Bookstart is promoting the day with posters, bookmarks and stickerssporting a specially designed jungle image donated by The Gruffaloillustrator Axel Scheffler.
The Bookstart concept originated and was piloted in Birmingham in 1992.It has grown rapidly since then, with affiliated schemes now running inmany other countries in Europe to as far afield as Thailand, Australiaand the Falkland Islands. It is promoted as 'the national programme thatencourages all parents and carers to enjoy books with children from asearly an age as possible.'
In the UK, Bookstart is government-funded, and is co-ordinated by thearts charity Booktrust. Booksellers and publishers provide many of thebooks at low cost or, in some cases, free.
The principal aim of the scheme is to provide every baby with free booksto inspire and stimulate a lifelong love of reading. Further packs ofbooks are now being made available to toddlers and three-year-olds.
There are now four different book packs, all available for free:
- The first Bookstart bag is usually given out by the health visitorwhen a baby visits the clinic for their seven- to nine- month check.
- Bookstart Plus is given out when a child is between 18 months and twoand a half years old.
- My Bookstart Treasure Chest is given to all three-year-olds, mostlythrough libraries.
- Booktouch is a special pack for blind or partially-sighted childrenaged from birth to four. This one needs to be specially ordered from aBookstart co-ordinator.
Many of the Bookstart advice leaflets, promotional materials and thepicture books themselves can be obtained in a range of other languagesfor families whose first language is not English.
MORE INFORMATION
Visit the Bookstart website to find out more about National BookstartDay, check out the jungle face-painting and activity tips andrecommended booklists, and find out anything you need to know about theBookstart scheme itself. Go to www.bookstart.org.uk and click on theEarly Years Professionals section.
If you have not received a free pack of posters and promotionalmaterials, they can be obtained by e-mailingnationalbookstartday@booktrust.org.uk.
