Green Bean Books | Children Under 6 years

Follow the adventures of Green Bean & Friends in this collection of exciting paperback books.
​Perfect for reading at bedtime, or encouraging early readers to read independently.

Barriers to reading books
Accessibility is a huge issue for children being able to read for pleasure. Public libraries have been grossly underfunded for years, forcing many to reduce their services, restricting the ranges of books available by preventing them stocking new books, or having to close their doors altogether.
A similarly dire picture is painted within schools, with decades of austerity leading to a lack of provisions within school libraries. It is shocking when confronted with the fact that, whilst it is a legal requirement for all prisons in the UK to have a library, there is no such requirement for schools.

Children's Books

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Children's Magazines

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Overemphasis on literacy reduces enjoyment in reading
One of the factors being blamed for children losing interest in reading for pleasure is the heavy focus on reading for literacy in schools. There’s no denying that learning literacy skills is vital for childhood development, but there needs to be a balanced approach.
Too much emphasis on reading purely as a means to an end – to achieve certain grades and be able to get a job – is damaging. Reading for the sheer love of the words, the way the sentences flow, the imagery conjured up, the other worlds to explore and the characters we can relate to and identify with – there is so much more to books than simply learning to read and write.

Many children’s TV shows have been created from much-loved books, bringing the stories and characters to life and helping to engage children’s imaginations. There are games and interactive online platforms using characters from books, to help children learn whilst having fun.
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Arguably the best way to engage young readers and get children reading books for pleasure is threefold:
1.     Improving accessibility of books for all children within schools and public libraries through proper funding.
2.      Ensuring all school children experience at least one author visit per academic year.
3.      Using a blended approach to storytelling, through digital and printed forms of entertainment and education.

All children, regardless of their background or family circumstances, deserve to have access to books on a daily basis. Only then can we hope to rekindle a love of reading in the next generation.

Children's Toys

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Games & Puzzles

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Garden & Outdoor Play

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