Plus the Publishers' Supplement with the latest information about new children's books

Chatterbooks newsletter Summer 2011.pdf

c bks publishers supplement Summer 2011 1.pdf

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

Chatterbooks Certificate
For celebrating children's attendance and achievements in their Chatterbooks group

Chatterbooks Certificate.pdf

Chatterpacks

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

Here are the latest Chatterpacks:

October 2011 Special Karen McCombie Chatterpack featuring her latest book: 'You, Me and Thing'
Karen McCombie Chatterpack 2.pdf

June 2011 - Fabulous new DC Super Heroes Chatterpack from Raintree!
Featuring The Green Lantern and Superman!

Raintree Green Lantern Chatterpack FINAL.pdf

April 2011 - Ali Sparkes 'S.W.I.T.C.H.' Chatterpack from OUP
plus extra activity sheets downloadable here

SWITCH_Chatpack April 11.pdf

SWITCH board game.pdf
SWITCH Booklist.doc
SWITCH bug quiz.pdf
SWITCH maze.pdf
SWITCH puzzle.pdf
SWITCH spider true and false.pdf
SWITCH spot the difference.pdf
SWITCH Which character are you.pdf
SWITCH wordsearch.pdf
SWITCH answers.pdf

March 2011

Humphrey the Hamster - from Faber
faber Humphrey Chatterpack.pdf

Funny Fiction - from Simon & Schuster
Funny Fiction Chatterpack FINAL.pdf

Plus all these activity sheets!

Funny Fiction Beastly activities.pdf
Funny Fiction Cat conspiracy activity sheet.pdf
Funny Fiction Dr Proctor activities.pdf
Funny Fiction Dr Proctor activity sheet 2.pdf
Funny fiction Fantastic Frankie activity sheet.pdf
Funny Fiction Milo activity sheet 2.pdf
Funny Fiction Milo activity sheet.pdf
Funny fiction Stunt Bunny activity sheet 1.pdf
Funny fiction Stunt Bunny activity sheet 2.pdf

New packs from Raintree: February 2011
Here are two great packs from Raintree featuring their Graphic Revolve series
There's a 'spooky' themed pack with Dracula and stories from The Library of Doom, and there's a pack based on a graphic novel version of Alice in Wonderland.
Look out for the competition in the 'spooky' pack - closing date April 8th.

Raintree Graphic Revolve 'spooky' pack

Raintree Graphic Revolve Alice in Wonderland

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

A new Chatterpack from Puffin to celebrate their 70th birthday!
puffin birthday chatterpack FINAL.pdf

Team DFC !
One of the titles on September's Spotlight list is Vern and Lettuce by Sarah McIntyre, from the Random House DFC Library.
Hopefully you will have heard about the DFC Library by now, a bold new collection of comic stories perfect for children of all ages, including Good Dog, Bad Dog by Dave Shelton, MeZolith by Adam Brockbank and Ben Haggarty and The Spider Moon by Kate Brown.

How would you like a Team DFC visit to your library? Would you like to host an exciting, creative comicbook workshop?
Download this information sheet, meet Team DFC and find out how to book a visit!
Team DFC - comic storybooks.pdf
Kids + Fabulous comics + dynamic creators = a library bursting with young writers, artists and storytellers!

Puffin Handbook
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 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

and
You can't eat a princess Chatterpack.pdf

The Big Draw!
Here are some ideas and activity sheets you can use in your Chatterbooks Big Draw sessions

chatterbooks Big draw ideas.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.

Late autumn 2011 Date tba

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.

October 6th 2011 at Freeword: now fully booked.
Next course: Spring 2012 tba

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 join 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:

• 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, or available as downloads from the Chatterbooks website - at least one pack free each term, and others available at special members' rates)
• (Optional) Chatterbooks packs of reading resources for children and posters to promote Chatterbooks activity. These are available in sets of 10 for £65 plus p&p. To order these please go to our Reading Agency Shop

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.

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

To join Chatterbooks, or for more information, please contact your local library delivery agent or email info@chatterbooks.org.uk

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, it is valuable to attend the Chatterbooks training. This comprehensive introduction to setting up and running reading groups will leave you buzzing with ideas to try out. Contact info@chatterbooks.org.uk for information about training available.

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 10 and 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! Contact info@chatterbooks.org.uk 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 website Reading Groups for Everyone

• 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 joining Chatterbooks, whatever your setting, you get membership of a UK wide network of reading groups; support via a newsletter, handbook and activity ideas sheets; the option to buy 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.