WHY WE’RE ENCOURAGING READING FOR PLEASURE

We all cherish time spent with a good book, and we’d love for all children to experience the same enjoyment.

Beyond that, the research is clear that reading for pleasure is vital to a child’s educational success – more important than their family’s socio-economic status or their parents’ level of education. It’s key to high literacy standards and research skills. It develops empathy and well-being, and it contributes to our wider social, cultural and economic health.

https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/reading-engagement/understanding-reading-engagement/reading-for-pleasure-a-door-to-success

WHY WE’RE FOCUSING ON MIDDLE READERS

Between the ages of 8—13 years, children become confident solo readers and consolidate their reading-for-pleasure habit. It’s also the period of life when they’ll have the most time for reading.

That is why we’re keen to get books in the hands of these middle readers - books that reflect their lived reality (experiences, emotions, communities and country) and books that open windows on the world beyond (other cultures, experiences, ways of thinking including critical thinking).

These children need books that help shape their curiosity and empathy - memorable reads that extend them in terms of language, themes and story reach, and those that will create nimble and discerning minds.

HOW WE HELP

The Fledge Trust’s mission is to help instil a love of reading in these young New Zealand middle readers, and to support new and established New Zealand writers and illustrators who produce work for this readership.

To that end we support Annual Ink to mentor writers and artists across Aotearoa New Zealand; their work is a huge commitment and a unique offering for promising new writers, or established writers writing for a new audience. A major part of that support is getting Annual Ink’s Annuals out to young New Zealand middle readers who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience them.

WHAT WE’RE DOING

In 2021-22 The Fledge Trust raised enough money through a Givealittle campaign to send copies of Annual Ink’s ‘Annual 2’ to over 500 low decile, full-primary and intermediate schools throughout NZ, including the Chatham Islands.

In 2023-24 another Givealittle campaign enabled us to send copies of ‘Annual 3’ to 75 full-primary and intermediate schools in the flood-affected Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti region.

This year we have launched a campaign to send two brilliant books for Kiwi kids: Giselle Clarkson’s ‘The Observologist’ and ‘Annual 3’, to schools in Northland / Te Tai Tokerau. To make a donation to the campaign visit our Givealittle page. Fledge is a registered charity and donations qualify for a tax credit.

Donors to this campaign will have the chance to participate in an exclusive one-on-one Masterclass in Children’s Writing with Kate De Goldi. See our Projects page for more details.