Booktime encourages parents and carers to read aloud with their children and help foster a love of books at a key stage in their child’s education and development.
Booktime promotes reading for pleasure by giving the gift of a book pack to children across the UK shortly after they first start school.
They will receive a children's illustrated book – Mr Big by Ed Vere and a special Booktime Book of Fantastic First Poems edited by June Crebbin, both published by Puffin – shortly after they start school, to take home to share with family and friends.
The book will be handed out by teachers in a special book bag, with a guidance booklet for parents and carers on shared reading. This will be introduced with a foreword by Michael Rosen best-selling author, poet and former Children's Laureate (2007-2009), and illustrated by well-known children's illustrator, Tony Ross.
This year schools and libraries in England will also receive free tailored Booktime resource packs to facilitate linked activities and enhance the children’s enjoyment of the gift book.
Booktime was launched by education and publishing company Pearson in association with independent charity Booktrust, to promote the pleasure of reading and encourage parents and carers to read aloud with their children. Booktime was piloted in Warwickshire and the London Borough of Southwark in January 2006.
New research
A survey of over 3,000 parents, carers and children in the UK commissioned for Booktime and Booked Up has found that the love of reading is growing among children.
However, the research, which was published on 20 October 2009, also showed that 3% of parents and carers never or rarely read with their children. For those who do, just one in three read with their children on a daily basis.
