Young readers get on the ball at Rugby
Warwickshire County Council is organising Half Time, an event aimed at encouraging young boys to get involved in reading.
With studies showing increasingly low levels of literacy compared to their female contemporaries, more is being done to encourage boys to get involved with reading.
2008 is National Year of Reading and, as part of this, Warwickshire County Council is organising a whole range of events and activities throughout the year to encourage reading.
Half Time will be encouraging reading about sports as a way of getting boys’ initial interest. The event will also feature a sports quiz, sports activities for 5-11 year olds and a chance to meet the two footballers and a golf coach from Shirley Golf Club.
There will also be an opportunity for youngsters to choose new books on sport for Warwickshire Libraries’ stock in preparation for the summer reading challenge ‘Team Read’. In previous years this has had a spy theme and a great outdoors angle but this year, with the Beijing Olympics taking place, it will have a sports theme.
Liz Wood, principal librarian for children, said: “It is essential that children learn to read well and clearly we need to encourage boys to get involved and address the difference between their reading and that of girls of their age. “
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Media contact: Richard Harkin 01926 414162.