This collection of 52 practical ideas is designed to help schools build a rich, inclusive reading culture over time. One that is sustainable, adaptable and rooted in children’s real reading lives.
Rather than prescribing dates or fixed activities, the ideas are structured as Week 1 to Week 52, allowing schools to start at any point in the year and move at their own pace. Some ideas take minutes to introduce, others invite deeper reflection or collaboration. All of them are grounded in what we know works to support reading for pleasure. What we have come to see as best practice, great examples of pedagogy and impactful solutions to get children engaged with books, and help build a whole school reading culture. We've fleshed out the first quarter's activities, and will be adding to this feature in the coming weeks. We'd love you to share your examples of these in practice - either by emailing us [email protected] or by tagging us on social media using the hashtag #52WeeksofReading
Together, the 52 ideas serve three key purposes:
A year-long content spine
This framework provides schools with a clear narrative arc for reading across the year. Instead of one-off initiatives or busy themed weeks, the ideas build progressively. We have started with children’s choice and everyday reading habits, before moving into classroom practice, leadership, libraries, families and community.
Schools can use this feature in a variety of ways. The suggestions can act as a gentle planning guide, perhaps highlighting one idea per week in staff briefings, newsletters or reading lead meetings. Some schools may choose to focus on one idea a fortnight or per half-term. The spine helps reading remain visible and purposeful across the year, without adding pressure or overload.
A repeatable framework schools can return to annually
The 52 ideas are not tied to trends, initiatives or inspection cycles. Instead, they focus on the foundations of reading for pleasure. Foundational reading relationships, reading environments, reading conversations and of course access to great books. Making the framework just as relevant next year as it is now.
Schools can revisit the framework year on year, deepening practice rather than starting again. In the first year, the focus might be awareness and small changes; in subsequent years, schools may refine, extend or embed ideas more fully. New staff can be introduced to the framework as part of induction, creating shared language and continuity around reading.
A practical bridge between inspiration and action
Each idea is intentionally simple, realistic and adaptable. There is no expectation that schools do everything. Every school will be on a different stage of their journey. Instead, the framework empowers schools to choose what fits their context, their cohort, their children and their capacity, whilst still moving forward.
Reading leads, teachers, librarians and senior leaders can dip in and out, selecting ideas that respond to current needs: whether that’s improving reading environments, strengthening parent partnerships, refreshing book stock or giving children more opportunities to talk about books. The framework supports action without judgement, recognising that every school’s reading journey looks different.
This framework is designed to give schools one simple, achievable focus per week, aligned to the rhythms of the school year and supported by trusted book recommendations and resources. Schools can start anywhere, revisit ideas annually, or adapt them to their context. Each action is intentionally light-touch, scalable and centred on joy, choice and belonging. Used together, the 52 practical ideas offer schools a confident, supportive way to plan a Year of Reading. And then do it again, better, the next year. Year after year.
LoveReading4Schools' 52 Weeks of Reading
Use the contents list below to jump to a detailed overview of each week's suggestion:
Week 1 - Create a Reading for Pleasure Vision Statement
Week 2 - Plan Your Year of Reading
Week 3 - Audit Your Reading Culture (Not Your Data)
Week 4 - Make Space for Daily Independent Reading
Week 5 - Put Genuine Choice at the Heart of Reading
Week 6 - Recruit Reading Champions.
Week 7 -Make Reading Visible Across School
Week 8 - Reading Aloud, Beyond the Early Years
Week 9 - Launch a Book Club
Week 10 - Read For Empathy
Week 11 - Audit Your Book Stock
Week 12 - Validate All Reading Formats
Week 13 - Start with Children's Interests
Week 14 - Create Reading Teachers
Week 15 - Run a Book Swap
Week 16 - Understand the Importance of Your Library and Cherish Your Librarian (If You're Lucky Enough to Have One)
Week 17 - Involve Reading Volunteers
Week 18 - Make Time for Book Talk
Week 19 - Launch a Book Week
Week 20 - Build Reading Relationships
Week 21 - Create Inviting Reading Spaces
Week 22 - Launch a Book Gifting Programme
Week 23 - Use Poetry to Build Confidence
Week 24 - Share Reading Across Ages
Week 25 - Shadow Book Awards
Week 26 - Celebrate Series Reading
Week 27 - Encourage Reading at Home and Keep Families in the Loop
Week 28 - Put on a Pop-Up Bookstore
Week 29 - Love Your Library
Week 30 - Embrace Seasonal Reading
Week 31 - Take Reading Outdoors
Week 32 - Read Beyond English
Week 33 - Reflect on Reading Identities
Week 34 - Use Assemblies to Celebrate Reading
Week 35 - Celebrate Libraries, School and Local
Week 36 - Share Reviews of Books
Week 37 - Run a Masked Reader Competition
Week 38 - Model Real Reading Lives
Week 39 - Celebrate Re-reading
Week 40 - Highlight Authors as People
Week 41 - Enjoy Non-Fiction for Pleasure
Week 42 - Write a Book
Week 43 - Favourite Line Friday
Week 44 - Use Reading for Wellbeing
Week 45 - Read in a New Place
Week 46 - Create a Library Ideas Box
Week 47 - Play Book Bingo
Week 48 - Create a Multimodal Reading Space
Week 49 - Run a Book Tasting / Choice Cafe
Week 50 - Celebrate the Reading Year
Week 51 - Plan for Continuity
Week 52 - Return to Your Vision
LoveReading4Schools' 52 Weeks of Reading in Detail
Week 1 - Create a Reading for Pleasure Vision Statement
Create a short, shared statement co-written by staff, pupils and families answering: “What does reading for pleasure look like in our school?” Display it everywhere.
What this looks like in practice
A shared vision helps reading for pleasure feel intentional rather than incidental. Start by co-creating a short, simple statement with staff, pupils and families that answers one key question: “What does reading for pleasure look and feel like in our school?” This might include ideas such as choice, joy, time to read, reading together, and celebrating all kinds of books and formats.
To make it practical, gather pupil voice through class discussions, reading councils or short surveys, invite staff contributions during a meeting or CPD session, and offer families a simple way to share their thoughts via a newsletter or online form. Once agreed, keep the statement visible and alive. Display it in classrooms, libraries and corridors, include it in reading policies, newsletters and your school website, and refer back to it when planning reading activities or reviewing progress.
A clear, shared vision gives everyone a common language and purpose, helping reading for pleasure become part of the school’s everyday culture rather than a one-off initiative.
Week 2 – Plan Your Year of Reading
Reading doesn’t happen in isolation. Children’s reading lives are shaped by what’s happening around them. In school, at home, in the news and in their communities. To support this, we’ve created a year-round reading calendar, aligned to key national moments, awareness days and curriculum touchpoints.
What this looks like in practice
- Reading is connected to the wider world: Books, texts and stories are linked to national events, cultural moments and shared experiences, helping reading feel timely, relevant and meaningful.
- The calendar supports planning: The reading calendar offers prompts and possibilities rather than fixed requirements, allowing schools to dip in where it feels most useful.
- Curriculum links are made naturally: Reading choices complement topics being explored across the curriculum, without turning reading for pleasure into an additional task or assessment. Check out our LoveReading4Schools curriculum lists
- A broad range of voices and experiences are highlighted: Awareness days are used as opportunities to spotlight diverse authors, perspectives and lived experiences, enriching children’s reading lives. Check out our Diversity & Inclusion Collection.
Week 3 - Audit Your Reading Culture (Not Your Data)
Ask pupils: Where do you read? When do you read? Who reads with you? Use findings to guide small changes. This is about understanding lived experience, not measuring attainment.
What this looks like in practice
Instead of analysing test scores or reading ages, schools should start by listening to pupils’ everyday reading lives. Ask simple, open questions such as: Where do you read? When do you read? Who reads with you? How does reading make you feel at school? This can be done through quick class discussions, anonymous post-its, short surveys, or reading circles facilitated by staff or pupil librarians.
The aim is to spot patterns, not problems. You might discover that children only associate reading with lessons, that they never read outside classrooms, or that some pupils never see adults reading for pleasure. These insights help schools make small, meaningful changes: adding cosy reading spaces, protecting time for relaxed reading, inviting adults to model reading, or widening book choices to reflect pupils’ interests.
Revisit the audit later in the year to see what’s changed. Used well, this becomes a powerful tool for shaping a reading culture that feels welcoming, visible and genuinely shared. Not imposed or measured.
Download the LoveReading4Schools Reading for Pleasure Surveys here:
Week 4 - Make Space for Daily Independent Reading
Protect time in the school week where children can read independently, uninterrupted and without assessment.
What this looks like in practice
Begin with 10 minutes a day and build up gradually. Use a consistent time so children know it’s coming. This might be DEAR time, a daily drop-everything-and-read moment, or quiet reading at the start or end of the day. The key is consistency and permission to read for enjoyment. During this time children choose what they read, reading is not recorded, tested or followed by written work, adults model reading by reading too. This is not a comprehension task, a reading assessment, a reward for finished work or a time for checking reading levels or book bands. Children should be trusted to choose reading that works for them on that day – whether that’s a novel, comic, information book, magazine or audiobook. Choice helps children develop self-knowledge as readers and builds long-term motivation. While the routine stays the same, what children read may change. Some days they may read deeply; other days they may dip in and out. Both are part of becoming a confident, independent reader.
Week 5 - Put Genuine Choice at the Heart of Reading
When children are trusted to choose what they read, they are more likely to engage, persist and begin to see themselves as readers. Choice builds motivation, confidence and a sense of ownership - all key to developing long-term reading habits. Recognise the Rights of the Reader. For primary settings invite the readers to Read Like A Bad God. Invite the children to vote on their class read.
What this looks like in practice
Give pupils genuine choice over what they read. Including comics, graphic novels, joke books, audiobooks and non-fiction. Make it clear that reading is reading, whatever the format. Removing judgement increases confidence and engagement. Choice is judgement-free. Re-reading favourites, changing books and choosing shorter or easier texts are recognised as part of becoming a confident reader. Adults support, not steer: they listen, share enthusiasm and offer suggestions when invited, rather than directing or assigning reading. Here at LoveReading4Kids and LoveReading4Schools we read 75-100 new children's books every month. It's our job to create a steady selection of brilliant children's books to keep your children inspired. Parents and carers engaged. Teachers and librarians updated. Of the very best books out there for children and young people. Sign up to our LoveReading4Kids newsletter to see the very best kids books coming to a bookshelf near you, and if you want schools-focused content, ensure you're signed up to our LoveReading4Schools newsletter too.
Week 6 - Recruit Reading Champions
Celebrate and empower young readers by giving them a leadership role in your school’s reading culture. Reading Champions (also called Reading Ambassadors or Junior Librarians) help create a positive reading ethos and encourage others to read for pleasure.
What this looks like in practice
Identify and recruit reading champions, define meaningful roles and responsibilities, make them visible and valued, connect champions with school literacy leads and celebrate and share their impact. There is a huge opportunity for these children to be ambassadors for reading. Cherish them, nurture them, support them and you'll see reading for pleasure thrive in your school. Check out our feature about how to create Reading Champions.
Week 7 -Make Reading Visible Across School
Show that reading belongs everywhere. Corridors, classrooms, staff rooms, assemblies, websites, social media and newsletters. Displays. Quotes. Reviews. Recommendations. Reinforce your reading culture.
What this looks like in practice
All shared spaces include book displays, reader quotes, reviews, current reads and recommendations, showing that reading is part of everyday school life.
Children’s reading voices are celebrated with pupil reviews, recommendations and reading choices being shared, giving children ownership and pride. Displays are changed regularly and reflect what children are actually reading now, rather than static or tokenistic content.
Week 8 - Reading Aloud, Beyond the Early Years
Reading aloud should not stop once children can read independently. Sharing novels, poems and non-fiction aloud builds listening stamina, enriches vocabulary and nurtures a shared enjoyment of texts. Most importantly, it reminds children that reading is something to be experienced together. Together, without pressure, performance or assessment.
Reading aloud lifts words from the page and brings texts to life. It allows all children to access rich language and ideas, regardless of reading ability, and helps create a calm, connected reading culture in the classroom.
What this looks like in practice
Reading aloud happens regularly and continues across all ages. A wide range of texts is shared and they are chosen for enjoyment, not assessment. Fiction, poetry, picture books, graphic novels and non-fiction are all read aloud, exposing children to different voices, genres and language styles. Adults bring texts to life through pace, tone and expression, showing children that reading is engaging, emotional and worth spending time on Above all, it keeps the joy of reading alive - long after children have learned how to decode words. Check out our feature The Benefits of Reading Aloud to Our Children.
Week 9 - Launch a Book Club
Book clubs are a powerful way to bring reading for pleasure to life by creating a sociable, low-pressure space for children to share books, explore ideas and talk about what they love to read. A book club that is fun, inclusive and led by readers for readers can deepen engagement and build community around books.
What this looks like in practice
A book club isn’t a lesson - it’s a relaxed opportunity for children to read and talk about books they enjoy. Make sure anyone who wants to join feels welcome, and choose a comfortable, informal space such as the library or a common room. Decide who it’s for and when it will meet, invite children to choose the books, build routine and rhythm and ncourage discussion, not assessment. Alongside discussion, you might include related activities such as drawing a scene from the book, writing mini-reviews, recommending next reads, or inviting older pupils to buddy with younger readers. Check out our feature How To Run a Successful Book Club in Your School.
Week 10 – Read For Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, and reading is one of the most powerful tools we have for building this skill: it invites readers into the lives, thoughts and experiences of others, broadening perspectives and nurturing kindness. Empathy-focused reading isn’t just about character analysis. It’s about connection. Understanding. Seeing the world around us through someone else’s eyes. The Read for Empathy collection from EmpathyLab highlights books chosen specifically to help children engage with different viewpoints, cultures and life situations through rich storytelling.
What this looks like in practice
Use Empathy Week as a prompt to share and discuss books from the Read for Empathy collection. Teachers and librarians select books that invite children into other lives, cultures and experiences, without turning them into moral exercises or comprehension tasks. Reading is followed by reflection, and conversations which focus on how characters feel, what they might be thinking, and how situations affect them, helping children see the world through another lens.
Week 11 – Audit Your Book Stock
A vibrant, relevant and inviting book stock is the foundation of a strong reading culture. Reviewing what you already have. And making space for what children want and need, all helps ensure your library and classroom collections reflect your community, celebrate diverse voices, and spark joy.
Auditing your book stock means understanding what you have, what’s loved, what’s out-of-date, and what’s missing. It’s an opportunity to champion inclusive, exciting and current reading for all.
What this looks like in practice
Conduct a stock take, weed with purpose, and look for gaps in diversity and inclusion. Does your stock mirror the identities, cultures and experiences of your pupils. Do you have a range of authors and perspectives? Are there books that celebrate different abilities, backgrounds, identities and communities? Where gaps exist, make a plan to fill them. Involve readers and ambassadors to get involved as children’s voices are essential in judging what they love and what’s missing.
When acquiring new books, purchase from LoveReading4Kids - earning cashback that can go back into your library fund. Launch fundraisers and request donations via the LoveReading4Schools portal or create wishlists of books your school needs and would like gifted. This raises funds and enhances engagement with reading.
Week 12 - Validate All Reading Formats
Reading does not look the same for every child. When schools recognise and celebrate the many ways children read, more pupils are able to engage, persist and enjoy reading. Valuing different formats removes unnecessary barriers and helps children who struggle with traditional print feel included, confident and motivated. Making it explicit that all reading counts sends a powerful message.
What this looks like in practice
All formats are named and valued: print books, ebooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, magazines, newspapers and short digital texts are openly recognised as legitimate reading choices. Children are encouraged to select formats that work for them at different times - listening to an audiobook, dipping into a comic, or reading a novel - without judgement. Formats are used intentionally to support struggling readers, readers with dyslexia, neurodivergent pupils and those new to English, without stigma.
Week 13 - Start with Children's Interests
Children are far more likely to read - and keep reading - when books connect with what they already care about. Starting with interests helps children see reading as relevant, enjoyable and personal, rather than something imposed or abstract.
Interest-led reading builds motivation, stamina and confidence. It's often the key to engaging reluctant readers and those who do not yet see themselves as readers.
What this looks like in practice
Reading is hooked into real passions and children are encouraged to read around interests they already love and these interests are treated as valid starting points, not distractions.
LoveReading4Kids is your ready-made discovery tool and can be used to search for books by interest, not just age or genre. In 2026, LoveReading’s editorial programme goes all in on reading through passion - spotlighting gaming, sport, fashion, technology, wellbeing, identity, hobbies and interests throughout the year.
The “Best Books for Kids Who Love…” series begins with Level Up! Best Books for Kids Who Love Gaming, followed by The Beautiful Game: Best Books for Kids Who Love Football, with more interests rolling out week by week. These regular prompts keep reading choices current, varied and exciting. You can also search by fiction, or non-fiction via the navigation bar of the site and use the search bar to populate with key words.
Week 14 – Create Reading Teachers
Creating reading teachers means supporting adults to see themselves as readers first, not just instructors of reading. When teachers read for pleasure, talk about books authentically and share their own reading lives, they model curiosity, enjoyment and choice. Reading teachers help shape positive reading identities by showing that reading is valued, personal and part of everyday life. Not just something taught.
What this looks like in practice
Research from the Open University Reading for Pleasure project consistently shows that teachers who identify as readers themselves have a significant positive impact on pupils’ reading for pleasure. Where adults read, talk about books and share their own reading lives, children are more likely to enjoy reading, read more frequently and develop stronger reading identities. Encourage your reading teachers.
Week 15 – Run a Book Swap
A book swap is a simple, inclusive way to refresh reading choices, celebrate ownership and build a sense of shared reading community. By swapping books they’ve already enjoyed, children experience the pleasure of recommending, receiving and discovering books through one another. Without cost or pressure. Book swaps work best when they focus on generosity and joy rather than transactions, helping children see books as something to be shared and passed on.
What this looks like in practice
Children bring a book they’re happy to pass onEveryone can take part and schools plan for pupils who can’t bring a book by providing extras or using library stock, ensuring no one is excluded. Simple notes, stickers or verbal recommendations help books carry stories of who loved them and why. Host a class or whole-school book swap this half term, and invite pupils to add a short note inside their book explaining why they loved it.
Week 16 - Understand the Importance of Your Library and Cherish Your Librarian (If You're Lucky Enough to Have One)
A school library is far more than a room full of books. It is a space for discovery, choice, quiet, curiosity and belonging. At the heart of every thriving library is a librarian (or library lead) whose knowledge, care and advocacy shape children’s reading lives every day. When schools understand and value the role of the library and librarian, reading for pleasure is more likely to flourish.
Cherishing your librarian means recognising their expertise, listening to their insight, and ensuring they are supported, visible and included in conversations about reading culture. A strong library, led by a knowledgeable librarian, is one of the most powerful tools a school has for building lifelong readers.
What this looks like in practice
The library is recognised as a core learning space. The library is seen as central to school life, not an optional extra or overflow room, with regular access for pupils. The librarian’s role is valued and understood Librarians are recognised as reading specialists who curate collections, know children as readers, and champion inclusive, engaging books. The librarian is visible in reading culture, their voice is included.
Use this week to publicly celebrate your library and librarian - through an assembly shout-out, pupil thank-you notes, a display highlighting their favourite books, or a feature in your newsletter explaining why your library (and the person who runs it) matters.
Week 17 – Involve Reading Volunteers
Reading volunteers can play a powerful role in supporting children’s reading confidence, enjoyment and identity. By bringing additional adults into school reading life, schools widen the circle of people who care about reading and create more opportunities for children to be listened to, encouraged and supported.
Reading volunteers are not there to replace teaching, assess progress or deliver interventions. Their value lies in time, attention and relationship — helping children experience reading as something shared, social and supportive.
What this looks like in practice
Volunteers listen to children read, share stories, talk about books and build confidence through regular, low-pressure interaction. Regular sessions help children build trust and routine, particularly those who benefit from additional adult attention. Involving parents, carers and community members strengthens links between school and home and reinforces that reading belongs beyond the classroom.
Chapter One’s UK reading volunteer programme is primarily online. Corporate volunteers are matched with individual children for weekly 30-minute reading sessions over the course of the school year using an online platform, helping build consistency and confidence.
Coram Beanstalk volunteers typically work in person in partner primary schools, spending time reading with and alongside children to help them enjoy books and build confidence. Volunteers commit to regular weekly sessions (often an afternoon) during term time and are supported with training and ongoing resources.
Bookmark offers both face-to-face and online volunteering options. Volunteers work one-to-one with children for structured 30-minute sessions, reading stories and playing literacy-focused games. Schools partner with Bookmark to deliver these either in school or through a secure online platform, and volunteers can choose which suits them best.
Week 18 – Make Time for Book Talk
Talking about books helps children clarify their tastes, deepen engagement and feel part of a reading community. Book talk should feel natural, conversational and pressure-free.
What this looks like in practice
Build in five minutes this week for children to recommend a book to a partner or small group.
Week 19 - Launch a Book Week
A whole Book Week or a Festival of Reading is a wonderful way to celebrate books, stories and reading as something joyful, shared and woven through school life. A festival approach shifts the focus from a single event to a series of small, inclusive moments that invite everyone in.
A reading festival isn’t about dressing up or one-off activities (though those can be part of it). It’s about creating buzz, conversation and visibility around reading. It's about giving children multiple ways to encounter books, hear stories, share recommendations and feel part of a reading community.
What this looks like in practice
Reading pops up everywhere. Activities are optional, varied and low-pressure, allowing children to engage in ways that suit them — listening, browsing, talking, reading quietly or sharing favourites. Books are celebrated, and the whole community is involved. The whole community is involved. Some schools choose to centre their festival around World Book Day; others deliberately place it elsewhere in the year to spread reading joy more evenly. Both approaches work.
Week 20 – Build Reading Relationships
Reading thrives when children feel known as readers. Taking time to talk with pupils about what they’re reading (or not reading) helps build trust, confidence and motivation. These informal relationships often matter more than formal interventions.
What this looks like in practice
Ask every child one simple question this week: “What are you enjoying reading at the moment?”
Week 21 – Create Inviting Reading Spaces
Comfortable, welcoming spaces signal that reading is valued. Small changes can significantly affect how children feel about reading. Read our feature The Value and Importance of Social Reading Environments.
What this looks like in practice
Improve one reading space this week - even a chair, cushion or quieter corner.
Week 22 – Launch a Book Gifting Programme
A book gifting programme harnesses the generosity of your school community to bring more books into school without costing the school budget. By encouraging families, staff and supporters to buy books through LoveReading or LoveReading4Kids - or donate directly to your school - you can grow your library and classroom collections while celebrating reading together.
LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids make this especially easy: when parents, carers, grandparents or staff shop for children’s books through their online bookshops, 25% of the cover price can be donated back to your school as credits to spend on books via the LoveReading4Schools portal. Families also benefit from book recommendations, occasional discounts and the joy of knowing their purchases support your school’s reading provision.
What this looks like in practice
Share your school’s LoveReading4Schools fundraising link and wishlists with families and your wider community - through newsletters, social media and assemblies - and invite them to buy books and nominate your school at checkout so that every purchase gives back to your library and reading areas. You'll find bookplates in the Resources section of the School Portal you can paste into the gifted books as way of saying thank you!
Week 23 – Use Poetry to Build Confidence
Poetry offers quick wins: short texts, rhythm and emotional impact. It can help reluctant readers experience success.
What this looks like in practice
Check out our 70 Books Celebrating our Love of Poetry and read one poem aloud this week. No follow-up task required. Or how about learning some poetry by heart?
Week 24 – Share Reading Across Ages
Cross-age reading builds confidence, responsibility and community. It reinforces reading as something social and shared.
What this looks like in practice
Pair two classes or year groups for a short shared reading moment. Or select a whole school read, perfect selecting a Wordless Picture Book for primaries.
Week 25 – Shadow Book Awards
Engaging with book award shadowing schemes invites children to read, discuss and judge shortlisted books just like real judges do. Turning the reading process into a collective, joyful experience rather than a task. Shadowing builds sustained reading, deepens discussion skills, and gives pupils a sense of ownership and voice within the wider reading community.
What this looks like in practice
Several prominent children's book awards offer shadowing opportunities that schools can join:
The Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are among the UK’s most respected children’s book awards. Their Shadowing Scheme gets thousands of children and young people involved each year - reading, discussing and reviewing the shortlisted titles before voting for their favourites in the Shadowers’ Choice Awards. Groups can shadow longlisted and shortlisted books, then vote for their top picks, helping pupils feel part of a national reading conversation.
CLiPPA’s Shadowing Scheme centres on the best contemporary children’s poetry. Schools and classes read the shortlisted poetry collections and can submit creative responses or performances. Some entries are selected to be showcased at the award ceremony, helping children engage deeply with language, rhythm and meaning.
Week 26 – Celebrate Series Reading
Series help children read more often and with greater confidence through familiarity and momentum. For inspiration, check out our collection of 70 Series of Books for Kids with a Voracious Appetite.
Or you can view our Series of the Month category, showcasing series of books that really stand out from the crowd.
What this looks like in practice
Create a simple “If you liked this, try…” series guide.
Week 27 – Encourage Reading at Home and Keep Families in the Loop
Home reading works best when it’s relaxed and enjoyable. Families need reassurance that listening, sharing and talking all count as reading. To help families engage with reading for joy, invite them to follow your LoveReading4Schools' School Page and share our annually updated Recommended Reading Lists for Every Year Group - or create your own lists via the portal.
What this looks like in practice
Send one short message to families reinforcing that all reading at home counts.When families see reading celebrated, it reinforces its value beyond school. Create a termly reading newsletter to showcase the importance of reading in your school.
Week 28 – Put on a Pop-Up Bookstore
A pop-up bookstore turns your reading culture into an event. A vibrant, welcoming space where children, staff and families browse, explore and discover books together. Unlike a permanent library or shop, a pop-up feels special, time-limited and celebratory, creating shared excitement about reading and making books feel like a community asset. By partnering with organisations such as Scholastic or The Children’s Book Project, schools can make pop-up bookstores easy to run, inclusive and impactful.
Pop-up bookstores don’t have to be about sales alone - they can support fundraising, widen access to diverse books, and build a sense of exploration and ownership in reading.
What this looks like in practice
Transform a hall, library or classroom into a welcoming pop-up bookstore for a day or week, with books displayed by theme, age and interest so every child can find something appealing.
Scholastic supports schools with professionally curated book fairs, easy setup, and a wide range of quality children’s books. Running a Scholastic Book Fair can bring new titles into your school, offer families choice, and generate rewards that schools can use to refresh libraries and classroom collections.
The Children’s Book Project provides books for schools, families and community groups, helping ensure all children have access to books, regardless of background or budget. You can use their support to add donated books to your pop-up, offer free or low-cost options, or create a “take a book, leave a book” corner.
Week 29 – Love Your Library
A busy, browsed library is a healthy one. Signs of use show success, not failure. In addition, instead of waiting for a full overhaul, refresh small sections of the library regularly. A shelf, a genre, a display. Newness invites curiosity and keeps reading visible.
What this looks like in practice
Resist tidying for perfection, notice what’s being picked up instead. Install small weekly refreshes and monthly themed collections.
Week 30 – Embrace Seasonal Reading
Seasonal themes help reading feel timely and relevant. Spring. Summer. Autumn. Winter.
What this looks like in practice
Link one reading choice to the season or current moment.
Week 31 – Take Reading Outdoors
Changing the environment refreshes reading habits. Kids love reading outdoors.
What this looks like in practice
Move one reading session outdoors this week. Arrange a reading picnic. Read about Earlsdon Primary School's Booknic.
Week 32 – Read Beyond English
Reading for pleasure belongs across the curriculum.
What this looks like in practice
Share a book linked to another subject purely for enjoyment. Maths? Science? History? Drama? Geography?
Week 33 – Reflect on Reading Identities
A reading identity is how a child sees themselves as a reader. It’s shaped by choice, experience and whether reading feels welcoming and relevant. When children develop a positive reading identity, they’re more likely to read willingly, confidently and often. In ways that work for them.
What this looks like in practice
Encourage readers to create a reading scrapbook, read how Jon Biddle does it with his students.
Week 34 – Use Assemblies to Celebrate Reading
Assemblies are a powerful way to signal that reading matters across the whole school. Use them to share book recommendations, author stories, pupil reviews or moments of reading joy — rather than launching new initiatives or targets. Keep contributions short, inclusive and focused on enjoyment, curiosity and shared experience.
What this looks like in practice
Include one two-minute reading moment in an assembly this week: a pupil recommendation, a staff favourite read, or a short extract read aloud.
Week 35 - Celebrate Libraries, School and Local
Libraries are the beating heart of a reading culture. They are places of discovery, belonging and possibility, where children can browse freely, follow interests and encounter books they didn’t know they were looking for. Celebrating both school and local libraries reinforces that reading is not confined to classrooms, but lives in communities too. By shining a light on libraries, librarians and the role they play in children’s reading lives, schools help children see libraries as welcoming spaces that belong to them. Now and in the future.
What this looks like in practice
Shine a spotlight on your school or local library this week: share one photo, fact, recommendation or librarian quote in an assembly, newsletter or classroom display to remind children that libraries are for everyone.
Week 36 - Share Reviews of Books
Nurturing enthusiasm for writing book reviews has a whole lot of benefits. Here at LoveReading4Kids we have published some of our top tips to encourage kids to write their own book reviews, so they can discover the fun of helping their siblings and peers find their own “just right” books, while unlocking a love of reading and writing for themselves in the process.
What this looks like in practice
We love hearing what young readers think about the books they’ve enjoyed - and every month we celebrate one standout reviewer as our LoveReading4Kids Young Book Reviewer of the Month. The winner receives a £20 LoveReading4Kids gift card to spend on even more brilliant books!
Week 37 - Run a Masked Reader Competition
The Masked Reader is a fun, low-pressure way to build excitement around reading by tapping into curiosity and play. When adults hide their identities and share short reading clues or extracts, reading becomes a shared mystery rather than a lesson. The initiative works because it centres joy, anticipation and conversation - key ingredients of a thriving reading culture.
What this looks like in practice
Staff volunteer to become “masked readers” with reading being the focus, not the reveal. Short book extracts, favourite opening lines or reading clues are shared daily or weekly, keeping the emphasis on books rather than competition. Hints about reading tastes, favourite genres or childhood books encourage pupils to talk about reading and make predictions together. Involving staff from across the school reinforces that reading belongs to everyone, not just English teachers.
Week 38 - Model Real Reading Lives
Children are influenced by what adults do, not just what they say. When staff share their own reading lives honestly - including busy weeks or unfinished books - reading feels more authentic and achievable.
What this looks like in practice
Invite staff to share their current read on a noticeboard, slide or newsletter.
Week 39 - Celebrate Re-reading
Re-reading builds fluency, comfort and emotional connection. Favourite books often act as anchors in a child’s reading life and should be celebrated, not discouraged.
What this looks like in practice
Create a “Books We Love to Re-Read” display or list.
Week 40 – Highlight Authors as People
Seeing authors as real people helps children connect more deeply with books and ideas. It also broadens aspirations and curiosity.
What this looks like in practice
Share one short author fact, quote or video clip with pupils. Watch an online author event. Invite an author into your school to visit.
Week 41 - Enjoy Non-Fiction for Pleasure
Non-fiction supports curiosity and agency. Browsing, dipping and wondering are valid reading behaviours.
What this looks like in practice
Highlight one non-fiction book purely because it’s interesting - not linked to work. We've curated a great selection of factual books for all year round, not just Non-Fiction November!
Week 42 - Write a Book
At Christ Church C of E Primary School, children became real authors by creating Fairy Tales Retold, a book written, illustrated and imagined entirely by the pupils. Each class took a classic fairy tale and re-told it in their own unique way. changing perspectives, settings, characters and endings. The children developed the stories collaboratively, created original illustrations, and saw their work professionally published by a local printer. The project transformed reading into something living and creative, showing pupils that stories aren’t just to be read, but can be reshaped, reimagined and shared. It was a powerful, joyful way to place children at the heart of storytelling and give their voices a lasting home.
Week 43 - Favourite Line Friday
What this looks like in practice
Share one favourite sentence from a book. Nothing else.
Week 44 - Use Reading for Wellbeing
Reading can comfort, distract and support emotional health. To see 100 brilliant book recommendations for children highly thought of by our editorial team, view our collection: 100+ Books to Support Children's Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
What this looks like in practice
Share a book that supports calm, kindness or resilience.
Week 45 - Read in a New Place
What this looks like in practice
During one lesson a week reading happens somewhere different. Somewhere fresh. Somewhere new.
Week 46 - Create a Library Ideas Box
A Library Ideas Box gives children a voice in shaping their reading space. It signals that the library belongs to its readers, not just to adults or systems. By inviting suggestions, requests and ideas, schools show that children’s opinions about books, spaces and reading experiences matter.
An ideas box helps libraries stay responsive and relevant, and encourages children to see themselves as active participants in the reading culture rather than passive users.
What this looks like in practice
A clearly labelled box sits in the library or reading area, inviting pupils to share ideas at any time and ideas are acknowledged. Prompts might include:
Books we’d like you to get…
Authors we love…
Ways to make the library better…
Reading events we’d enjoy…
Set up a Library Ideas Box this week with three simple prompts, and commit to sharing one pupil idea you’ll act on each half-term. Acting on a few suggestions early builds trust and shows children that their voice has impact. Reading Champions or pupil librarians help collect, sort and share ideas, strengthening ownership and leadership.
Week 47 - Play Book Bingo
Book Bingo is a fun, flexible way to encourage children to explore new books, formats and reading experiences without turning reading into a competition or chore. Rather than focusing on how much children read, Book Bingo celebrates variety, curiosity and choice - helping pupils step outside their usual reading habits in playful, manageable ways.
Done well, Book Bingo supports confidence and discovery, especially for reluctant readers, by giving children multiple ways to “win” through trying something new.
What this looks like in practice
A bingo card replaces a reading log, and prompts encourage exploration, not completion. Choice stays central as children choose which squares to complete and in what order. There’s no expectation to fill the whole card. Book Bingo might last a week, a half-term or be revisited across the year as a gentle reading prompt.
Week 48 - Create a Multimodal Reading Space
A multimodal reading space recognises that reading happens in many ways. By offering a range of formats - print, audio, visual and digital - schools make reading more accessible, inclusive and engaging for all children. These spaces support different reading preferences, needs and moods, helping children see reading as flexible, personal and welcoming.
Multimodal spaces are particularly powerful for reluctant readers, neurodivergent pupils, readers with dyslexia, EAL learners and children who may struggle with sustained print reading. They send a clear message: there is more than one way to be a reader.
What this looks like in practice
A mix of reading formats is available: the space includes print books, graphic novels, magazines, audiobooks (with headphones), picture books, and short digital texts accessed via tablets or QR codes. Seating options vary with cushions, beanbags, chairs, floor mats - allowing children to read in ways that feel comfortable and relaxed.
Week 49 - Run a Book Tasting / Choice Cafe
A book tasting (sometimes called a Choice Café) is a relaxed, low-pressure way to help children discover new books and develop confidence in choosing what to read. Borrowing the idea from a tasting menu, children sample a range of texts before deciding which ones they’d like to read more of. The emphasis is on curiosity, browsing and enjoyment. Not finishing books or completing tasks.
Book tastings work especially well for reluctant readers, children who feel overwhelmed by shelves of books, or pupils who haven’t yet found reading that feels right for them.
What this looks like in practice
Tables are set up like a café, books are arranged on tables by theme, interest or format rather than by level or age. Children sample, and not commit: they spend a few minutes with each book - reading a page, looking at illustrations, skimming the blurb or contents - before moving on. Simple prompts such as “Would you read on?” or “What caught your eye?” help children reflect without pressure. All formats are included: graphic novels, magazines, audiobooks (via QR codes), picture books and novels are all part of the mix, reinforcing that all reading counts. At the end, children select a book (or several) they’d like to read independently, borrow or add to a wish list.
Week 50 – Celebrate the Reading Year
Celebration reinforces value.
What this looks like in practice
Invite pupils to share one book they loved this year.
Week 51 – Plan for Continuity
Reading culture needs continuity, not restarts.
What this looks like in practice
Identify one routine you will carry into next year.
Week 52 – Return to Your Vision
Reading for pleasure is ongoing, evolving work.
What this looks like in practice
Revisit your vision statement and update one word or phrase together.
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