Inspiration!

I watched 'Just Read' on BBC4 last night. It was presented by Michael Rosen and was part of the channel's Book Week. He went to a school in Cardiff and looked at the way books were presented to children, how children repsonded to reading and how important it was to get the family involved too. It was an inspiration.

There is a big push towards getting boys inspired to read, boys who are notoriously 'not interested'. That seems a sweeping generalisation because we all know boys who love settling down with a book as well as playing football and computer games etc. But it IS a challenge to inspire some boys when reading has an (undeserved) reputation as being for the 'nerdy'.

It was heartening then in last night's programme to see even the most relucatant readers (of both sexes) getting involved. By the end of the 10-week 'project' they were reading more themsleves and enthusiastically reading to younger children.

Throughout the programme I felt my own passion being rekindled. I write because I want children to feel that joy, to enter another world, to feel confident to explore new ideas themselves, to let their imagination run wild and I want them to LAUGH! That's why I write, pure and simple. And whereas in the past I have been quite nervous about going into schools, now I can't wait!