CROSBY author Frank Cottrell Boyce read from his children’s book Framed at a number of special sessions at Liverpool Central Library yesterday.
Cottrell Boyce and fellow author Bali Rai met 400 schoolchildren from Liverpool at the Booked Up event as part of a government scheme to give a free book to every 11-year-old in the country.
Framed and Rai’s Dream On, a fantasy tale about a boy who dreams of making it to Liverpool Football Club’s training academy, are on the list of 12 titles for schoolchildren to choose from.
Cottrell Boyce, whose work includes the screenplays for 24 Hour Party People and A Cock and Bull Story as well as the children’s book and film Millions, said: “We were asked to come along to this event and it has been great, the kids have been so enthusiastic and it gets them excited about reading.
“They’ve been talking to us and asking us questions – they always ask how much money do you earn or what car do you drive.
“This a unique and very special programme.”
Rai, who is based in Leicester but dedicated Dream On to Liverpool Football Club, added: “Anything that gets kids reading is fantastic and it is wonderful to see kids smiling and enjoying it – it’s all about literacy.
“It’s really wonderful that the children have all had that experience of reading a book together.
Nearly every secondary school in England has signed up to take part in the free programme, which is in the process of distributing more than half a million books to Year 7 pupils.
It is designed to encourage reading for pleasure and to maintain the development of reading levels between Years 6 and 7 as children make the important transition from primary through to secondary education.
Booked Up has also launched its own interactive website, and more than 300,000 children have logged on to read reviews of the 12 books, to get exclusive celebrity book recommendations, enter competitions, and share their views in live web chats with authors and readers all over the country.
Viv Bird, Director of Booktrust, said: “We believe that giving each child the opportunity to choose books of their own, from a first-class range of titles, will develop their interest and confidence in reading at a critical time in their education.
“Reading should always be for pleasure, and the popularity of the Booked Up website shows that pupils are already really keen to talk about the books and to keep reading.”
vickyanderson
