Michael Rosen launches new GWR reading campaign with Little Library at Reading station

Zoe Gater

Young readers in Reading are being encouraged to swap screen time for story time this summer, with a new Little Library at Reading station and a special visit from much-loved author Michael Rosen.

There’s a new reason to pack a book for your next train journey, as Great Western Railway (GWR) launches a summer reading campaign with some help from much-loved children’s author Michael Rosen.

Michael joined young book enthusiasts on a GWR train from London Paddington to Reading for a special storytelling session, helping launch the railway’s new Adventures in Reading campaign.

As part of the initiative, free Little Libraries have been installed at 10 stations across the GWR network – including Reading, Didcot Parkway, Swindon and Westbury – giving families the chance to pick up a book, swap an old favourite or leave a finished story for another reader.

The idea is simple: make books part of the journey, whether you’re heading off on a summer adventure or simply travelling across the region.

The campaign has been launched following GWR research into children’s reading habits during the school holidays. The research found that children spend an average of 11 hours a week watching TV, using tablets and phones and gaming during the summer, compared with around three hours reading.

Half of parents surveyed said that, without the routine of school, reading struggles to compete with other holiday activities. One in five also reported that their children experienced a noticeable dip in reading confidence by September – something the research has dubbed the ‘September Stumble’.

GWR hopes its Little Libraries will make it easier for families to keep stories part of their summer routine.

GWR Head of External Communications Dan Panes said: “The summer holidays should be full of adventure, but our research shows that children’s reading levels can take a real hit while they’re away from the classroom.

“By putting Little Libraries at our stations, we want to make reading a seamless part of the summer travel experience. And honestly, where better to kick off a journey toward better literacy than right here at Reading station?”

Michael Rosen said: “Stories have the power to transport children to completely new worlds, whether they are sitting at home or travelling on a train. It’s vital that we keep that spark alive over the summer months.

“GWR’s Little Libraries are a wonderful, practical way to put books directly into the hands of young travellers, ensuring the magic of reading doesn’t stop when the school gates close.”

The Reading Little Library is part of a network also found at Didcot Parkway, Exeter St Davids, Gloucester, Penzance, Plymouth, Swindon, Truro, Westbury and Worcestershire Parkway.

Books available include favourites such as We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, alongside Barking for Bagels, Rigatoni the Pasta Cat and Snow White and the Seven Bears.

So, if you’re catching a train from Reading or one of the other participating stations this summer, why not pick up a story for the journey? You might even find a new favourite along the way.

Image © GWR

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