There is a story-writing competition on the website, plus downloadable teachers’ resources giving more information on the book, etc,

The Reading Agency’s Chatterbooks reading groups for children is a reading group programme for children aged 4 to 14 years. Its patron is top children’s author Dame Jacqueline Wilson. Chatterbooks groups run in libraries and schools, supporting children’s literacy development by encouraging them to have a really good time reading and talking about books.

Chatterbooks gives schools a best practice model for running reading groups, developed with expert librarians and teachers. Being part of Chatterbooks provides you with:

• ready to use resources

• lots of ideas for fun, creative sessions

• promotions from leading publishers featuring the best in children’s books.

We also partner with the British Council’s Schools Online, using Chatterbooks to link UK and overseas schools. 

Why work with Chatterbooks ? The links between reading for pleasure and attainment are well documented, and recently highlighted in Ofsted’s report ‘Moving English Forward in Education’.  Chatterbooks is an ideal way to promote a love of reading - sessions are designed to give children confidence in speaking, writing and reading in a group, choosing books for themselves, and talking about what they like to read.  You can use Chatterbooks in whatever way works best for your school – for example in supporting reading recovery; engaging boys in reading; with gifted and talented children; or supporting transition.

With Chatterbooks 2012 you can:

• Join Chatterbooks for free
• Get free best practice support from the website and e-letter, for setting up and running a Chatterbooks group
• Get new title information about children’s books
• Give children a powerful year round menu of free resources from publishers

Buy special welcome packs for children (set of 10 packs £50) and starter packs for group leaders (£20 )  with 10% discount for SLA members!

What people are saying about Chatterbooks:

Mrs S Robson, Head Teacher, Bridgewater School in Newcastle: Chatterbooks is a very popular lunch time club that we value greatly. The children love going and it is an ideal opportunity for them to enjoy books. We are very fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers who run the sessions and the children have built up excellent relationships with them. The club has not only developed children's love of books but has also had an impact on their reading ability.

(NB: This is a group that's growing fast, with around 30 children in total participating, as they run groups in lunchtime slots.)

Pamela Barnes, Head Teacher, Devonshire Road Primary School in Bolton: Chatterbooks was a huge success with my Year Six group. It encouraged them to read books they would otherwise not have dreamed of trying, including some very challenging reads. It was fabulous to hear them enthusing over their reading and recommending books to other pupils; it definitely had a positive effect on other pupils’ reading as well as their own. The Chatterbooks materials helped set up the club as something special – they all loved their bag of goodies and I made good use of the ideas that Chatterbooks provides. I think the Chatterbooks branding also helped it to appeal to a diverse range of pupils; 30% of my group were boys, for example, and 50% spoke English as an additional language.’
Faith Ward, parent: ‘Matthew (now nearly 10) has been struggling with his reading and lacked confidence in tackling books.  Since being part of Chatterbooks (at Chippenham Library) he has enjoyed reading a great deal more, sped through the school’s reading scheme and become a ‘free reader’ in October 2011.  He is currently reading a book of nearly 600 pages (slowly but surely), a feat I never thought he would want to do.’

For offers, stories, downloadable resources, and details of materials for sale, see the Chatterbooks web page at www.readinggroups.org/chatterbooks  - and get started with Chatterbooks! Win a free Chatterbooks group leader’s starter pack!

Interactive Gingerbread session starts with reading out the story of the Gingerbread Man using finger puppets and hand actions to illustrate “run, run as fast you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread man.” The children then get to make something delicious all linked into the story and join in with games and activities all based around a ginger theme. At the end of the session everyone sits down and reads the story again before going home.

CookieTots class leaders bring exciting, practical & interactive lessons about healthy eating through storytelling. Different recipes give the children a chance to explore their senses and express their creativity whilst reading encourages language learning and increases vocabulary skills. For more information on Gingerbread Man Cook N Book session or other storytelling classes please contact Nikki Geddes on 07976 619 648 or email hale@kiddycook.co.uk

BFG FLYER

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The BFG is 30 this year; I think it might be all the late nights that make him look a lot older…  To celebrate Puffin are inviting you to ‘Dream Big with The BFG’ in order to win some ‘dream come true’ prizes.

There will be packs and more details to follow. In the meantime please see the flyer attached for registration details, once you’ve registered you’ll receive updates and goodies.

The programme for each of these events will combine presentations from publishers of online resources available through JCS along with discussion about the importance of using quality sources of information, subscription costs and how JCS can help through their consortia discounts.  Check the website for venues, dates and booking details.

Visit www.picturebookpicnic.co.uk  for free activities.

From an initial circulation of only 15,000 it has grown in a year to over 250,000 across the whole of the UK with a readership of an astonishing 1.25 million and growing faster and faster every day. 

The aim has always been to supply a free literacy programme for pupils, parents and even teachers.  PW creates exclusive and exciting activities every issue that really encourage readers to take part.

This is not some secret way of signing up a school to something they will later get charged for.  This is PWs bit to help our society and they welcome any feedback or suggestions you can offer.  If you would like to know more then please call them and they will be delighted to answer any of your questions.

It is completely FREE for a school to join the reading programme.  PW have designed the structure of how it operates to ensure that costs are covered in ways that do not impact on schools.

Primary schools are sent enough magazines so that every pupil and teacher has a copy.  They also add in a few extra for the library.  Secondary schools receive enough for years 7, 8 and 9 plus extra for the library. Or you can tell PW how many you would like your school to receive. They send out a minimum of 50 copies per school.  PW publish a new edition for each magazine every term.  Schools are not charged for receiving the magazines.  This programme is entirely funded by other sources and not by schools.

To join email info[at]publishedworld.com  with your schools details, a main contact and the number of students.  It’s as simple as that.

If you need any more information contact tricia.kings[at]readingagency.org.uk

At just £3.60 a week instead of the normal price of £6 a week, it's the best way to use the paper as a learning resource, in a library or common room.

The subscription is a voucher-based scheme, where a book of issue-dated, personalised vouchers will be sent to an address of your choosing, which can be handed in at any participating retailer in exchange for that day's paper.

Find out more here

Call 0845 120 4733 quoting code HB01 to order or find out more.

Her character-driven books, which feature trolls, hobgoblins and fairy-tale elements and keep the pages turning, have generated an excitement not felt in the industry since Stephenie Meyer or perhaps even J. K. Rowling.’  —New York Times.

Only 26 years old, Amanda Hocking had never sold a single book before 15 April 2010.  She has now sold over one million.  Switched is the first novel in the Trylle Trilogy - published for the first time in paperback, it is already hitting the top of the New York Times bestseller charts and Amanda has just completed a high profile UK tour across TV, radio and press.

Macmillan have 300 FREE copies to give away exclusively to 30 schools (10 books per school)  -  email Ellen at e.wood[at]macmillan.co.uk with your contact address if you would like to take advantage of this offer.

Here is The Guardian front cover article about Amanda  http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jan/12/amanda-hocking-self-publishing - just incase you would like to get some form of context about the books and Amanda Hocking as author.

The links between reading for pleasure and attainment are well documented, and Chatterbooks sessions are designed to give children confidence in speaking, writing and reading in a group, choosing books for themselves, and talking about what they like to read. We provide lots of ideas for fun, creative sessions, and through our partnership with 17 leading children’s publishers Chatterbooks groups get a stream of information and promotions featuring the best in children’s books.

The Reading Agency is an independent charity working to inspire more people to read more.You’ll probably know our work throughthe national Summer Reading Challenge in libraries. There are exciting volunteering opportunities for secondary school pupils, acting as reading buddies to younger children doing the Challenge, and to follow on from this to help run Chatterbooks groups. We provide training to support this activity.  

With Chatterbooks 2012 you can

• join Chatterbooks free

• get free best practice support from the website and e-letter, for setting up and running a Chatterbooks group

• get new title information about children’s books

• give children a powerful year round menu of free resources from publishers

There is a Chatterbooks web page on the Reading Groups for Everyone website, where you can find out who else is in the Chatterbooks network, blog about children’s books and what your group is doing, and get tips and ideas, plus promotions and offers from publishers.   Make sure that your group is signed up and profiled here - at www.readinggroups.org/chatterbooks

You can also get

•   Children’s 2012 Welcome Packs  (set of 10 packs £50)*
•   a 2012 Starter Pack for Group Leaders  (£20 per pack)*

-and when you buy any Chatterbooks packs or training you will also get access to Chatterbooks Extra downloads and offers, including termly ideas packs, creative session plans, Chatterbooks graphics, and special publisher promotions.

Attached is a press release with more detail about Chatterbooks 2012, and an order form and special Early Bird offer for the new materials.

Chatterbooks Order Form

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Chatterbooks 2012 Offer Press Release Final

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*We have a special discount of 10% on all materials (including the Early Bird offer) for all School Library Association members – just quote your SLA membership number when you order.

If you have any enquiries, or need more information about the scheme and accompanying training, just contact us at chatterbooks[at]readingagency.org.uk  - or visit www.readinggroups.org/chatterbooks

Shoutabout Poster

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Check out the new online writing magazine for people under 16 years old.  Shoutabout! is launched by the Children's Writers and Illustrators inSouth London (CWISL). 

Of special interest to SLA Members is the podcast on Children's Fiction, where guests Joe Craig, Jon Mayhew, Tamsyn Murray and Chris Priestley discuss what children like reading, what makes a good protagonist in children's fiction and how children's authors today use social media to connect with their readers.

The presenter, Sue Cook, also introduces a special short story writing competition for Year 7 and 8 students. Those who enter must write a short story of between 900 and 1000 words with the title "The Choice". To take part, students must ask their school librarian to register for the competition. The deadline for entries is 9th January 2012. Full details are available on the National Short Story Week website.

The other two podcasts, on British Short Stories and Women's Fiction, may also be of interest to SLA Members.

The podcasts are available for streaming or download on the SLA website at http://www.sla.org.uk/national-short-story-week-podcasts.php.

South Ken Kids Fest Talks

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runs from 24th to 27th November and is supported by Institut Francais.  

IBBY Christmas Card preview

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IBBY UK are delighted to offer Shirley Hughes ilustrated Christmas Cards available for sale.  To order please state number of packs (10 cards per pack) at £6 each incl. P&P and please make cheques payable to IBBY UK and send to: John Dunne, 2 Goodison Close, Fair Oak, Hampshire SO50 7LE.

An order form is available from IBBY here.

With more than 650 exhibitors including leading global brands such as Pearson, Oxford University Press, Nelson Thornes and Renaissance Learning, BETT 2012 is the best place to source the latest, resources and services. Of particular interest to those responsible for managing a school’s library are the latest versions of Micro Librarian Service’s (MLS) core systems Eclipse.net and Junior Librarian.net.  MLS is also showcasing new ideas to demonstrate how to use engaging technologies within your school to develop independent motivated readers and learners for life. 

BETT 2012 is free to attend. To register for free entry, visit www.bettshow.com/register. You can also keep up to date with the event’s news by following the event on twitter @BETT_show or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/BETT_Show.

Get your request in by Tuesday 18th October!

The winner of the ‘Booked’ Trailer Competition will be announced on the 23rd January 2012.  The winning trailer will become the official trailer of the book as well as the makers or maker getting £100 worth of HMV vouchers and a whole collection of Cathy MacPhail books.  For all schools that enter the book trailer competition they will be entered in to a separate prize draw for £100 worth of Bloomsbury books for their school.

 The trailer can be produced as a class project in small groups or as an out of school project, but all the entries have to be submitted via the school. This is a great way to get a number of departments working together such as Drama, English, library and ICT.

The Shadowing Scheme is run by the Poetry Book Society in collaboration with the English and Media Centre. Students are encouraged to read the poems and to take part in a poll to vote for their choice of winner.There will also be a competition for individual ‘A’ level (or equivalent) students to write the best 500 word rationale for their choice of poet.

Prizes for the winning student include tickets to the T S Eliot Readings and the award ceremony in January 2012, with the chance to meet the winning poet, and a complete set of the 10 shortlisted titles.

For further details, please visit the Poetry Book Society website at www.poetrybooks.co.uk/projects/15. The Scheme will start on 1^st November and a teachers’ guide will be available on the emagazine website at www.emagazine.org.uk. 

There will be four runners-up, one boy and one girl from each year, and an overall winner. There are some great prizes, and the winning entry will be recorded by a professional actor and broadcast online as a pod cast.  To take part, students must ask their school library to register for the competition. Entries will be accepted from the first 250 schools to register, and each of those schools can submit up to 10 short stories in total.

School librarians should send an email to schools@shortstoryweek.org.uk to secure a place, and to receive full competition details.