Here's a set of useful bits and bobs to make your powerpoint presentation heaps better.

The Home Reading Initiative will encourage parents and carers to share books with their children from a young age.

Swap books online.

Inspires everyone to enjoy books, reading and writing and the lifelong benefits that they bring.

Finished with a book? Add it to this online library and swap it for a new one.

This website is about book ideas for children and teenagers.

Using the art of story telling to equip people with good public speaking skills.

• The most popular children's book is the Lord of the Rings Triology which has sold over 150 million copies worldwide
• 60% of children go to bed without a story
• The 2003 DfES Skills for Life survey in England reported one in six people (16 per cent) have serious problems in literacy or numeracy 
• A Basic Skills Agency report on crime showed that having poor literacy skills and poor numeracy skills directly increased the risk of offending, independent of all other factors such as poverty, while the 2003 Prison Reform Trust's Time to Learn study identified the need for major changes in policy and culture across the prison service if prisoners' diverse learning needs are to be met.
• There is strong evidence that having poor basic skills impacts on adult outcomes, especially for individuals at high risk of social exclusion from other factors. At age 16, over half of boys with poor reading skills think school is a waste of time and nearly four in five want to leave school as soon as possible. Poor reading is predictive of adult social exclusion; additional risk factors in childhood include social class, parents’ education and living in overcrowded housing. An additional risk factor is having parents with little interest in their child’s education or who are unsure about, or do not want their child to pursue, education or training post-16.
• There is a statistically significant connection between repeated offending and poor basic skills.
• There are significant differences in health-related practices and mental health between those with poor basic skills and those with good basic skills. It should be noted, however, that while poor literacy does not cause ill health, it does restrict access to information for ‘good’ health-related practices.
• Men and women with poor basic skills at risk of social exclusion are less likely to feel satisfied with their lot, or to feel in control of their lives, compared with those with good reading skills. They are also less likely to be involved with community groups.
• Statistics show that are 649,000 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK who were economically inactive and not in full-time education, and a further 405,000 unemployed.
• There are also an estimated 10,000 15-year-olds who are 'missing' from school in England and are not accounted for anywhere in the system. Each year more than five per cent of 15-year-olds leave school without any qualifications. Of course, having poor literacy is not the only reason why young people stay away from school, misbehave and underachieve, but it can be a contributory factor
• There is evidence that reading for pleasure not only impacts on reading achievements, but also increases general knowledge, a better understanding of other cultures, community participation and a greater insight into human nature and decision making.
• Reading childrens stories is a bonding experience that fosters meaningful one-on-one communication between parents and children.
• Raising a reader significantly increases a child's potential for academic success as well as lifelong success in general. It helps language development, listening skills, increases a child's attention span, and develops the ability to concentrate at length. It develops children's ability to express themselves more confidently, easily, and clearly in spoken and written terms. It develops and fosters a child's natural curiosity and creativity. It expands our children's horizons, quells fears, exposes them to new situations, and teaches them appropriate behavior. Reading picture books develops a young child's appreciation for the arts through exposure to many different styles of art and illustrations.