Television presenter Rachel Riley has been announced as the first ever ambassador for Oscar’s Book Club, a new initiative to inspire early years reading.
The initiative has been launched today on World Book Day (7 March) by Oscar’s Book Prize, which aims to reach children in areas with typically low engagement with the arts. It was set up by James and Viveka Ashton in memory of their son Oscar, who was three-and-a-half when he died from a heart condition in December 2012.
The £10,000 prize, supported by Amazon and for which HRH Princess Beatrice is a patron, seeks to find the best picturebook for young children.
Throughout April, volunteers from the Amazon Reading Volunteers’ national network of schools will be donating the prize’s shortlisted books to nurseries and schools across the country, as well as hosting group sessions to inspire young children through the magic of reading.
