The importance of reading is drilled into us from childhood. We must read. We simply must develop an appetite for literature so that in time we can learn to appreciate the greats. But what if we there was a way we could encourage children to read for pleasure? Wouldn’t that be a coup?

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Lockdown has presented very obvious barriers to education, halting social development in its tracks and stifling the imaginations of would be rocket-scientists and big dreamers. Children and young adults are forced to log into zoom to interact with teachers, the natural stimulus of the classroom environment being replaced by technology which, some would argue, exacerbates loneliness rather than connects us like it promises.

At times like this, children need a distraction.

One brand hoping to inspire children’s imaginations is book subscription service LoveMyRead, which launched in September 2020. The company is the only child’s subscription box to be curated by the award-winning authors Malorie Blackman (Noughts and Crosses) and Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Casmic), who, you might say really do know a thing or two about the types of books which stimulate young minds.

Each month, the most notable children’s publishers scramble to send LoveMyRead their most anticipated new reads before publication. Once received, Blackman and Cottrell-Boyce will expertly curate a shortlist of four gender-neutral and thematically-diverse books to entice young readers.

LoveMyRead’s modus operandi is simple – they exist to foster a life-long reading habit.

The company knows that reading only becomes a habit when children start to read in their own time. Children only read for pleasure when they see themselves in the pages of books they’re reading, so LoveMyRead curates only the most awe-inspiring stories from diverse new authors whose literary tales transport children to new mental landscapes. Put simply, LoveMyRead curate the classics of today, which children will struggle to put down.

Seeing your child with their head in a book is a win for any parent, but in lockdown 3.0, any child reading anything is a reminder of normality which should be celebrated. Why? Because reading stimulates imagination, develops critical thinking skills & aptitude for empathy, improves memory recall and also improves mental health, which are all valid tools for helping children better navigate pandemic uncertainty and life in general.

Not every child and young adult can relate to the classics of yesteryear so why not encourage your child to explore bold new authors such as Nathan Bryon, Nadia Hussain, Neill Cameron and Kim Hillyard, whose stories celebrate the extraordinary and the everyday, through a monthly subscription to LoveMyRead instead? Then you can relax, safe in the knowledge that there is more to be gained from reading than just escapism: Little adults are built in those pages, too.

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A child’s book subscription will set parents back just 12.99 a month. After sign-up, the member will be asked to choose an age category, (0-3), (4-6), (7-9) and (10-12). They will then be sent a hotly anticipated new book curated by Malorie and Frank, with their chosen book arriving, beautifully packaged, on the day of publication with some additional treats included. To sign up for your LoveMyRead box, visit www.lovemyread.com