Raising readers — and a glass, and the dead(ish) - Anne Rooney

Hallowe'en. Rain drenching everything that moves, and everything that doesn't, drumming on the stones, the grass, the surface of puddles. Thrashing branches alternately hiding and revealing yellow lights. Looming towers with tiny windows. A ghost-infested library overlooking a sodden quad.

Yes, reader, I was at Oxford University Press. 

Outside, the new "Raise a Reader" bus stood with water streaming down its sides. 

Peering into the bus

Inside, publishers, writers and ghosts launched it on its way with blood-stained prosecco, spookily decorated cookies and cupcakes, trick-or-treat bags and a haunted tour of the Old Printer's House. 

 

 

Plenty of cakes!

 

Raise a Reader is OUP's new scheme in tandem with the National Literacy Agency "to help provide children and young people with the opportunities to become lifelong readers post-pandemic". Over three years, it aims to provide expertise, books, support and inspiration to get children reading. (Don't say — "shouldn't the govenment be doing that, not a charity and a publishing company?") The first step is a reading bus (not a Reading bus, which goes from Oxford to Reading, and only has the odd book carried by a passenger). It's really a campervan. But "reading campervan" doesn't sound quite as catchy, and also sounds as though you might be able to go on a holiday in it — which I'm sure would be lovely, but that's not on offer. 

 

Trick or treat table — easier than going
door to door

 

The bus is touring England with author events at each. Most of the dates have passed, but it's in Nottingham today (9th November), Cambridge tomorrow and London on Friday, so you might still catch it if you're quick. And the campaign will go on and on. More info on the scheme here and the campervan here. And the Reading bus here. 

We gave it a good, wet, spooky send-off, raised a glass to Raise a Reader and we didn't raise too many dead.

Anne Rooney

Out now, and just visible in the window of the bus:

Baby Polar Bear, illustrated by Qu Lan