LISA SALMON looks at the efforts of the Children's Laureate to rekindle interest in bedtime story sessions.
THERE'S nothing nicer for a child than to snuggle up with their mum or dad and have a good book read to them. Such lovely family moments undoubtedly help instil a love of reading in children, which is vital both for education and pleasure for life.
But recent research by the National Literacy Trust shows that children's reading enjoyment may be declining, so Children's Laureate Jacqueline Wilson has stepped in to help.
From the moment she was made Children's Laureate a year ago, the award-winning children's author has made it clear that she wanted to focus on developing a love of reading in young children. And as part of that aim, she has helped compile a new guide for parents, Great Books To Read Aloud.
''I wanted to do something specific that would help children to enjoy books,'' she says. ''If you read aloud to children right from when they're babies, they come to associate books with being cuddled up with a parent and having a good time.''
The guide lists 70 good books for reading aloud, and also includes tips to make storytime more fun. The recommended books - which include just one by Wilson herself, The Story of Tracy Beaker - cater for an age range from babies to teenagers.
''A lot of parents are good at reading picture books to toddlers, but once the child can read, they think there's no point reading aloud any more,'' says Jacqueline. ''But when children are aged between about five and seven, and are plodding laboriously through learning to read, it's a lovely way of carrying on making stories exciting for them.''
The benefits of reading aloud include giving young children the chance to experience things beyond their world, and giving them access to new words and phrases, which will improve their spoken and written vocabulary. And it doesn't just benefit children - it's great for parents too.
''I know parents have very busy lives, and sometimes reading to your child at night is the last thing you want to do, but it's a lovely time, and a great way to wind down," says Jacqueline. "It's a simple, cosy thing to do that doesn't cost any money - you can get books from the library.''
Lots of different noises and funny faces are great when reading to children, but parents who aren't particularly good at it shouldn't worry, says the Children's Laureate. ''Children don't really mind if you read without too much expression - they're happy to sit back and let the world of the story wash over them,'' she says.
Julia Strong, director of the National Literacy Trust's National Reading Campaign, says: ''It's long been understood that reading aloud to children is the single best way of getting them to read themselves. It's great that Jacqueline Wilson is interested in it like this. We all enjoy hearing a good story and once the child can read, they can share the reading aloud with their parents.''
* Great Books To Read Aloud, compiled by Jacqueline Wilson (Random House, £1).
Published: 09/05/2006
