Prominent Authors Urge UK Government to Invest in Early Years Reading

The call for action, led by Sir Michael Morpurgo and Malorie Blackman, is part of a broader campaign to support disadvantaged children in family reading.

• Prominent authors, including Sir Michael Morpurgo and Malorie Blackman, have written an open letter urging the UK government to invest in early years reading, particularly for children from low-income families.
• A survey by BookTrust suggests that only half of children aged between one and two from low-income families are read to daily.
• The authors argue that children who read regularly are more likely to overcome disadvantage and that the current cost-of-living crisis is pushing more families into poverty, exacerbating the issue.
• The letter forms part of a new Get Reading campaign from charity BookTrust, which aims to support disadvantaged children in family reading.
• Former children's laureate Cressida Cowell called for 'urgent investment' from the government to help rebalance reading opportunities.

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