Bookstart Storytime
Bookstart Storytime is an exciting library experience for families, offering a fun, free, and easy way to entertain under 5s at local libraries.
What is Bookstart Storytime?
Bookstart Storytime is an exciting library experience for families, offering a fun, easy way to entertain under 5s at your local library. Come and enjoy free and lively activities in a space you can have fun and enjoy stories together. It is part of BookTrust’s Early Years journey which also includes the Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler programme.
We are now in the fifth year of this exciting programme, which has been informed by work with libraries and families, feedback from previous years and BookTrust’s wider evidence and expertise.
Discover this year’s Bookstart Storytime books
We’ve chosen five books that we think are perfect for enjoying with children aged 0–5! Libraries taking part in Bookstart Storytime will be sharing these books, and families will be voting for their favourites.
Watch BookTrust Storytime Prize winner Caryl Hart introducing the five books that have been shortlisted for the 2027 prize.
The books in the shortlist are:
What our partners say
“I absolutely loved loved loved the Bookstart Storytime sessions. We made some friends who came to the library for the very first time in their lives and they are coming back as regular borrowers. We have built amazing relationship with The Children’s Centre and are more aware of what services they provide for families. We will work together on helping local families with mental health, breastfeeding, and supporting child development.”
Librarian, Northamptonshire
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Run by volunteers, Chew Valley Library in the village of Bishop Sutton is one of many community libraries in Bath and North East Somerset. Volunteer Angela Cruse reveals how Bookstart Storytime has equipped them with what they need to launch interactive sessions for families.
“My granddaughter feels really happy, she looks forward to it. Every morning she says to me, “Grandma, let’s go Zoom Zoom”. ‘Zoom, Zoom, we’re going to the moon’, that’s one of her favourite poems (songs), obviously she can’t say library yet, but ‘Zoom Zoom’ means library to her. She wants to go to the ‘Zoom Zoom’ every day.
Grandmother, Mrs Ahmed, talking about her granddaughter’s experience of Bookstart Storytime
BookTrust Storytime Prize
The BookTrust Storytime Prize was launched in 2019 to find the best book for sharing with children aged 0–5, and since 2021 it has been part of the Bookstart Storytime programme, designed to support libraries to inspire families with children aged 0–5 to share stories together and make visiting their local library part of everyday life.
Bookstart Storytime evaluations
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Read more about how Bookstart Storytime is making a difference to libraries and families.
Explore more of BookTrust’s research, including our latest impact report, and interactive benefits of reading summary.
More from Bookstart Storytime
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Here are some suggestions, tips and resources to help you to deliver a great Bookstart Storytime session in your library.
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Here are some ideas and resources to help bring Bookstart Storytime to life.