  Suggesting that rewarding children for reading with other things actually undervalues reading, making it a necessary evil rather than a practice as pleasurable or enjoyable as the rewards some parents offer.

Which reassured me that my bedtime stories protocol, of making books a slightly under rewarded treat, may actually be the right way to go.

The Observer article makes for very interesting reading, and concludes with a concise list of the great tips for parents that Norris has come up with.

One of which is not to enthuse too much on what you, as a parent, enjoyed as a child, reading should be a personal experience, and we should rely on the professionals, such as librarians and books sellers, when it comes to a child choosing their next book, rather than force feeding treasures from our own childhoods.

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‘Half of all parents too busy to read a bedtime story to children’ Read the article headline, published earlier this month in the Daily Mail.

The story was based on research compiled on behalf of Silentnight, themselves hoping to promote their own ‘Book at Bedtime’ competition.  1,000 parents were quizzed about reading to their children at bedtime, and although 97 per cent agreed that reading to children before bedtime was of developmental benefit, only 53 per cent confirmed that they did, in fact, read to their children at this time.

Most parents that said they did not read to their children, said that they did not do so, based on being too embarrassed to read out aloud to them.  The study also revealed that half of the children under 12 watch DVDs in bed

This, in isolation, is a worrying figure, but I am unsure that 1,000 parents being questioned is enough to gain a real idea of how many children are read to at bedtime across the county, and is possibly sensationalist to offer a headline saying that half of ALL children are not read to before lights out.

I certainly hope that the reality is much brighter to that recorded by this research, but have looked back to a blog post I wrote in October, based on the annual study compiled for Booktrust, which found DVDs increasingly popular amongst older children at bedtime.

For me, as a parent, bedtime reading has always felt right, but I can sympathise with parents that feel uneasy with reading out aloud, I’ve been self conscious in the presence of visitors, and on the odd occasion I have had to read in public, but really, what is the bigger issue?

Reading to a child is obviously of immense benefit, and the joy in watching a child revel in being read to, and then reading themselves, is something every parent should enjoy.  It really should be, and is, a parent’s privilege.

Inspiration is all around us, not only in the faces, ears and mouths of our children, but if you need further encouragement, look no further than Jim Brozina, and his daughter Kristen from Millville, New Jersey.

Mr Brozina and his youngest daughter, enjoyed a nine year ‘streak’ of reading together each night.

Inspired by the failure to continue reading to his eldest daughter once she had learnt to read herself, the elementary school librarian decided to not make the same mistake again.  Initially setting himself and his youngest daughter the target of reading for 100 nights on-the-trot, which then became 1,000, and so on.

A truly wonderful story, and hopefully one virtually replicated all over the World, between parent and child.

I am unsure where we are in our streak, but it is incredible rare of us to have a night without reading.

But how about you? Can you beat Mr Brozina?

Are bedtime stories really in decline? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Books come to me in various forms, recommendations from other people, ‘well if you liked that, you’ll like this’, from picking up the new title of an author I have previously enjoyed reading, and sometimes by reading reviews and descriptions on sites like Amazon, like with the last book I bought for myself.

Blogs are also great for finding book recommendations, and I have purchased a good few children’s books based on things I have read around the web. Including this morning no less, when I ordered Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, based on a post I read on Playing by the Book.

I also hope that the Tidy Books book reviews have been, and continue to be useful for others to base purchasing decisions on.

My purchase this morning was actually one of a very sensitive nature, the book in question is one that deals with grief, and in this particular case how a parent feels when they lose a child.

Not something I can immediately relate to, but I am buying the book fully aware of what to expect, and I intend to read it myself before considering if it would be material relevant to my child, and useful for him to develop his understanding of mortality and grief.

But what if there was no warning, and a character in your child’s book dies?

The youth novel market has been one of immense debate over recent years, and its popularity has spawned incredible successes for many a series of books come films, and if the excellent Bologna Children’s Book Fair summary of my new blog friend David Maybury is to be believed, then publishers are just awaiting the next big thing to appear from this genre.

For books aimed at these older children, when the choice is entirely theirs, and they are basing their decisions via similar means to us old fogies, do we just need a quick cross check to ensure what they are going to read is appropriate?

If you are the parent of a sensitive child, or perhaps one that has suffered certain traumas, for example the loss of a friend or relative, how much would you like to know about a book before it appears in their hands?

We have got very used to the classification guides of films, that come with an overall rating and then indicators to why such a rating has been given, like contains fantasy violence and mild swearing.

Would a similar system benefit books, or would it hinder the mystique of what makes book, and its story, so engaging?

I am in two minds on the subject, I can see how it could prevent regrettable instances such as children being exposed to material that perhaps it was better they weren’t, but I also feel a book could lose some of its allure and effect if we know too much about it beforehand.

But what are your experiences and thoughts?

Should children’s books come with warnings? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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Some 100,000 children, aged between 5 and sixteen were part of a study commissioned by Renaissance Learning, headed by Professor Keith Topping, of the University of Dundee’s school of education.

The overriding positive seen from the study is that of the children studied, boys, in general, read just as much as girls, yet the perceived negative found was that they do not read books that are as challenging.

One of these findings is being largely reported as predictable, in that people expect boys, for whatever reasons, to choose books of a less demanding nature, and within their existing capabilities rather than stretching them.

However a piece in The Independent pointed out that the exact opposite was recorded in a similar report, completed only two years ago.

The more surprising, and encouraging finding, is that of boys reading just as much as girls.  Not one that was wildly anticipated.

However, the gap between reading standards between both the sexes was recorded as being most pronounced between the ages of 13 to 16, just as children are reaching the business end of their high school education.

Availability of desirable reading material for both boys and girls was actually identified as a possible cause for this, with the Twilight series of novels by Stephanie Meyer being cited as an excellent standard of reading for girls in this age group, but with no such obvious series of books for boys of a similar age.

Responding to the findings of the report, Professor Topping called for a closer monitoring of what children are reading, and said; “If they [children] are reading books that are below their independent reading level it may give them enjoyment but it won’t extend their reading ability and literacy rates are at risk of continuing to decline.”

Similarly though, rates could be at a risk of decline if children, and boys in particular in this case, are pushed into reading more standard appropriate books, but that engage them no further than having to read them?

This is certainly an interesting study, and hopefully one that will engage schools, parents and children alike.

For me personally, it may mean a rethink to my limiting-reading-to-encourage-it policy.

But, what do you think?

Do boys need more encouragement than girls? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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But if you do want some science for that argument, you could do a lot worse than start in the National Literacy Trust’s resource section.

As a budding parent, or even as an aspiring one, it just felt important to attempt to encourage any offspring of mine to enjoy reading, right from the very beginning.

When my child was very small, baby to toddlering, we would have the traditional story books, touch and feel types, pop-up classics, sticker books, and some other, perhaps, less traditional reading material.

My little fellow demonstrates that much better in picture, here.

But instilling a love of reading has been very important to me as my son’s parent.

So why would I even think about limiting it?

Well, my argument – which I believe to be especially true when handling boys – is that they will desire something that they get just that little bit too little of, rather than that they get in spades.

It is perhaps a risky strategy, and not for everyone, but at the moment it certainly feels like it is a process that is working.

Bed time is the regular time for us to be reading here, as I am sure it is in other homes, not exclusively confined to this particular time of day, but almost without fail a book of some kind is read shortly before lights out.

However it is the negotiation beforehand that I am going to refer to.

It has been a long time ritual of ours to actually have dialogue about the number of books that are going to be read during bed time.  Rewarding an earlier bed time, or excellent behaviour, with a higher number of books.  And conversely, not rewarding the opposite.

This is a process I have a lot of fun doing, and aids my boy in all sorts of ways, our cheeky nature means that I always start at one, and he always starts at some ridiculous number, from which playful mediation then occurs.

Compromise is always gained, more often than not at two, but my son would sit and listen until his batteries totally run out.

Which, I believe, in part, is due to the fact that I always aim to read one book too few, rather than one book too many.

This process is definitely a fun one for us, which is what reading should be.

But I would love to hear the argument for limitless reading, and experiences of other parents, or from your own childhood memories.

So, would my approach have worked on you, or is this something that you think will back fire?

Is limiting reading a good idea? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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The Tidy Box - Books at the heart of any home

- Comes with play clock, which can be removed as your children grow
- Looks great anywhere in your home
- Holds up to 40 books or magazines of all sizes
- Available in three different finishes
- Handmade from wood from sustainable sources

But first, what do you think of our shiny new blog, do you like it?

We are still working on it, so there will be subtle changes in the near future, but we hope it serves as an easy to navigate, and useful resource, for people with a vested interest in children’s literacy.  And it would be fantastic to hear, or read your opinions of our new blog.

Now, back to the contest.

The Tidy Box is the newest idea from the makers of the award winning Tidy Books kids bookcase. Like all good ideas, it is simple and ingenious. It will give you an easy place to tidy books and magazines into, and keeps your children’s books always in reach.  Keeping books at the heart of any home.

Geraldine explains where the idea came from; “I was inspired to make the Tidy Books Box, having seen children’s books kept in boxes in friends’ living rooms. The books were in one place, but kids had difficulty in seeing them easily or getting them out of the box, and so they ended up in a mess.”

We are giving the opportunity to three lucky winners, that will be chosen at random, to choose a Tidy Books Box for themselves, and as we are celebrating World Book Day, this competition is open to all territories, meaning anyone on the planet can enter.

To enter all you have to do is tell us which colour of Tidy Box you would like in the comments. Ensuring you enter a valid email address as we will use that contact you in the event of you winning one of these wonderful products.

To further your chances of winning, you can also become a fan of the Tidy Books Facebook page.  Telling us that you have done so (and your colour choice) here in the comments, or over in the discussions of our fan page if you prefer.

We are also offering a final way of entering, by following us on Twitter. Simply start following us on Twitter, and then tweet about this competition, including a link to this blogpost.  Be sure to also include @tidybooks in your tweet so that we pick it up and add your entry.

The first winner will be drawn on World Book Day, the 4^th of March, and the following two will be drawn throughout March.

Good luck, and please wish us some back with the blog!

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ENTRIES, OUR THREE LUCKY WINNERS HAVE NOW BEEN DRAWN, AND THUS ENTRIES FOR THIS GIVEAWAY ARE CLOSED.

Tidy Books World Book Day Giveaway is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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5. Our latest giveaway, to brag about

Thinking back I have very strong, and very vivid, memories of enjoying books as a child.  Memories include taking books on holiday with me, and reading them at night, even after all the excitement of  the day, days that would usually have included a multitude of activities, making new friends and, at times, perhaps, the odd bit of mischief.

But even after all those highs, I would enjoy coming back to my night time reading, and look forward to the visions that my mind would create based on what I was reading.

It was also at this time that I first discovered that reading can be so much more fun than television, or film.  I had a book based on the children’s cartoon series M.A.S.K. The images I came up with while reading it, in my own grey matter, were always better than the actual episodes I numbed myself with on television.

However, somewhere along the way, I lost my love of reading, and looking back I think I can start to perhaps pinpoint where, and why.

I now believe it was during high school, which, twenty years ago (wow) was when school felt like it was getting serious.

A proper timetable, homework, a diary to record homework, targets, tests and reports.

All these things turned me off education, and while I did not struggle at school, I did not thrive within its environment, and my love of reading was lost to the labour of reading what I was told to, and to; READ IT BETTER.

It was not until I left school, again on holiday – one very different to the ones we used to enjoy as a family – that a friend handed me a book they had just finished; Popcorn by Ben Elton.  And after reading it, in what seemed like hours, my love for books was reignited.

My hand luggage on any holiday after that would always be dominated by books, at an almost one-per-day-of-vacation ratio.   And I would always have a book on-the-go at home, without finding the time to read them at such at perhaps such a ferocious pace.

Now with my son starting school this September, I can, sadly, see him going through a similar process, it is already happening in his first formal year of schooling.

My son loves books, or being read to certainly, he gets very excited when I increase the number I am going to read to him based on his positive behaviour, and that fills me with joy.

What fills me with dread is when he says things like; ‘I MUST read this tonight, as I HAVE to get to the end of this level, to get onto the next’.

Laboured, rushed reading, ignoring his learning ability, and certainly his joy of learning and words.

What is more depressing is that this is seemingly a global issue, with parents feeling the world over, that children are under increasing pressure from a ridiculously young age, to achieve certain targets, with little regard to the impact this is having on the individual.

The Book Chook gave, what I believe, to be an excellent response to a letter she received from a worried parent.  A parent concerned that their child is not at the right level of reading.

I appreciate there has to be a balance, but, in my opinion, a love of reading conquers being on red, green level or having a ‘reading age’ surpassing the years since your birth.

But, what do you think, and have you experienced similar?

Will your children end up loving or loathing reading? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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5. Children’s reading initiatives

A report, we first read on the BBC website grabbed our attention this week.

The education news story was based on a report commissioned by the Booktrust, as part of their Booktime and Booked Up initiatives.

It is an annual report that surveys 3,000 parents, carers and children, aiming to find out about the part books play in each of their lives.

The idea behind both of the Booktrust’s programmes is to generate a real love of reading amongst children, and the report is one way for them to monitor if their work is having the positive effect they intend it to have.

Some of the positives they should take from this year’s survey are that, indeed, reading has become more popular amongst the people quizzed.  They also found a 40% increase in the number of dads reading with their children, compared to the 2008 figures.

Negatives the survey highlighted are that while flexible working practices are supposed to enable a better work-life balance, technology and home entertainment are increasingly eating in to the time allocated for reading.

To that end, children’s bookcases are under threat, especially in households with older children.

Books are losing out to DVDs and computer games, with 34% of parents and carers saying that this is true of their households.   This figure rises to 41% in the homes of 11 to 12 year-olds.

This is a trend that the Booktrust is looking to reverse, and through its Booktime and Booked Up programmes it will be distributing 2 million free books to children, hoping ‘to encourage a life-long love of reading’.

Every 4 to 5 year–old in reception classes all over the country will be receiving a free book through the Booktime this term, and for children in Year 7, aged 11 to 12, Booked Up is gifting 670,000 books.  Children of this age will get to choose a book from a carefully selected dozen.

We hope to see many of these books on your children’s, and our kid’s bookcases.

If you want to read the BBC report we did, you can find it here.

Have you got books or DVDs on your children’s bookcase? is a post from: TidyBooks - The Childrens Storage Solution.

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