BookTrust and the Sun on Sunday team up for Books For Kids campaign

Published on: 01 February 2021

The Books for Kids campaign will get books out to the children who need them most during lockdown.

BookTrust and the Sun on Sunday have joined forces and launched the Books for Kids campaign to help families during lockdown and get books into the hands of children who need it most.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for many families and the latest lockdown means that access to books and reading support is even harder for many children.

Running for the next four weeks, the Sun on Sunday is asking readers to support the campaign by sending in their old and worn-out children's books for recycling.

BookTrust will then distribute new books, carefully chosen by its experts, to families across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, working with schools, housing associations, children's centres and other partners, so that children across the country don't miss out on the life-changing benefits of reading and sharing stories.

Diana Gerald, BookTrust CEO said: 'We know that the past ten months have been really hard for families and children. 

'Reading is such a great way for children to relax, get off those screens and it's great for their education too.

'We're really pleased to be partnering with the Sun on Sunday to get books into the hands of children who really need them.'

The campaign has also secured the backing of Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, who said, 'Books fire a child's imagination, improve literacy and open doors to new worlds, not to mention the positive impact they can have on mental health. That is why we put such an emphasis on reading in schools and why I support this campaign.'

Here are just some of the books that we'll be sending out as part of the Books for Kids campaign:

• Billy and the Dragon by Nadia Shireen
• Unlocking the Universe by Stephen & Lucy Hawking Illustrator: Jan Bielecki
• Real-Life Disasters by Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker
• Splish Splash Ducky by Lucy Cousins
• Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin and Lauren Tobia
• Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott