Bookstart news
5 August
Discover the best new children's books
The Early Years Awards shortlist has been announced – read reviews and more!
19 July
Looking for great books to share?
Find the next book to share with your baby, toddler or preschooler in our revamped recommended books section.
20 June
View photos from National Bookstart Day events
Seaside fun ahoy! Check out the gallery here
11 June
It's National Bookstart Day!
Thousands of exciting family events will be taking place nationwide. Also, explore our online resources - including how to hold your own beach party at home.
28 May
For Professionals:
Bookstart Annual Reports available to download. Reports are from various Local Authorities, including Plymouth, Kent and North Somerset
26 April
Win free picture books
Hurry - only a few days until our April competition closes!
26 April 2010
For Professionals: Bedtime Reading resources now available
Download posters, get events ideas and much more
30 March 2010
National Bookstart Day confirmed for Friday 11 June!
National Bookstart Day this year is in June, and to celebrate our new summer setting our theme is At The Seaside.
Read more about National Bookstart Day this year
9 February 2010
Love a Picture Book brochure
When author Joyce Dunbar sent Booktrust this picture book manifesto we decided to produce a leaflet in celebration of the power of picture books.
Illustrator, Katie Cleminson, winner of Booktrust's 2009 Early Years Award for best emerging illustrator has provided beautiful illustrations.
If you are a parent or carer we hope Love a Picture Book insprires you to share a picture book with your child.
Download Love a Picture Book (Adobe 468kb)
5 February 2010
Welsh homepage
We now have a dedicated Welsh homepage, where you can find all things Bookstart Wales-related - case studies, monthly updates, bilingual resources and more. To access it, just click on the Cymru/Wales link in the top right corner of the main Bookstart homepage.
2 February 2010
The Rhyme Challenge 2010
Booktrust are pleased to announce the launch of The Rhyme Challenge 2010! The main aim of the Challenge is to encourage a love of rhymes and early poetry in a fun and informal way - read on for more details.
1 February 2010
Bookstart Slough January newsletter
Read about what Slough Bookstart have been up to this month - upcoming events, Dads' music times, Book Borrowing project and more.
1 February 2010
February Bookstart competition is now open!
It's free to enter, anyone with a child under five is eligible and all you have to do is answer a simple question to be in to win two great books - Flash the Fish by Alison Maloney and Footprints in the Snow by Mei Matsuoka.
1 February 2010
For professionals: Gifting Booktouch and Bookshine packs
Read information and examples of good practice about gifting Booktouch and Bookshine packs to children with disabilities.
1 February 2010
Parents' blog: Evelyn loves Booktouch
A mother shares her feedback after receiving a Booktouch pack for her little girl.
26 January 2010
Professionals' blog: Hampton-in-Arden Bookstart Christmas Storytime
Read Steve Palmer's report from Hampton-in-Arden library, the smallest library in Solihull.
22 January 2010
Professionals' blog: What a difference just one Treasure Chest can make!
Great work by Irene Peachey (Library Outreach Worker for Rochdale libraries) shows how gifting Bookstart packs can help encourage parents and their children to join the library.
18 January 2010
For professionals: Booktrust bookgifting Longitudinal study
Booktrust is delighted to announce that it has awarded a contract to HighScope Educational Research Foundation to conduct a major longitudinal study on the impact of the Bookstart programme. The five year study aims to investigate the impact of the programme on reading behaviours in the home and on child development.
HighScope have been at the forefront of research on early years education for over forty years. The foundation is perhaps best known for its ground breaking 'HighScope Perry Preschool Study' that demonstrated the long term benefits of reading and literacy-focused interventions for children born into poverty and at risk of social exclusion.
For further information on HighScope:
www.highscope.org
We also have a steering committee that consists of the following members:
Maria Evangelou, University of Oxford
Peter Hannon, University of Sheffield
Ailbe McNabola, MLA
Christina Clarke, National Literacy Trust
Heather Joshi, Institute for Education
11 January 2010
Parents’ blog: Matthew loves Green Eggs and Ham
We’ve got a great new blog from Jennifer about her experiences of reading Green Eggs and Ham with her four-year-old son Matthew, and her great ideas for helping the book come alive.
5 January 2010
January competition
This month we have two kitty-themed books up for grabs: Mr Pusskins Best in Show and I Don’t Want a Cool Cat. To enter, just answer a simple question and you’re in to win. *This competition is now closed*
4 January 2010
December competition result
We had a great range of entries for our Anthony Browne drawing competition and Anthony judged his favourites: Oscar from Falmouth and Megan from Glasgow, with Louis from London as runner-up. Click here to see all the entries (and have a play on the drawing tool).
