Back in June last year, inspired by Michael Rosen’s Just Read programme on BBC4, we held a meeting of publishers, agents, booksellers, reviewers, authors, illustrators, librarians and educators to look at how the children’s book world in general might get together to encourage all schools to become reading schools. Working in children’s books, we all have experience of visiting wonderful schools with talented and committed teachers who are doing their utmost to get children not only functionally literate but also reading for pleasure. They understand the enormous benefits this brings in life. But, there are also schools where they are teaching children to read but, for a variety of reasons, are failing to help children take the next step in becoming life-long readers. This draft statement asks the new government to address this disparity and has been created with lots of help from a variety of sources including teachers, heads and teacher trainers. To date, we have the support of 

The NUT

The Association of Authors Agents

National Literacy Trust

Book Trust

School Library Association

Our aim is to get as many organisations and individuals to sign up as possible online. We plan present the statement to the new government after the election. 

Elaine McQuade, Children’s Publishing Consultant 
Michael Rosen, Author and ex Children’s Laureate 
Celia Rees. Author 
Caroline Horn, Editor, Reading Zone