Maia reading

In her first blog for the new Bookstart website, Rosemary Clarke (Director of Bookstart and bookgifting programmes) shares a beautiful video with us on Maia and her reading journey from birth.

This film is pure serendipity.

It is a collection of photographs and film clips of Maia with her father, Paul and her mother, Beatrice.

The film was put together hastily in February so that I could include it as part of my speech at our Booktrust Conference in March 2009.

We had never consciously decided to make a film of Maia with her books. Therefore, it was pleasing that, among the abundance of photos and film clips, we had captured many pictures of Maia growing to love sharing books with her mummy and daddy. Only the last two clips were ‘filmed to order’.

We were thrilled with the results.

In Booktrust we believe it is never too early to start loving books and it is never too late either. This film shows what happens when a baby is given a love of stories, songs and rhymes from the start.

Although it is only six minutes long the film contains an enormous amount of useful information and it is worth watching twice.

Here is how you might use it: firstly let the audience watch the film without interruption. Then, play it again and use the guidance notes to hold a quiz to get people talking about the film. The quiz is just for fun and there is no definitive number of ‘ticks.’ Alternatively you could watch it again and keep pausing to consider the various interactions and activities.

The activities and interactions in this film are well within the capacity of the vast majority of parents, grand parents and carers. We hope seeing and discussing the film will help to increase confidence in sharing books.

We are very interested to hear what you think of the film, how you use it and how it is received. Please contact me at Rosemary.clarke@booktrust.org.uk

Rosemary Clarke

Director of Bookstart and of Bookgifting programmes, Booktrust

Click here to download the guidance notes