I’ve been reading everything and anything that stands still for long enough for as long as I can remember.
As a household, we have a house that is groaning with books and we’re in danger of being overtaken by the books if we buy any more.
Reading, in this household, is just as important as breathing air in and out. It’s part of life.
Which is why I find it so hard to believe that apparently one in three children don’t own a reading book.
What? How is that possible?! If that is actually the case, I am glad of the initiative that Mcdonalds is undertaking, in which they pledge to give away books along with the Happy Meals.
If it gets children reading, then that can only be a good thing.
I can lose days, never mind hours if I step foot in Waterstones. The two small people have a bookshelf overflowing with books and both enjoy a bedtime story.
Even the nine year old still enjoys a bedtime story and being read to on a night, even though he is perfectly capable of reading all the stories himself.
The five year old loves his stories too.
Books are a place to immerse yourself in the unknown, the unbelievable, and the different worlds. They’re also a place where you can learn new things, and broaden your mind to other ways of thinking.
Bring it on, Mcdonalds. Including books with the Happy Meals is a good thing as it might get some reading who wouldn’t necessarily do it otherwise.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jan/09/mcdonalds-give-away-15m-children-books
I am roller-coastering all over this story. Part of me agrees that it’s a fantastic initiative, and putting books into the hands of childrens – however it’s achieved – can only be a positive thing. Then I started to read all this business about it not actually being books, or vouchers need to be redeemed and an actual payment above the happy meal cost had to be made – and it started to unravel for me a bit.
The Booktrust’s ‘Bookstart’ programme has been giving away free books to nursery, preschool and reception kids for 20 years and celebrated their anniversary last year. Free books, no junk food, no hoop-jumping, no payment, no voucher scheme (apart from a £1 book token also included in their packs for free).
We’re running a campaign this year over at ReadItDaddy to hopefully get more parents reading to their kids (by the look of your excellent blog you’re already doing just that!) so come and join in, we’d love to have you!
Moo loves her bedtime book read! Her book shelf is overflowing with books and its a shame to read sometimes that there are children that do not know what a book is sometimes! I love reading and I hope to share that passion on to Moo and Thor. Birthdays, Christmas’s and Easter I always say to someone to incorporate a book somehow! My mum is fantastic it getting them there books and thankfully at christmas we got loads!
I think its a great idea that McDonalds are going to give away books in their happy meals, 9 times out of 10 the toy always ends up in the bin anyway!
Hello, I have found your blog via Mummy’s Little Monkey, Blow your own Blog Horn. I couldn’t agree with you more, it’s beyond belief that most families only have three books in the house (and these are probably cook books!). I have shelves and shelves of books in my cottage. Every book reminding me of a certain period of my life. Children brought up to love books, by parents who love books has to put them at a great advantage over their peers. Since my childhood, and reading a book with my torch under my bedcovers, I have been an avid reader, and long may it last. Any incentive that people such as MacDonalds make, can only be for the good, if it helps teach children the joy of books!
Stopping by from Blow your own blog horn.
Seriously 1 in 3??!! Dollop has been looking at books since..forever! And Mini’s bookshelves are overflowing.
Really great that McDonalds are giving away books, anything to encourage more children to get into reading.
Hi, found you on Mummy’s Little Monkey Blow your own Blog Horn.
I find that statistic insanely difficult to believe too! My two boys are proper little bookworms and I can’t imagine it any other way. How can a parent not give their child at least one book? Madness.
A shame McDonald’s are the first to jump on that Bandwagon but good on them for giving it a go.
I’ve created my own positive parenting book for toddlers & their grown-ups called The Cool Rule Book. I’d love to know what you think of it. It’s at http://www.thecoolrulecompany.co.uk. Maybe I should approach McDonald’s and see if they want to buy a batch to go with their Happy Meals! Stranger things have happened!
xxx
Really where are the figures from? That’s shocking and very sad.
Mcdonalds get a bad press but they actually do a lot for children.
Visiting from blow your own bloghorn
Over from Blow Your Blog Horn.I find that very hard to believe those figures.I wouldn’t be surprised it’s a big marketing scam on Mcdonald’s part.All my kids have received free books at 8 months, 2 years, 3 years via Book Start.Books are a normal part of growing up from babies to adults whether you hire them from the library or buy them second hand, they are obtainable very cheaply.Sorry, I’m not having a dig at you I just don’t believe that 1 in 3 is true at all.