Jacqueline is a perfect choice as patron of Chatterbooks. She is an avid reader and was a keen library user as a child. "It's so lovely and reassuring to feel that children are sharing their ideas and thoughts about reading. I was thrilled when I was asked to be patron and thought 'What could be nicer?"

tricia.kings@readingagency.org.uk
and

patricia.sharkey@readingagency.org.uk

Further resources:

Session record sheets

You can use these Chatterbooks session record sheets.pdf to gather and keep information, observations and feedback about your group and its activities.

Questionnaires about children's reading

These two questionnaires can be used to explore children's feelings about their reading when they join a Chatterbooks group, and then to see if there are any changes after they have been in the group for a while.
You could introduce them as a session activity.

Chatterbooks children's reading questionnaire 1.doc

Chatterbooks children's reading questionnaire 2.doc

Chatterpacks

These are special downloadable packs featuring particular themes or book titles, with activity sheets, book lists and lots of ideas for sessions.

Chatterpacks will be available to buy from our Shop - for Chatterbooks network members they will be free, or available at a discount. We'll let you know when the next pack is available.

Here is a sample Chatterpack which you can download free, featuring the book and the film 'The Tale of Despereaux'
Tale of Despereaux Chatterpack l.pdf

Two new Chatterpacks from Puffin
Tom Palmer football_chatterpack.pdf
Kane Chronicles Chatterpack.pdf

Activity sheets from Publishers

Here are some activity sheets you can download to use with the fiction sampler books sent to your group from Simon and Schuster.

An Awfully Beastly Business
Great Hamster Massacre 1
Great Hamster Massacre 2
Doctor Proctor 1
Doctor Proctor 2
Doctor Proctor 3

Tumtum and Nutmeg recipe sheets! to share with your groups doing Egmont's letter writing competition

Tumtum and Nutmeg Chocolate_Crunchies.pdf
Tumtum and Nutmeg Cinnamon_Toast.pdf
Tumtum and Nutmeg Gingerbread_Men.pdf
Tumtum and Nutmeg Treacle_Tart.pdf

New from Puffin
You can download here the new Puffin Handbook.pdf, a handy guide to 70 great books for children, celebrating 70 years of Puffin Books.

Great Links!

Faber's new Grubtown website
Drawing on the weird and wonderful characters and settings from all six Grubtown books, www.visitgrubtown.com features six distinct Grubtown locations - including the fan favourites: the Daily Herald newspaper office, the Duckhouse/Museum and Smoky's cinema. From April 29 until June 3, a new location unlocks each week, treating users to a special Grubtown story, delivered in instalments. Readers are encouraged to interact with characters and objects, and can discover exclusive downloads.

Judy Moody Chatterpack from Walker - celebrating ten mega-moody Judy Moody years!
Judy_Moody_Chatterpack.pdf
Judy Moody activity sheets.pdf

Two great Chatterpacks from Scholastic
For you to download - full of ideas and activities:
Joshua Files Chatterpack.pdf
NB The closing date for the competition in this pack is 31st July 2010.
and
You can't eat a princess Chatterpack.pdf

We also offer training tailored to your needs - for example to local groups of libraries or schools.
If you would like more information about arranging this please contact training@readingagency.org.uk

Chatterbooks for schools
A one day course for teaching and non-teaching staff wishing to set up Chatterbooks in their school. It covers how to set up and run a group, and how to make the most of the Chatterbooks experience and offer to develop children as enthusiastic and successful readers.

Tuesday 11th May
RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD

Friday 24th September
Newcastle Library, Charles Avison Building, 33 New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AX

Chatterbooks training for public library staff
A one day training day provides an essential introduction for library staff new to Chatterbooks. It is also highly recommended for library staff who want to refresh or top up on previous training in this field. And if you're planning to start a Chatterbooks reading group in your authority, then this is also the training for you (or your staff).

You will come away with practical ideas of how to set up, run and develop a successful and lively Chatterbooks programme for your library service - and information on how you can evaluate your Chatterbooks groups' achievements.

Friday 11th June
York Central Library,Museum Street, York, YO1 7DS

Places cost £195 per person and £175 for each subsequent delegate from the same authority

For more information and to book a place call Jenny Warner on 020 7324 2545 or email training@readingagency.org.uk

Training from School library service and Public library Chatterbooks delivery agents
If your local School library service or Public library service is listed on this site as a Chatterbooks delivery agent they may well be offering Chatterbooks training to local schools and/or able to dvelop a local course to meet local schools' needs. See the list of library services in the How section on this site.

You can use Chatterbooks as part of your local reader development offer to schools.
By supporting schools in setting up and running Chatterbooks you can enable more children to have the chance to join a reading group, and promote reading for pleasure and library use.

You will want to design your local offer to your schools and consider any local funding (eg. from Extended Services) you might be able to tap into to support your offer.
Here is a case study from Dorset where Chatterbooks with schools has been piloted this year).

Chatterbooks is jointly run [with us] by the school's headteacher. We are encouraging reading development amongst the children, many of whom have additional learning needs. Cambridgeshire Chatterbooks

If you want to sign up as a Chatterbooks delivery agent just contact info@chatterbooks.org.uk and find out all about the support package available from The Reading Agency to help you create your offer for schools.
Once you are signed up we will promote your service to your local schools via the delivery agent list on this website. (See Chatterbooks and schools.)
You will receive a special Training Template for use in schools' Chatterbooks training, and regular mailings of materials to share with your schools.

To buy children's Chatterbooks packs to include in your package go to The Reading Agency online Shop.

CaseStudyA.doc: Schools Library Services and Public Libraries as Chatterbooks delivery agents to schools. A pilot programme run by Dorset Public Library Service and School Library Service to introduce Chatterbooks to schools as part of the Boys into Books programme.

CaseStudyB.doc: Public Libraries and schools as partners. A case study from Derby City, using Chatterbooks in a school to narrow the gap in boys' reading.

CaseStudyC.doc: Public Libraries running Chatterbooks in schools.
Staffordshire libraries are running Chatterbooks sessions in schools as part of Wider Family Learning programmes. Sefton libraries are promoting the public library model via schools.

Chatterbooks - especially in partnership with Public Libraries and/or School Library Services - can help you deliver your key school priorities.

Chatterbooks is a powerful tool for schools. Through personalised engagement in reading for pleasure, it can really make a difference - and a recordable difference - for your pupils' progress in

• Behaviour (doing things differently)
• Competence (doing things better)
• Levels of knowledge
• Attitudes
• Creativity

Chatterbooks can help children achieve in almost all your School Improvement Plan agendas - from attainment to transition.

"I can't speak highly enough of Chatterbooks. We have worked closely with our local library service to have groups of 12 children going regularly to a Chatterbooks group at the local library for several years now. Chatterbooks does engage the reluctant reader." Headteacher, Crosby

What you get - and how you can get it

You can subscribe to Chatterbooks directly through The Reading Agency, or with your local School Library Service or Public Library Service if they are one of the services listed below, who are signed up as Chatterbooks delivery agents to schools

When you join Chatterbooks you get the following support and resources to help you run your group:

For a minimum purchase of £187.50

• Network membership and support from The Reading Agency via the Chatterbooks website
• Chatterbooks Handbook for schools, with ideas and guidelines for running your group (emailed)
• Chatterbooks Newsletter, with news and ideas from the network (emailed termly)
• Publishers' Supplement with news of the latest children's books, plus themed booklists (emailed termly)
• Ideas packs for session activities (emailed - at least one pack free each term, and others available at special members' rates)
• Set of 25 Chatterbooks packs for children plus 4 posters to promote Chatterbooks activity (You can buy further packs if you wish)

The Chatterbooks packs give children a feeling of belonging to the national Chatterbooks network, and they provide a range of materials to encourage their reading.

Chatterbooks packs consist of a bag, a bookmark, a reading diary, an A3 sticker sheet, 'Book Bite' post-it pad, and a Chatterbooks pen.

To join Chatterbooks go to The Reading Agency online Shop

Training on running Chatterbooks in schools is available from The Reading Agency, and also from your local School Library Service or Public Library Service if they are signed up Chatterbooks delivery agents. (See list above)

For more information see our Training page.

Library services use Chatterbooks in their work towards both national and local targets and agendas.

As a result of taking part in Chatterbooks

• Children are reading more books and reading more widely
• Children are more confident about themselves as readers
• Children are more confident in forming and expressing their opinions
• Children are contributing to shaping library services
• Children are being involved in wider cultural experiences
• Staff are more skilled and confident in relating with children, and are more knowledgeable about children's books

What you get - and how you can get it

For public libraries to join the network there are just three things you need to do:

1. Book Chatterbooks training: To become part of the UK Chatterbooks network, you need to attend the Chatterbooks training. This comprehensive introduction to setting up and running reading groups will leave you buzzing with ideas to try out. Link to Training

2. Order materials:

.

The Chatterbooks packs give children a feeling of belonging to the national Chatterbooks network, and they provide a range of materials to encourage their reading.

Chatterbooks packs consist of a bag, a bookmark, a reading diary, an A3 sticker sheet, 'Book Bite' post-it pad, and a Chatterbooks pen.

Packs are sold in sets of 25; each set includes 4 posters to promote Chatterbooks events and activities.

These are available to order from The Reading Agency online Shop..

3. Keep in touch! Use the blog to share your ideas and comments.

When you join the Chatterbooks network you will receive the following support and resources from The Reading Agency:

• Chatterbooks Handbook: this Handbook provides you with guidance on setting up, publicising, and running your groups. There are ideas for sessions, and guidelines for evaluating your groups' achievements and outcomes.

• Chatterbooks e-Newsletter: this is a termly newsletter, with news, views and ideas from groups, and updates on any national activity that your groups can get involved in. Together with the Newsletter comes a Publishers' Supplement with news of the latest titles for children, publisher offers, and special themed booklists to give you more ideas for your sessions

• Online sharing of good practice and problem-solving with members of the Chatterbooks network through the Chatterbooks website blog

• Email support from The Reading Agency Chatterbooks support team - just contact info@chatterbooks.org.uk

Children often play an active part in planning and running Chatterbooks meetings - their group belongs to them! The group can decide a whole range of themes, games, authors and websites to explore, as a springboard for exciting activities and discussions. In Chatterbooks children have the freedom to take their ideas as far as they like.

"The children came up with very powerful ideas during discussions. The best part was that they loved being asked their opinion. Being out of class, in an informal setting, was fun for them." Teacher

Choose from the sections below to find out how Chatterbooks can work for you, what you get, and how to get it:

Chatterbooks in libraries

Chatterbooks in schools

School Library Services and Public Libraries offering Chatterbooks to schools

Chatterbooks offers an innovative, exciting and creative reading approach, which will meet libraries' and schools' objectives in an imaginative way. Chatterbooks groups will appeal to all children, including those not currently engaged with reading.

"Chatterbooks has been wonderful for Ben, it has renewed his passion for reading" Parent

Through Chatterbooks children are encouraged to read regularly and adventurously.

Through Chatterbooks they develop confidence in themselves as readers, and in shaping and expressing their ideas and opinions.

If you're a library Chatterbooks is a great way of reaching and involving children in reading, and developing a habit of library use.

If you're a school Chatterbooks can support your School Improvement Plan and help you to achieve your school targets in a number of areas, including attainment, education standards, social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL), personalised learning, provision for gifted and talented children, and additional learning needs.

If you're a School Library Service, or Public Library Service Chatterbooks can enhance your reading offer to schools, with a programme which can support a range of specific school priorities.

By subscribing to Chatterbooks, whatever your setting, you get membership of a UK wide network of reading groups; support via a newsletter, handbook and activity ideas sheets; Chatterbooks bags and reading incentives for children; and opportunities for training and for networking via the Chatterbooks website.

To find out about joining Chatterbooks, have a look at our 'How' section:

"Before I started Chatterbooks I wasn't a keen reader, but now I read lots more. I feel happy to have met all the people and share with them what I like about books." Jacob aged nine years.

Launched in November 2009 the pilot runs till March 2010, with Chatterbooks groups in UK schools partnering up with groups in Ghana, Pakistan, Egypt and China. The groups are now well into their stride and we're getting lovely feedback from the children and teachers - here's a message from a teacher in Pakistan:

"We too finished the book 'This Morning I met a Whale' (by Michael Morpurgo). The children just loved being read too. They filled out the pre-reading questionnaire too. After the teacher finished reading the book to students, they eagerly took it home over the weekend. Then Sarah ( the teacher working with me on this project) and I conducted an outdoor discussion activity in the school ground.The children were asked to work in groups to choose any other animal and think of any message from it. WOW! That was just brilliant! they came up with such powerful messages that even I was bowled over. The children came up with very powerful ideas during discussions. The best part was that they loved being asked their opinion. Being out of the class, in an informal setting was fun for them. The thing which gave me immense satisfaction and infused further enthusiasm was that the two extremely shy students who never speak in class in spite of all our efforts were visibly vibrant as well as confidently expressive. Hurrah! this just proves our first project was superbly successful."

Read a schools' partnership profile of two schools in Staffordshire and Egypt that is part of our work with the British Council and their Connecting Classrooms project.

Read more about Chatterbooks with the British Council in this Guardian Books Online feature.

And Chatterbooks by the pyramids! Pupils from the Mostafa Kamel Experimental School in Egypt enjoy reading 'What Planet are you from Clarice Bean?' by Lauren Child - they will be sharing their views on this book with their Chatterbooks partner school Tower View Primary in Staffordshire.
For more about this Chatterbooks Connecting Classrooms partnership see this BBC World Class news report.