08 July 2016
The Summer of Broken Stories by James Wilson extract
England, 1950s. While out playing in the woods, ten-year-old Mark meets a man living in an old railway carriage. Despite his wild appearance, the stranger, who introduces himself as Aubrey Hillyard, is captivating – an irreverent outsider who is shunned...
08 July 2016
Father's Day by Simon van Booy extract
A beautifully crafted story of an orphaned girl named Harvey and the troubled uncle who raises her Moving between past and present, Father’s Day weaves together the story of Harvey’s childhood on Long Island and her life as a young woman...
08 July 2016
The House at the Edge of the Night extract
On a tiny island off the coast of Italy, Amedeo Esposito, a foundling from Florence, thinks he has found a place where, finally, he can belong. Intrigued by a building the locals believe to be cursed, Amedeo restores the crumbling walls,...
07 July 2016
My Name is Leon - extract
A brother chosen. A brother left behind. And a family where you’d least expect to find one. Leon is nine, and has a perfect baby brother called Jake. They have gone to live with Maureen, who has fuzzy red hair like...
07 July 2016
The End of the World Running Club extract
When the world ends, what do you try to save? Your family. The End of the World Running Club sees Britain nearly annihilated by asteroids. In Edinburgh, Edgar Hill and his family have survived – just. But despite his best efforts,...
07 July 2016
Chatterbooks Newsletter
You can find out the latest about Chatterbooks by taking a look at our August newsletter.
07 July 2016
Reading Hack Volunteering Guide
An A4 introductory leaflet for volunteers about Reading Hack volunteering.
05 July 2016
Cruel Heart Broken Discussion Points
Inspired by a tragic true story, Cruel Heart Broken is a taut tale of guilt, impossible choices, and the consequences that follow. Laurie is a good girl – so everyone thinks. But eight months ago she did something that she can’t...
03 July 2016
The Wilderness War activity pack
Celebrating the publication of The Wilderness War by Julia Green, OUP with the Woodland Trust have put together this fabulous outdoors activity pack. Includes how to build a fire, create your own frog pond and how to distinguish animal tracks....
15 June 2016
The Bolds design a hat competition sheet
Celebrating the brilliantly funny series The Bolds by Julian Clary and illustrated by David Roberts, we have this great drawing competition for children. We want children to design an unusual hat – the stranger the better! Mrs Bold makes hats...
07 June 2016
The BFG Phizz-Whizzing Lesson Plans
Read Roald Dahl’s The BFG with your class before Steven Spielberg’s film comes out in July – with the help of the new Officially Phizz-Whizzing Lesson Plans. Whether you’ve read it before or are discovering the Big Friendly Giant’s story...
03 June 2016
A Brave Bear Father’s Day event kit
With Father’s Day fast approaching on 19th June, Walker Books invite libraries to join them in celebrating dads and the wonderful role they have in our lives with their A Brave Bear Father’s Day event kit. The kit has...
02 June 2016
Chatterbooks Activity Packs - List
Here are some of the most popular Chatterbooks activity packs, published over the past few years, with direct links for downloading.
01 June 2016
Sporty Stories Chatterbooks activity pack
The 2016 Olympic Games will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to August 21, 2016. More than 10,500 athletes from 206 countries, will take part. And in June it’s the UEFA EURO 2016 football tournament! Here’s...
27 May 2016
DK Coding Kit
This DK coding kit is the perfect tool to help you teach children the very basics of computer coding. It contains information on how to use the programme Scratch, plus fun activities which help familiarise children with using Scratch themselves.
25 May 2016
Stories to Enthrall Chatterbooks activity pack
This Chatterbooks activity pack brings you a treasury of stories to enthral – stories from around the world which have been shared through generations, and are now magically retold and illustrated in the books featured in this pack. Legends, folk...
24 May 2016
The Impact of Chatterbooks on Children’s Reading Enjoyment, Behaviours and Attitudes - Executive Summary
Executive Summary of the evaluation report by Clémence Pabion and Christina Clark, National Literacy Trust. The report looks at the impact of Chatterbooks on children’s reading enjoyment, behaviour and attitudes, relating to our Department for Education funded project to establish...
24 May 2016
The Impact of Chatterbooks on Children’s Reading Enjoyment, Behaviours and Attitudes
Evaluation report by Clémence Pabion and Christina Clark, National Literacy Trust. The report looks at the impact of Chatterbooks on children’s reading enjoyment, behaviour and attitudes, relating to our Department for Education funded project to establish KS2 book clubs...
23 May 2016
Chatterbooks Children's Pre-Survey
You can use this questionnaire before children start attending Chatterbooks sessions. Created by The National Literacy Trust for The Reading Agency to evaluate the impact of Chatterbooks on children’s reading enjoyment, behaviour and attitudes.
23 May 2016
Chatterbooks Children's Post-Survey
You can use this questionnaire after children have attended Chatterbooks sessions – either a programme of, say, 10 sessions, or a fixed time period, e.g. a year. Created by The National Literacy Trust for The Reading Agency to evaluate the...
23 May 2016
LEGO Nexo Knights design your own shield activity sheet
If your Chatterbooks group likes LEGO, why not download this NEXO Knights activity sheet from DK! What power does your NEXO shield show?
20 May 2016
My Little Pony colouring sheet
DK have have made a fun My Little Pony colouring activity sheet for Chatterbooks groups. Remember to use lots of bright colours!
19 May 2016
Year 3 Library Membership Report
Report on the Year 3 Library Membership element of the KS2 Book Clubs and Library Membership project, funded by the Department for Education.
17 May 2016
Downloadable resources and the Reading Hack brand
The Reading Hack brand The Reading Hack visual mark has been developed and designed in close collaboration with young people from all over the United Kingdom. It has always been our aim that young people feel a strong sense of ownership...
17 May 2016
Reading Hack Toolkit
Download the Reading Hack toolkit to get Reading Hack started in your authority. Don’t forget you can also get downloadable Reading Hack recruitment and staff materials to print locally. Get involved Follow us on Twitter If you have any questions about Reading Hack or...
17 May 2016
Reading Hack: Developing targeted work with young people
As you develop Reading Hack in your authority, you may be thinking about ways in which you can target your work with young people. In 2015 twelve library services were supported by funding from the Cabinet Office to engage targeted...
11 May 2016
Chatterbooks in Primary School Settings - Report
A report from Coventry University’s Centre for Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement who evaluated Chatterbooks in 15 primary schools in the West Midlands, in a project funded by The Mercers’ Charitable Foundation in 2014/2015.
05 May 2016
Big Picture Hack Pack
This Hack Pack includes hacks that use pictures, film and other media to remake reading into a piece of visual storytelling.
05 May 2016
Sound Loung Hack Pack
This Hack Pack explores the links between reading, writing and music.
05 May 2016
Time-Travellers Chatterbooks activity pack
If you could travel through time where would you go? To the past or the future? How might you get there? In a time machine – or maybe through a time-slip? Whom would you like to meet? This Chatterbooks Time-Travellers...
