27 November 2018
Helen Oxenbury: A Life in Illustration - video
Helen Oxenbury A fascinating, beautiful and definitive account of the life of esteemed artist Helen Oxenbury. Filled with insights that span Helen Oxenbury’s life, from her early childhood through a unique career in children’s books that began in 1964 and is...
27 November 2018
The First Christmas Jumper by Ryan Tubridy - author reading
The First Christmas Jumper Ryan Tubridy loves Christmas jumpers. He loves them so much he wrote this book – the story of the very first Christmas jumper. It’s got sheep, jelly babies, tractors, Santa Claus, Christmas elves and a LOT of...
26 November 2018
Giraffe Problems by Jory John and Lane Smith - book trailer
Giraffe Problems Penguins aren’t the only animal out there with problems, oh no… From Jory John and Lane Smith, the winner of the 2017 Kate Greenaway Medal, comes a laugh-out-loud companion to the acclaimed Penguin Problems. Edward the giraffe can’t understand why...
23 November 2018
Julius Zebra Grapple with the Greeks by Gary Northfield - book trailer
Julius Zebra Grapple with the Greeks The fourth title in Gary Northfield’s exciting, action-packed and hysterically funny series brimming with entertaining Greek facts. In the much-anticipated fourth Julius Zebra book, Grapple with the Greeks!, demi-god Heracles promises Julius and his chums a...
21 November 2018
Reading Friends evaluation summary 2018-19
This document is a summary of the evaluation from the test phase.
16 November 2018
Debuts of 2018
Are you doing NaNoWriMo? If you need a bit of writing inspiration to get your big debut out, take a look at our favourite debuts of 2018: Mostyn Thomas and the Big Rave by Richard Williams Pieces of Me by Natalie Hart The...
12 November 2018
Running a Book Club Quick Guide to Chatterbooks
This handbook tells you what you need to know about setting up and running a successful Chatterbooks club
09 November 2018
Evaluation of the Reading Ahead ESOL pilot
This reports on the third year of our project for prisoners with ESOL funded by The Bell Foundation and draws on evidence from the previous two years.
07 November 2018
The Reading Agency booklists for ESOL learners
Here are two booklists compiled as part of the Reading Ahead with ESOL in prisons project funded by The Bell Foundation together with some guidance provided by NATECLA. These are useful for anyone working with young people and adults with...
07 November 2018
Words and Memories: Creative writing by ESOL learners
This collection of writing by prisoners whose first language is not English was produced over the course of six workshops in three UK prisons – HMP Downview, HMP High Down and HMP Thameside – between May and July 2018. ...
07 November 2018
ESOL Creative writing in prison materials pack
This is a pack of guidance for anyone wanting to run a creative writing workshop with prisoners whose first language is not English. It includes a powerpoint, notes for workshop leaders, guidance for workshop assistants and several handouts for...
07 November 2018
Creative activities for using with Reading Ahead for prisoners with ESOL
These seven documents provide a wide range of activities for using alongside Reading Ahead for prisoners with English as a Second Language or Additional Language. They have been created by David Kendall as part of a project funded by...
02 November 2018
Self Care Week 2018 library toolkit
A toolkit for library staff to promote Self Care Week 2018.
02 November 2018
A Darkness of Dragons - Teacher resource and activity pack
A Darkness of Dragons In a world of dragons, song spells, pipers and battles… Patch Brightwater is a boy in disgrace. Thrown in jail for playing a forbidden spell, he is no one’s idea of a hero. But then he discovers a...
02 November 2018
A Society of Readers - executive summary
A new report that we commissioned from leading independent think tank Demos lays out the central role reading must play in helping to address many of the most pressing challenges British society will face over the next decade. Read the...
02 November 2018
A Society of Readers
A new report lays out the central role reading must play in helping to address many of the most pressing challenges British society will face over the next decade. Read the full report and share your thoughts on Twitter and...
01 November 2018
Non-fiction November
It’s Non-fiction November and we’re celebrating with some of our favourite non-fiction books. Do you know why we sleep? Or about how Nike was built up by one man? Find out in some of our top picks, and let us...
31 October 2018
2017/18 Evaluation of Reading Well
2017-18 evaluation of Reading Well Books on Prescription. Research and evaluation completed by BOP consulting.
30 October 2018
Non-Fiction Info Challenge - Chatterbooks Activity Pack
November is Non-Fiction month so we have selected some of our favourite, recent non-fiction books to create an activity pack – perfect for your Chatterbooks sessions. Each of the six books has a discussion question and activity and there are plenty...
30 October 2018
Children and Young People booklist - Non-Fiction
November is National Non-Fiction month so we have loved creating a list of some of our favourite Non-fiction books. We have picked some of the best books to help get children and young people interested or inspired to try new...
24 October 2018
Julius Zebra: Grapple with the Greeks by Gary Northfield - a video
Julius Zebra: Grapple with the Greeks The fourth title in Gary Northfield’s exciting, action-packed and hysterically funny series brimming with entertaining Greek facts. In the much-anticipated fourth Julius Zebra book, Grapple with the Greeks!, demi-god Heracles promises Julius and his chums a...
24 October 2018
Get Coding 2! by David Whitney and Duncan Beedie - Event Poster
Are you ready to get coding? Want to take your coding further and learn how to programme popular games such as Snake and Endless Runners? Then join the Lucky Cat Club in Get Coding 2! by David Whitney and Duncan Beedie,...
19 October 2018
Spooky Reads
The days are getting longer so here are some of our suggestions of books to read throughout October. With ghosts, crime and mystery, you won’t be able to sleep at night…
18 October 2018
Roar by Cecelia Ahern - sample chapter
Have you ever imagined a different life? Have you ever stood at a crossroads, undecided? Have you ever had a moment when you wanted to roar? The women in these startlingly original stories are all of us: the women who befriend us, the...
18 October 2018
Roar by Cecelia Ahern - a Readers' Guide
Have you ever imagined a different life? Have you ever stood at a crossroads, undecided? Have you ever had a moment when you wanted to roar? The women in these startlingly original stories are all of us: the women who befriend us, the...
16 October 2018
Skycircus by Peter Bunzl - Activity sheets
Skycircus by Peter Bunzl Roll up roll up! Calamity and courage meet in this Victorian showstopper bursting with invention and adventure. Perfect for fans of The Greatest Showman and Mortal Engines. When a travelling skycircus arrives in Brackenbridge, Lily and Robert...
16 October 2018
2017/18 Evaluation of Reading Well - Infographic
An infographic displaying the key findings from the 2017/18 independent evaluation of the Reading Well scheme.
09 October 2018
Reading Well Mood-boosting Books list 2018 - Libraries Pack
Our Reading Well Mood-boosting Books scheme is a national promotion of uplifting titles, including novels, poetry and non-fiction. The books are recommended by readers and reading groups around the country. This pack contains the full Mood-Boosting Books 2018 list, a book...
04 October 2018
Children and Young People booklist - Spine-tinglers
Children and Young People booklist for October 2018 Spine-tinglers This month we have selected our favourite Spine-tinglers and Spooky Stories. What does ‘spine-tingling’ mean to you? Often we first of all think ‘scary’ – something that will make us shiver with fear –...
04 October 2018
Spine-tinglers Chatterbooks Activity Pack
Here is our Spine-tinglers Chatterbooks pack. It is filled with activities based upon Spine-tinglers and Spooky Stories. What does ‘spine-tingling’ mean to you? Often we first of all think ‘scary’ – something that will make us shiver with fear – but...
