At the heart of the book trade since 1858
Issue 6082
Editor's Letter Brave hearts T
his week, Bloomsbury Children’s Books’ publishing director Rebecca McNally, with the help of The Bookseller’s Children’s Conference, called on the new
Literacy, and the decline in the number of children reading for pleasure, was a theme of The Bookseller’s Children’s Conference
Government to commit itself to a comprehensive reading for pleasure programme. In an open leter to Keir Starmer, signed by delegates at the conference and now available to sign online (see QR code on the front cover), McNally wrote: “We call on you as Prime Minister to make a cross- government commitment to prioritise the role of reading for pleasure for children. This would be an investment in the wellbeing, social mobilit and life chances of our children and the prosperit and success of the UK.” An investment in reading for pleasure is an investment in the UK’s future. Literacy, and the decline in the number of children read- ing for pleasure—essentially less than 50%, with a similar decline at the adult level—was a theme of the conference, with McNally kicking things off by taking us back to 1997 when the last new Labour government had come to power and a litle known wizard called Harry Poter was starting to cast his own reading charm. As McNally recalled, there was a sense of a reading crisis back then, too, with World Book Day founded in the same year. But she added pointedly, “I don’t remember ever receiving a leter from a UK school asking me to send them free books for their libraries”. We know this crisis is about more than access to books, it is also about investment in schools and libraries, and tackling wider inequalit. It is also about modelling—passing on our habit to a younger generation.
“We must become ‘reading for pleasure’ champions,” said McNally, activists for a “start reading” initiative.
At the conference, Sweet Cherry publisher Sanjee de Silva spoke about its communit-focused initiatives, from the Every Cherry imprint to making audio versions available for those who are not yet comfortable readers (including parents and children)—this opportunit to listen as well as read an important part of what audio can offer.
Storymix founder Jasmine Richards talked about repre- sentation, urging the sector to cease rolling back the initia- tives seen since the “Black Square Summer” of 2020, urging us all to be braver, and stop hiding away in silos. The impor- tance of being seen was a theme later picked up by Penguin Random House’s senior social impact manager Zaahida Nabagereka, who leads on the Lit in Colour campaign that is an atempt to widen the curriculum in order to reflect the audience. She spoke about how diversifying the reading lists meant children were more engaged with the texts they are asked to study, ultimately enjoying them more. We heard, too, that graphic novels are booming, the medium bucking the wider reading trend, with author and illustrator Jamie Smart telling the audience to look to comics as a success story, and dispel the “nonsense” that this is a lesser activit. With investment, he added, “it could all get way beter”.
he nonsense tment, he
But really, the focus here should be on the Government to provide the platform on which we can all build. I urge everyone reading this to sign the McNally leter. Let’s be brave, let’s be bold, but above all, let’s not let up.
on the
n which ng this t let’s be
Next issue: 11th October New Titles: Non-Fiction, January 2025
Philip Jones @philipdsjones Contents4th October 2024 04
I need to work through this sadness, anger and despair and come out at the other end and feel at peace
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“We are calling on the Prime Minister to make a cross-government commitment to prioritise the role of reading for pleasure for children.”
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