Please tell us that we are not the only mothers out there who struggle to make their children read?! For two people who always have a book in their handbags, this is very frustrating. Reading is a huge part of both of our lives. When we first started modelling in the time before iPhones (!) the only way to while away the hours queuing at castings, waiting at airports and hotels, was to whip out a good book and dive into the pages. Because we are bookworms, we are both insistent that our kids grow up surrounded by books and develop a love for something other than iPads. So, when Sainsbury’s, a National Literacy Trust partner, asked us to collaborate with them and support World Book Day on the 1st March, we jumped at the chance.
Ahead of World Book Day, and as part of Sainsbury’s support for the Vision for Literacy Business Pledge, the supermarket has launched a huge range of book character fancy dress costumes, along with a book range aimed at make reading fun and, also, to get more kids reading. In fact, the entire mission of World Book Day, is to offer every child and young person the opportunity to read and love books… as the brilliant DJ and mum of three Sara Cox said, “World Book Day is a phenomenon”. For us both, anything that gets our kids interested in reading is a true phenomenon in our minds, so we happily sat down with our kids and let them choose their costumes from the Sainsbury’s website.
Even the process of looking at the huge range of book character costumes- from Willy Wonka to Elmer, inspired the kids to ask about the books, and talk about which character they wanted to be and why. This is such a positive development. Max and Bronte, both nearly 8, who are both notoriously difficult to make read, both devoured the David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny book after the shoot, and we are convinced that it is because the costumes inspired them to find out more, and, most importantly, made the whole process fun.
We aren’t going to bore you with them too much, but the statistics speak for themselves. It has been scientifically proven that parents reading to children brings huge benefits and greatly stimulates further reading. Reading is an emotional experience and for kids, being read to, is fun, deeply reassuring, calming and bonding. There is much room for improvement in the nation’s literacy levels- statistics like 35% of adults in the UK’s most deprived areas lack the literacy levels of an 11 year old, make campaigns like World Book Day even more important.
So, get those little monsters reading and hit the Sainsbury’s website for some fun book character costumes. Whether it’s a,”Where’s Wally” or a Gruffalo that tickles your kids’ fancies, get them dressed up and armed with a good book for World Book Day.
Find the Gangsta Granny costume here.
Find the Where’s Wally costume here.
Find the Willy Wonka costume here.
Find the Elmer costume here.
Find the Gruffalo costume here.
This year, as part of Sainsbury’s support for the Vision for Literacy Business Plegde ( led by the National Literacy Trust), the supermarket is encouraging parents and children to get reading this World Book Day. Find an awesome range of costumes that you can buy in store now, and redeem your World Book Day token in store.
This is a paid collaboration with Sainsbury’s and World Book Day. All thoughts and opinions are our own. After all, who doesn’t want their kids to love books?!
