Every newborn to receive books

Sunday 15 March 2020

Every baby born on the island this year will receive a special pack of books to encourage a love of reading early on.

The special gifts from Booktrust Bookstore are being made possible thanks to a £10,000 donation from the Ana Leaf Foundation to Jersey Library.

Bookstart is based on the principle that every child should have the chance to enjoy book sharing from as early an age as possible. 

The baby pack contains two board books, details on Jersey Library and information about the importance of reading. 

Pictured: Packs include two board books, details on Jersey Library and information about the importance of reading. 

Packs are distributed by Health Visitors from Family Nursing and Home Care (FNHC) during baby health checks.

Families who do not attend a Health Clinic are given a voucher to collect a pack from the Library.

The programme aims to reap the “proven benefits” of reading for pleasure early on.

Pictured: Families who do not attend a Health Clinic are given a voucher to collect a pack from the Library.

61% of Bookstart Baby practitioners said that they saw improved social wellbeing and child-carer bonding within families taking advantage of the scheme.

The effects also span long term, with studies by Wade and Moore demonstrating that children who received the baby packs achieved significantly higher scores in reading and standardised tests in English. 

The advancement of education is one of the Ana Leaf Foundation’s key missions. 

Pictured - from left: Jersey Library's Team Leader for Reading Catherine Bithell, Chief Librarian Ed Jewell, Trustee of the Ana Leaf Foundation Amanda Simmons, and Finn Johnson.

“Helping children to enjoy learning is at the heart of what we do and Bookstart is doing fantastic work to ensure just that,” said Hayley de Putron, Trustee of the Ana Leaf Foundation. 

Ed Jewell, Chief Librarian at the Jersey Library, added: “We’re so grateful to the Ana Leaf Foundation for their donation. Learning is a life-long journey so the younger we can spark a passion for reading, the more curious and creative our children will be as they grow older.”