| Literacy: It's time to offer children something new!
The Government wants children & parents to read more. Despite this being a great objective that’s captured the imagination of the media, their plans are destined to fail unless they engage the co-operation of the book retailers and the publishing community. Why? Because both these bodies continue to play it safe by continuing to invest in the same old books – year, after year, after year, after year, after year …… yawn !
Although this may make safe commercial sense, it means new authors with fresh inspiring ideas rarely get the marketing support they deserve. As a result, children do not get to hear about the books, and the same old books get promoted.
Fast forward as far in time as you like >> ….. The end result of this play-it-safe boring approach is that nothing will change. Next year, the same old out-dated books will be thrust down the necks of our children … children won’t be any more inspired to read (why should they be) … and the merry-go-round continues !
The so called “problem” the Government has been highlighting really is easy to fix - all that’s needed is for schools, parents, publishers and retailers to invest in new inspiring books and market them effectively to children. If children like them, they will read them (and will want to be read to) – problem solved ! It really is that simple. Putting “Little Miss Yawnville” in front of children will continue to turn them off.
Darren Spence - Founder of Weird Grape publishing and the co-creator of “Nobby Travels” – as seen on Dragons Den, October 2007  | 
31-10-2007, 09:41 PM
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