At an event about a month ago which I will refer to as the ‘Push Party’ for lack of anything better than Baby Shower, my friends and I initiated something of a new tradition. We all sought out a book from our childhoods that we vividly remember, bought a copy and inscribed it to the then-bump, now-bouncing baby girl. My choice was There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Those of you who aren’t familiar with it may be just as perplexed as my mates when I proceeded to reel off the chorus: ‘I don’t know why she swallowed a fly, perhaps she’ll die’. Ah, they didn’t let piddly P.C. considerations get in the way of a good rhyme when I was a nipper, great stuff.

Having visited said baby, the possessor of a fine mini-library, my eye was caught by references on twitter to Bookstart. This is the initiative which gives away a free pack of books to babies and toddlers in Britain, and they are now celebrating their twentieth anniversary with a week of events  (National Bookstart Week 11-17 June). There’s even further excuse for me to bother my local booksellers with the Bookstart 20 pledge scheme – why not check it out?

Lesley-Anne Crooks, Sales & Digital Marketing Manager