Early Years Professional

It's never too early to start a child on their reading journey. Early years professionals are crucial in helping Booktrust to deliver Bookstart, the national early-intervention literacy programme. Bookstart offers the gift of free books and parental guidance materials to babies and preschool children before they start school. We offer information and resources to help get involved with Bookstart and a range of other inspirational and practical guides that will help you give early years children and their parents a positive start on their reading journey and critical early language skills through booksharing.

Bookstart

Bookstart offers the gift of free books to all children at key ages before they start school, to inspire a love of reading that will give children a flying start in life.

Discover information and resources to help early years professionals get involved with Bookstart. Also, find out more about The Rhyme Challenge – great rhyming resources for children's centres and early years settings.

Bookstart

Booktime

Booktime is the national free books programme for reception-aged children. Booktime was inspired by Bookstart the early years book gifting programme run by Booktrust and provides a free book pack for every child aged 4-5 years in England to share and enjoy with their family and friends.

Find out more about what is in our book packs and how we work with schools and libraries to deliver our programme.

Booktime

Children's Laureate

The Children's Laureate for 2011-2013 is Julia Donaldson. Find out about Julia's books and projects, read the Children's Laureate blog and access resources, games and competitions on the website.

Children's Laureate

Children's Books

Visit the children's books area for all the latest book reviews, as well as themed booklists, author interviews, illustrator galleries, competitions, games and quizzes.

Explore the children's books section