There is something rather special about watching a child fall in love with a book.
‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.’ A story of kindness, friendship, courage and hope for viewers of all ages in a heartwarming, hand-drawn animated film based on the children’s book by Charlie Mackesy.
It might be the moment they become completely absorbed in a story, the excitement of discovering a character they absolutely adore, or the endless questions that follow when a book has sparked their curiosity.
When I was a child, I remember being drawn to the covers of Roald Dahl’s books. There was something about those Quentin Blake illustrations that made me want to
pick them up and see what was inside. I never got around to reading them all, but over the years I’ve handpicked a few favourites to return to — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Esio Trot and Matilda, in particular.
There are also those books that get handed down to you, passed from one generation to the next.
Let me ask you a question: have you read The Tale of Peter Rabbit?
You might remember it from your own childhood, or perhaps you read it to your own children. Downstairs, we have a random set — a battered set, admittedly, but a much-loved one — of Beatrix Potter’s classics. I couldn’t tell you which ones we’re missing, but I can tell you I’ve seen enough copies of Jemima Puddle-Duck and The Tale of Peter Rabbit over the years. People love books, basically. (I should really have led with that, but hey-ho, here we are!)
But seriously, how do we encourage our children to read? I’d start with something simple: find something that really sparks their interest.
If you’re into it, read into it
That idea sits at the heart of the National Year of Reading 2026, a nationwide campaign designed to encourage people of all ages to rediscover the pleasure of reading and make it part of everyday life.
Credit: National Literacy Trust. “Go All In” Campaign Logo.
Led by the Department for Education in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, the campaign is asking the nation to “Go All In” on the things we already love — whether that is music, football, baking, family time, science fiction or anything else — and discover how reading can open up those interests even further.
The campaign comes at a time when reading for pleasure is under pressure, with the National Year of Reading aiming to reconnect people with books and reading as something relevant, enjoyable and rewarding.
And for children, there may be no better place to begin than with a book that genuinely captures their imagination. And sometimes, it isn’t the one you might expect.
It could be a Roald Dahl classic. It could be a battered copy of Peter Rabbit. Or it could be something much more recent, like Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
I love the simplicity of that book. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse each offers something different. A child might find they are drawn to one character more than another, but the important thing is that they have found their way into the story. And I think that’s really special.
The National Centre for Writing in Norwich is also a great place to look if you’re stuck for inspiration. As part of the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, NCW has teamed up with Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library to create Read to the Beat, a reading list for young music lovers. You can find out more here.
The centre’s work promoting reading, writing, storytelling and access to literature across the East of England provides another reminder that a love of books does not have to begin in a classroom.
Reading has, and always will be, a lifelong experience.
