Booktime announces new titles for 2013

Booktrust and Pearson today announce the new titles for Booktime, which will give two free books to every child starting school in England and Wales in the 2013-14 school year.

This year's books for children in England are But Excuse Me That is My Book, published by Puffin, an imprint of Penguin Children's, and Tom's Mad Mop, from the Bug Club series by Pearson UK, part of Pearson's education business. 4- to 5-year-olds in Wales will receive But Excuse Me That is My Book as well as a Welsh language title to be selected this spring.

730,000 children aged 4-5 in England and Wales will each receive a free Booktime book pack in their first year of primary school. With two free books in every pack, along with additional copies for teachers and librarians, 1.5 million books in total will be given through Booktime, which aims to inspire a lifelong love of reading by encouraging families to have fun reading together.

But Excuse Me That is My Book stars the hugely popular Charlie and Lola characters created by Lauren Child. Children will join Charlie, Lola and their friends on a trip to the library to look at all the different types of books that Lola might like to read. It is a warm and funny story about family, friends and the importance of trying new things, in a refreshed edition published especially for Booktime. But Excuse Me That is My Book is intended to inspire children through Booktime to seek out lots of new books and stories to enjoy.

In England, Booktime packs will also contain a book for children to support them on their reading journey, from Pearson UK. Tom's Mad Mop, written by Celia Warren and illustrated by Bill Ledger, is a bright and familiar story about playing with friends, which parents and teachers can use to help children in their own reading.

Peter Hughes, head of corporate responsibility at Pearson, said:

Reading is fundamental to learning and in today's modern world, to living. Pearson, Penguin and Booktrust hope that this gift will help unlock a wonderful world of stories.

Visit the Booktime website

Download the full title announcement