Bookstart aims to give free packs of books to every baby in the UK.
These packs are designed to inspire, stimulate and create in children a love of reading that will give them a flying start in life.
The Bookstart website provides parents and carers with information about receiving your packs, activities to do with your children, events happening in your area and a range of other resources to help you enjoy sharing books with your child.
We believe children are never too young to start loving books!
Visit the Bookstart website to find out more.
Find out how we choose the Bookstart books
View Bookstart's TV campaign, which ran throughout February 2008
Wendy Cooling honoured
Wendy Cooling, the founder of the Bookstart programme, has been awarded an MBE in this year’s New Year Honours
A Book in Every Stocking at Christmas
Bookstart's Book in Every Stocking campaign provides posters, stickers and bookmarks specially designed by the illustrator Annabel Hudson, best known for her Witch Wendy series. The materials were sent to over 1,000 independent bookshops on Monday 10 November 2008.
Rosemary Clarke, Head of Bookstart comments:
‘We know that this is a difficult time for all independent small businesses. We wanted to do something special to thank the independent bookshops who have shown such sterling support for Bookstart.
'As well as accepting Bookstart £1 book tokens, which are redeemed at the bookseller’s own expense, many of the independent bookshops hold Bookstart Rhymetime sessions and events on National Bookstart Day and encourage parents to pick up their free Bookstart pack.
'We hope that we can play our part in encouraging people to see that books are the best possible present.’
National Bookstart Day
Friday 10 October 2008 was National Bookstart Day.
This year's theme was Pirates Ahoy!
Read the National Bookstart Day press release (Microsoft Word .doc download 366Kb)
