TR&W
| review
VERDICT:
Wisewords
A home library is a consistently
powerful predictor of academic
achievement, and for some a
Story Hunters packmight put
their first books on the shelf. So
it plays a valuable role in creating
a taste for fiction, non-fiction
and poetry, and promoting the
skills and knowledge that foster
literacy and lead to lifelong
academic advantages.
It is absolutely essential that
children and young people have
access to books and reading, so
hats off to Story Hunters. Books
shouldn’t be luxuries, they should
be a necessity alongside food,
shelter and health. This initiative
makes that more of a reality.
TEACH READING & WRITING
45
I
maginebeingeightyearsoldandreceiving
aparceladdressedtoyou.Theexcitement
gripsasyouopenitup.Insidearetwobooks,
ajotter,apencilandacoupleofpens.There’s
alsoaposterandapersonalisedletter.By
nowyou’dbefeelingprettyhappyandspecial.
NowimaginegettingTheUsborneOfficial
Astronaut’sHandbookwitha foreword
fromTimPeake, andfindingoutmoreabout
eating, sleepingandgoing tothe looon the
International SpaceStation. Or, howabout
gettingOttolineandtheYellowCatby
Children’sLaureateChrisRiddell – readingalong
andusing the jotter andpens tohelpOttoline
solveacrime?Thenimaginegettingaparcellike
thiseverymonth for half ayear!Well, if you’rea
StoryHunter, thiscanhappen for real.
StoryHunters is thenewly launched reading
initiative fromreadingcharityBookTrust, a
model builton theaward-winningLetterbox
Club, whichaims toprovideenjoyable
educational support for looked-after children
aged5-13. Childrenaresignedupbyschools,
theneverymonth fromOctober2016toMarch
2017pupilsaresent acolourful, personalised
parcel ofbooks, activities, stationeryand
other complementarymaterials toboost their
educational outcomes.
For£99per student (andschoolscanuse
PupilPremium),themonthlypacksincludeat
leasttwohigh-qualityandage-appropriate
books(fiction,non-fictionorpoetry)thatare
idealforindependentorsharedreading.Thereis
alsoafunandengagingwritinggameoractivity,
apersonallettertothechildwithideasabout
howtousethematerialsandstickers,andletters
fromwell-knownchildren’sauthorsthatcanact
asahooktoreadmorebooksbythatauthoror
fromaparticularseries.
Thenon-gender-specifictitlesarecarefully
selectedtoreflectthediversityoflifeinBritain.
Theyarebooksthatcapturecuriosityandinspire
adialoguebetweenparents/carersandtheir
children–establishingandfeedingacultureof
readingathomethatisthegreatestharbingerof
successforstrugglingorreluctantreaders.
Whythisinitiativeworkssowellisthatitaims
toinspirechildrentoread,writeanddrawmore
regularly,todevelopgoodhabits,spendtime
sharingthebooksandactivitieswithothers
andtoincreasetheirconfidenceandenjoyment
ofreading.It’scleartoseehowtheparcelscan
extendchildren’sreadingrepertoiretoo,asStory
Huntersoffersaccesstoawiderangeofgenres.
Andit’salsoagreatwaytobuildlinksbetween
schoolandhome.
It’sestimatedthataroundfourmillionchildren
intheUKdon’townasinglebook.Andchildren
whodon’townabookarealmostthreetimes
morelikelytohaveliteracylevelsbelowthe
norm.Butforfamilieswithlittletonodisposable
income,booksoftenjustaren’thighonthelistof
priorities.Ontheotherhand,somereluctantor
strugglingreadersmightownplentyofbooks,
butonesthatsitgatheringdustontheshelves.
ThisiswhereBookTrustcanhelp.
Byprovidingbooksonceamonth,thecharity
giveschildrenamagiccarpettootherworlds.
Havingmaterialssenttothem,bearingtheir
name,willmakethemfeelimportant,excitedand
pleasedthatsomeoneisinterestedinhowthey
aregettingon.
It’swidelyknownthatreadingforpleasure
hasadramaticimpactonchildren’seducational
outcomes,wellbeingandsocialmobility,whichis
whythisinitiativedeservesastandingovation.
StoryHuntersgiveschildrentheopportunityto
experiencetherichandpositiveglowabookcan
provide,helpingtoempowerthembyignitinga
loveofreadingandboostingtheirconfidence.
StoryHunters
Contact:
booktrust.org.uk/storyhunters,02078018825
Reviewedby:
JohnDabell
