Abstract

Concern about children's reading is an international issue highlighted by continuing OECD research. Government actions such as the priority given to reading in the review of the National Curriculum reflect current UK concern. Reading is an essential life skill not only for an individual's development and life chances but for social cohesion and a developed democracy. In an era of public spending cuts it is important to reflect upon the impact that libraries can have in growing readers for the future. This much-needed book provides valuable evidence of successes so far both nationally and internationally, and offers ideas for future development as well as inspiration for current practice. An edited collection contributed by expert practitioners, it covers all aspects of promoting reading to and with children and young people from birth right through to teenage years, including the following key topics: it's never too soon to start - the importance of Bookstart; how children begin to read; creating young readers - teachers and librarians at work; literacy, libraries and literature in New Zealand; the Summer Challenge in libraries - a continuing success; Stockport does Book Idol - a case study linking libraries and schools to inspire reading for pleasure; there and back again - restoring reading to the classroom; promoting excellence - shadowing the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals; choice and motivation - local book awards; the sport of reading - the international Kids' Lit Quiz; adventure in the book trade - libraries and partnerships; the hard to reach reader in the 21st century; and, creative reading and insideadog.com.au. Offering future scoping for managers and aiming to inspire partnership and cooperation, this will be invaluable reading for practitioners and students of librarianship in both the public and school sectors. It will also be of great interest to all teachers, consultants and educators concerned with literacy and reading, and to policy makers in both the school and library sectors.
"The timing of this seminal work, edited by Joy Court, could not be better. As the status of public and school libraries comes under review and concern about the place of reading for pleasure in young people's lives continues, this excellent reference books gathers together all the evidence needed to make a case for promoting the joy of reading to children...It will surely become a standard work for anyone involved in the business of getting young people to read for pleasure." - The School Librarian
"...a praiseworthy reflection of the determination and creativity of librarians up and down the country." - Refer
Joy Court is a Past Chair of CILIP Youth Libraries Group, a CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Coordinator, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Member of the National Council of UKLA.