Moomin Characters backs Finnish literacy campaign Read Hour as it makes UK debut

Finland’s successful literacy initiative, Read Hour is coming to the UK for the first time this year, with the help of the country’s best loved literary export, the Moomins.

Celebrated on UN International Literacy Day, Read Hour was created by the Children and Youth Foundation with a mission to encourage people to spend one hour of their day on September 8th reading.  Kids will be encouraged to read whatever they can get their hands on, whether a book, magazine or comic book.

After witnessing the success of the Read Hour campaign in its home country, Moomin Characters was inspired to help launch the initiative on an international scale. Three years since its launch, Read Hour has now attracted growing support. Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland, has been the patron since Read Hour began and thousands of Finns shared their Read Hour participation on social media every year.

In the UK, organisations who have pledged to support Read Hour so far include Waterstones, Macmillan Children’s Books, Sort Of Books, Oxfam, World Book Day, BookTrust, Love Reading and many more.

There will be special Read Hour events taking place at Waterstones stores in London and Glasgow on September 8th at 4pm. The Glasgow event at the Sauchiehall Street store will see Moomin storyteller Liz Fost entertain audiences with interactive storytelling and crafts.

Meanwhile, in London’s Kingston store, attendees will have the opportunity to meet and have a photo with Moomintroll and hear tales of Moominvalley from children’s author Philip Ardagh, the author of The World of Moominvalley.

Roleff Kråkström, managing director of Moomin Characters, said: “We have made a long term commitment to helping spark a love of reading and writing in young people around the globe, and are delighted to be bringing Read Hour to the UK as part of that mission.

“We believe that being able to read and write opens up a world of possibilities for young people, allowing them to communicate their hopes and dreams, relate to others, engage with the big issues of our times, and create positive change.”

Jennifer Saunders, Cressida Cowell, Laura Dockrill and Philip Ardagh are among the celebrities and authors who will be supporting Read Hour on social media. Anyone taking part is encouraged to share a photo of themselves or the book they are reading on social media using the hashtag #ReadHourUK.

The official Read Hour will be held at 2pm-3pm, but anyone unable to take part then is encouraged to hold their own Read Hour at any time that suits them on September 8th. Reading alone and reading together with a family member, friend, classmates or colleagues are equally encouraged.

A range of Read Hour resources are available here for bookshops, schools, and libraries who would like to take part in the initiative. Please contact emily@riotcommunications.com for further information.

Hachette Children’s brings Enid Blyton to the Fonetti app in digital first for the children’s author

Hachette Children’s Group – the revered children’s publishers and publishers of author Enid Blyton, as well as owner of Enid Blyton Entertanment – ha teamed with the Department for Education’s approved reading practise app, Fonetti.

The deal will see a selection of Blyton’s stories uploaded to the Fonetti library, a resource that allows children to practise their reading skills and improve their literacy by listening to them reading aloud and checking their accuracy.

This is the first time ever that Enid Blyton has been part of a digital literacy platform.

Blyton is one of the world’s best-selling children’s authors with sales of her books in excess of 500 million copies, translated into over 40 languages. In the UK she sells more than one book a minute and many of her books have been adapted into films and TV series.

As well as being regularly voted the UK’s best-loved author, according to UNESCO, Enid Blyton is the most translated children’s author in the world.

Children will now be able to access the Blyton stories, which are grouped into three categories: summertime stories, animal stories and magic and mischief stories, using the Fonetti App (fonetti.com), with each bundle of stories costing £7.99.

Fonetti’s Kim Antoniou, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our Fonetti readers these stories, from one of the best loved children’s authors of all time.  

“Literacy is the cornerstone of every child’s life.  Without it, children (and adults) are held back at every stage. The ability to read is a vital life skill and the Fonetti App aims to promote reading, particularly reading aloud, and language skills to children from four to nine years of age. Being able to offer Enid Blyton titles, alongside our many other authors, will help us to enhance and grow our reader base.”

Karen Lawler, head of brand strategy and licensed content, Hachette Children’s Group, added: “We are delighted to be working with Fonetti to help ensure even more children have access to Enid Blyton’s world-famous stories. 

“Fonetti’s ability to recognise children’s words as they read aloud has the potential to build reading accuracy and fluency. Enid Blyton’s stories have been used to develop literacy skills for generations of children, so we felt it was the perfect fit.”