Bali Rai
Bali Rai is the author of over forty children's, teenage and young adult books. His debut novel, [Un]arranged Marriage, was published in 2001 to critical acclaim. Rani & Sukh, published in 2004 became a GCSE set-text. He has also written several books for dyslexia-friendly publisher Barrington Stoke, such as Dream On and its sequel Game On. His work has been published in various anthologies, including the 2017 book Here I Stand, raising money and awareness for the human rights charity Amnesty International.
Rai has made appearances on television and radio to discuss racism, his writing, and promoting reading for pleasure.
Bali is an ambassador for The Reading Agency's Reading Ahead programme. Find out more about Bali at readingahead.org.uk.
What do you love about reading?
"Reading is fun, it makes you smarter, encourages you to think for yourself, and gives you a deeper understanding of your fellow beings. I love escaping into a book, too, away from the pressures of everyday life."
Why have you chosen to be an ambassador for Reading Ahead?
"I am passionate about promoting reading for pleasure and reading to succeed, too. So, [being] a Reading Ahead ambassador [is] a huge privilege and delight. It's a brilliant and simple project, and it helps so many readers gain confidence in their abilities."
