Children's Books Ireland

Introduction

Children’s Books Ireland is the national charity and arts organisation that champions every child’s right to develop a love of reading. Through various activities and events, Children’s Books Ireland aims to engage young people with books, foster a greater understanding of the importance of reading for young people, and act as a core resource for those with an interest in books for children in Ireland. 

Children’s Books Ireland is on a mission to inspire a love of reading in children and young people in Ireland. To share their expertise and enthusiasm with the adults who guide and influence them. To champion every child’s right to excellent books and live literature events, and support the artists who make that goal possible across the island of Ireland. Their vision is clear – Every Child a Reader.

Children’s Books Ireland works on various activities and initiatives to make reading accessible to young people - some of which we’ve detailed below. 

Book Clinics

Children’s Books Ireland works with different partners around the country to deliver Book Clinics. These Clinics invite children and their families to drop in for an informal consultation with one of Book Doctors, who are ready to offer the best advice for young readers. When the Book Doctor is ready to see a patient, the consultation begins with some questions about the type of books the reader enjoys, as well as activities, movies, TV shows and video games. This lets the Book Doctor know a little bit more about the patient, so she can write a book prescription - a personalised list of book recommendations. Every patient leaves with a Reading Passport containing this book prescription, to take to their local library or bookshop to have filled!

Look out for upcoming Book Clinics: https://childrensbooksireland.ie/news-events
 

Pride Reading Guides 

Building on the Rainbow Reads reading list produced with An Post, the Pride Reading Guide was published in June 2022 and contains 100 LGBTQIA+ inclusive stories. This guide offers a hundred ways to encourage solidarity, allyship and confidence in children and young people – during Pride and beyond.

Download the guide: https://childrensbooksireland.ie/our-recommendations/pride-reading-guide-2022
Download Pride colouring sheet: https://childrensbooksireland.ie/resources-ideas/ideas-activities-packs/doodle-starter-activity-sheets

Book Gifting

Children's Books Ireland's vision is an Ireland in which every child is a reader, and our book gifting schemes help to get books into the hands of as many young readers as possible. These schemes have substantially expanded over the past few years thanks to the generous support of various partners and funders. Key areas of book-gifting now include schools, educational and healthcare settings and children's charities.

https://childrensbooksireland.ie/what-we-do/book-gifting

Free To Be Me

This themed reading guide highlights books that celebrate diversity, representation and inclusion for children and young people aged 0–18. The Free to Be Me reading guide promotes equity and visibility of diverse stories in both school and public libraries, bookshops and shelves in the home.

The aims of the guide are to:

• inform readers and educators about the range of excellent books available

• stimulate conversations around the issues

• develop young people’s values, attitudes and knowledge. 

By achieving these aims we hope to better prepare young people to fully participate in, mould and build a more equitable society. We imagine an Ireland where all children and their families feel welcomed, valued, celebrated and respected. By supporting young people, we hope to achieve this vision.

https://childrensbooksireland.ie/what-we-do/our-publications/free-be-me