I can’t be the only person to have been shocked to read the latest news about a reading cultural divide and the link between deprivation and not reading, can I?

Obviously, considering where I’ve ended up, I was a child who lived and breathed books, inhaling everything I could get my hands on, from Blyton to Goosebumps with some Babysitters Club thrown in for good measure.

Before I write the next sentence or two I need a costume change. Pipe, check.  slippers, check. OK, all set. It seems to me, compared to how things were ‘back in my day’, there are so many cool and interesting bookish events to get kids interested, if the pull of the stories and characters isn’t a big enough draw.

For instance, the Chorleywood Bookshop‘s second Children’s Literary Festival drew to a close last week including appearances from the likes of Jacqueline Wilson and even a Wimpy Kid Show. And hats off to both the Imagine Children’s Festival and Bath Children’s Literature Festival who heavily involved young people in the curating their programmes.

If you’re looking for something to enthuse your little ones about books, how about the free family day this Sunday at John Keat’s house where kids can create their very own pop-up book of their favourite story. Details here.

Lesley Crooks, Digital & Online Marketing Manager