• New to Booktime?

    Posted Friday August 27th 2010 by Natasha Worswick

    Around this time each year, we get a big influx of visitors who for various reasons are new to Booktime. If you're the parent of a reception class child, new teacher or librarian, the chances are you're one of them.

    There's never been a better time to enjoy being part of Booktime, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to fill you in by telling you a bit about what you can expect!

    Each year, Booktime gives free books to children starting primary school. Last year was our biggest yet, with more than a quarter of a million children receiving one of our book packs, which featured Mr Big by Ed Vere and The Booktime Book of Fantastic First Poems. In England more than 17,000 schools and 2,700 libraries also received resource packs to help create classroom activities and encourage family reading. You can find out lots more about the benefits of Booktime by reading our review of last year.

    For 2010, we're doing it all again with "Slowly, Slowly, Slowly" Said the Sloth by Eric Carle. It's a great story that celebrates difference, with the perfect tempo for family reading.

    Included in the…

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  • Posted Friday August 27th 2010 by book time

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  • Making time with Booky

    Posted Wednesday August 25th 2010 by Natasha Worswick

    If there's one thing we believe in here at Booktime, it's that reading with your little one can be an amazing experience for both of you.

    But we also know that, if you're not already in the habit of reading together, it can be hard to make it part of your daily routine. There are a few simple ways we know to bring books into your life, so we asked Booky to tell you all about them in our top tips film.

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  • Eric Carle's messages for Booktime

    Posted Tuesday August 24th 2010 by Emma Campbell

    Photograph © Motoko Inoue

    Would you like to hear from a children's book legend?

    On Friday, Eric Carle very kindly filmed his responses to some questions from Booktime. We'll be posting the footage in September so you can hear for yourself what Eric's favourite books are, listen to his message for children receiving his book, and find out one of the reasons he thinks the sloth is so wonderful. (Here's a clue - it's something a sloth does only once a week.)

    In the meantime, here's a photo from the filming that gives you a glimpse into Eric Carle's studio.

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  • What a difference 8 months make

    Posted Friday August 20th 2010 by Emma Campbell

    It’s just a few weeks until book pack deliveries start. We’re so excited about this year’s materials, and can’t wait to hear what children, parents, carers, teachers and librarians think of them.

    I had a bit of a flashback today as I tidied up my desk (an exciting annual activity). I found the very first samples we received, back in January, when we were deciding on our book pack items. I’m quite new to the world of production so it amazes me that in six months we went from blank cardboard to a whole set of colourful materials that we really hope families will enjoy sharing this autumn.

    From this, in January:

    Booktime 2010 proofs

    To this, in August:

    Booktime pack 2010 Sloth

    You can read about all the items that families, schools and libraries will receive this autumn on our Booktime in England round up page.

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