Reading Matters New Website

We are really pleased to have a new website that really promotes and supports all Reading Matters activities. With details of our key services (Reading Mentors, Reading Leaders, Reading Families and Reading Teams) and downloadable resources including Fun Sheets, Case Studies, Research and Information Packs.

Take a look at www.readingmatters.org.uk, and get involved:

• Leave a comment on the blog
• See the latest updates from our Facebook page, please like us! 
• Sign up for the new Email Bulletin 
• Check out the Events Calendar

This blog has been incorporated into the new website, so in future posts will be added there. You may want to update any subscriptions you have set up.

A week of shortlists

Every blog post I have read this week seems to mention a new book award shortlist:

• The 2012 Carnegie Medal Shortlist - My Name is Mina by David Almond shortlisted again!
• The 2012 Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlist - We love There Are No Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz in our house!
• 2012 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize - winner, The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle, looks absolutely brilliant
• English Association Primary Website Book Awards Shortlist - This is a new one for me, a very nice list,  I must get  a copy of I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

The BFG is 30 - lets have a frobscottle

The BFG cropped up at our recent Volunteer Reading Mentors meeting. One of our smashing Reading Mentors has being using Roald Dahl's book in her reading sessions. The super use of language is working really well with her partner who can identify with the spellings and phrases such as  "human beans" and "snozzcumbers".

Then on the Schools Librarian Association Blog I learn the BFG is 30 years old! On the 13 September you can celebrate his birthday. So plenty of time to start planning some fun. Download the pdf leaflet.

Reading Matters on Breeze Culture Network

We are really pleased to be featured on the new Breeze Culture Network website:

We are running a series of training courses for school and setting staff in Leeds next term, so it is the perfect way to promote these; along side loads of other great events and resources.

Leeds Reading Mentors Training

We have a couple of nice Reading Mentors training courses coming up in Leeds. A workshop for co-ordinations of volunteer reading mentors in schools and other settings. And an accredited training course for reading mentors themselves.

Managing Reading Mentors Workshop - 17/4/12

Half day workshop to develop best practice recruiting, supporting and managing volunteer reading mentors from the local community.

• Establishing an effective programme of one-to-one reading sessions 
• Free USB-stick loaded with template documents to manage the programme 
• Access to Reading Matters resources and advice 

£95 per person

Reading Mentors Training - 3/5/12

An in-depth one day training course to maximise the effectiveness of your reading mentors:

• Identification of reading difficulties
• How to work one-to-one effectively
• Using appropriate reading resources
• Reading age assessment
• Techniques to improve reading skills
• Supporting the Literacy Curriculum
• Safeguarding children
• Prepare for NOCN Level 2 accreditation

£195 per person

To book contact Reading Matters:
info@readingmatters.org.uk, 01274 692219

Showcomotion Youth Jury

This afternoon Reading Matters meeting for Reading Mentors and Co-ordinators is kindly being hosted by The Showroom Cinema. 


We will be there because we have some exciting events lined up as part of the Showcomotion, Young People's Film Festival; watch this space!


In the meantime, they are looking for to recruit members of the Showcomotion Youth Jury members to watch some great films, and award the Showcomotion Jury Award for 2012.

I think it would be perfect for our Reading Leaders, but great for any young people aged 11 to 18, so why not get involved...

World Read Aloud Day 2012

It is World Read Aloud Day today, 7 March 2012. As the organisers LitWorld say:

"Take Action for Global Literacy, Celebrate the Power of Words, Change the World"

Check out the Facebook page for more info.

World Book Day 2012

1 week to go before World Book Day 2012, on 1 March. As ever it looks really great;

• The £1 books look cool; get  your tokens ready.
• The Biggest Show on Earth, online festival, includes some amazing authors and illustrators.
• Nominate a Storytelling Superstar.
• Play games, enter a competition or attend an event (including one at the Houses of Parliament).
• There are tons of Resources for schools, libraries, bookshops etc.

Almost too much to take in, have fun!

Book awards, competitions and festivals

I've spotted a few nice book-themed activities recently.

• Blue Peter Book Awards 2012, they are also trying yo find
• The Best Children's Book of the Last 10 Years
• BBC 500 Words story-writing competition with Chris Evans
• Schools Minister Nick Gibb's new reading competition
• Redhouse Children's Book Award, the 2012 winner will be announced at the...
• Imagine Children's Festival - 11 - 26 February - it's on now!

Video: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Great book-themed animation, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.



Their descriptions sums it all up better than I could:

Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, “Morris Lessmore” is a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor. Morris Lessmore is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques (miniatures, computer animation, 2D animation) award winning author/ illustrator William Joyce and Co-director Brandon Oldenburg present a new narrative experience that harkens back to silent films and M-G-M Technicolor musicals. “Morris Lessmore” is old fashioned and cutting edge at the same time.

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is one of five animated short films that will be considered for outstanding film achievements of 2011 in the 84th Academy Awards ®.

[thanks to Drawn]

Lists and Comics and Graphic Novels

I recently treated myself to 1001 Comic Books: You Must Read Before You Die. I love lists, I think it's a male thing. It's given me a long list of books to read, top of that list is Habibi by Craig Thompson.
As I was reading 1001 Comic Books, the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) produced a list of the top ten graphic novels for teen readers. This is one of many YALSA list another is Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers. These top 10s have been nicely presented by the Walking Brain Cells blog.

I think graphic novels and comics are perfect for the young people we support here at Reading Matters. Bridging the two lists (graphic novels and quick picks for reluctant readers) is DC Comics Ultimate Character Guide. Again, there is something about lists that really appeals to boys. I had to buy a last minute Christmas present for a 10 year old friend. I went for LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia. I am not usually a great present selector, but this one was a massive success.

I'd urge you to check out some of these lists, there's something for everyone!

Prime Minister says "Reading Matters"

David Cameron reads with Divine Obijiaku: from Evening Standard Website

There is a nice article on the Evening Standard website about the Prime Minister's visit to a London school. He was checking out the Get London Reading campaign. It's a very similar model to ours here at Reading Matters; using Reading Volunteers to improve literacy.


To hammer home the point here is a quote

Reading matters for two simple reasons, he told pupils. "If we don't learn to read properly, then everything else in education is a closed book. But above and beyond that, reading is a joy and a pleasure and it is for life."

Picture This! Illustrating Children’s Books at Gallery Oldham

I have just read about the rather wonderful sounding Picture This! Illustrating Children’s Books show at Gallery Oldham on the equally wonderful blog by Lynne Chapman. 


It sounds great, with illustrations from children’s books family activities. It includes some big names too: Shirley Hughes, Anthony Browne, Jez Alborough and Helen Stephens. 

Lynnes' doing a big family event on Saturday 28 January and the exhibition is on to 11 March, so lots of time to make the trip!

Barrington Stoke Solos: Bighead by Vince Cross, Take Two by Jo Cotterill, Bomb by Jim Eldridge and The After School Club by Alison Davies

Over Christmas I read four relatively new books in Barrington Stoke's Solo range. I thought I'd write them up in one go here. Solos are described as 'short, whole novels that offer an easier introduction to real books'. They have a large difference between Reading Age (6.5 years) and Interest Age (11+).

Bighead by Vince Cross
Andy's in a wheelchair after an accident, his Dad has walked out and his Mum's struggling to find direction in her life. Understandably Andy has poor self-esteem, but the band he forms with is friends gives him the inspiration he needs. Bighead, the new band's name, reflects this new found confidence. The band can't fail on their path to stardom, and even Andy's Mum sorts herself out. Bighead is quite a cheesy story, but you can't help but smile.

Take Two by Jo Cotterill
I am afraid to say it, Take Two is aimed purely at a female audience, it includes a lot of pink, stars, dresses and glitter. It explains how Carla and Lily get their own back on the sneaky, arrogant Max. The girls see through him straight away, "he's too up himself", and find a great way to embarrass him. Take Two mixes some British, American and Japanese institutions: rugby, school proms and manga pictures. The blurb on the back tells you all you need to know; One prom + One hot boy + Two best friends = A lot of trouble!

Bomb by Jim Eldridge
I really like the way Bomb is presented; dramatic pictures, lots of talk of MI5 an secret reports. It makes the story of a bomb in a school come to life. Rob is the bomb disposal expert, he is only 19, but he's the best. But he is troubled because his best mate was killed by a terrorist bomb like the one he must face. He has 45 minutes to diffuse the bomb, this is about how much time it might take to read, so it feels like it is in real time, which is a neat trick. It ends with a classic decision of which coloured wire to cut, I won't spoil it for you!

The After School Club by Alison Davies
The pictures and words in The After School Club seem to be telling different stories. Without the pictures it would be  a scary horror story about a secret club. But the images are done in a jokey cartoon way, which reduces the impact of the spookiness. Sam can't resist when Lena, the coolest girl at school asks him to join the 'Hairy Bikers' gang. Inevitably things do not go as he hoped and he has a series of run-ins with the other gang members and school bullies. The big revelation is perhaps easy to spot coming, but it is still a fun read. I would have liked the pictures to been as unsettling as the text though.

Wolf by Tommy Donbavand

I met Tommy Donbavand at the Doncaster Children's Book Award last year, he was short-listed for Zombie!, another Barrington Stoke book. He did a brilliant routine involving giant crabs and toilet-roll mummy children. It was obvious mnosters play a big role in Tommy's world. So it was no surprise to see his latest is Wolf, a werewolf tale.


Wolf tells the story of a normal boy called Adam's incredible transformation one evening, and the amazing reactions of his parents. 


Adam's first concern when claws rip out of his fingers "mum's going to kill me when she saw the mess!" That turns out to be the least of his worries, as a very gruesome transform takes place. The chapter names describe the process: Claws, Fur, Tail, Snout, Eyes, Spine and Teeth! I particularly like the Fur chapter; "it did feel like I was wearing a thick dressing gown."


More remarkable than the transformation is Adam's parent clam reaction to it. They are pretty prepared for it. As Adam struggles to overcome his animal instincts and work-out why his parents are behaving so oddly, it builds to a truly shocking final couple of pages.


Brilliant, horrific stuff. I hope I catch up with Tommy again soon, he is much friendlier in real life.

Free to download: How to Choose Children’s Books

I just got a copy of the free to download: How to Choose Children’s Books by Aaron Mead.

It is really comprehensive, and just a little over-whelming!

It contains

• Practical tips on picking great books for kids of all ages—infant through young adult.
• Guidance on what makes books attractive and developmentally valuable for children.
• Analysis of themes, illustrations, stories, and the use of humor in children’s books.
• Philosophical reflections on the role of children’s books in the development of moral character.
• A comprehensive list of online resources for finding excellent children’s literature, including book lists, sources of professional book reviews, and children’s literature blogs.

A key message for me, is that just because a book looks attractive to an adult doesn't mean it is going to be right for a young person. 

It's an eBook so full of links to further reviews and resources. I think our Reading Mentors, families and other people working one-to-one with young people will find it very interesting.