BookTrust and Rick Stein join forces to promote reading

Children’s reading charity BookTrust is partnering with the Rick Stein Group to encourage more children to read for pleasure by giving away special editions of A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea (Barefoot Books).

The book, authored by Jessica Law and illustrated by Jill McDonald, asking children to discover sea creatures in the hole in the bottom of the sea, will be given away in 12 of the Rick Stein Group's restaurants across Cornwall, Winchester, Sandbanks, Marlborough and Barnes. Children’s reading charity BookTrust, supported by Barefoot, initially gave away over 450,000 copies of the book as part of National Bookstart Week in June 2016, an annual celebration of BookTrust’s flagship reading programme, Bookstart.

The Rick Stein Group said: “We are delighted to be giving out copies of the children’s book A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea in our restaurants. We know how important reading and stories are for children and we are delighted so many more families who visit our restaurants will have the pleasure of reading this magical story over their family meal.”  

BookTrust c.e.o. Diana Gerald said: “Family time is so important, especially in this time-poor world but having young children and enjoying a peaceful meal out do not always easily go hand in hand. We’ve joined forces with Rick Stein to help take the pressure off parents to entertain kids at the table and encourage them to grasp those precious moments of reading together. Reading is such a portable activity and can be done anywhere. This years’ National Bookstart theme was ‘Under the Sea’ so it’s a perfect pairing with Steins’ seafood offering.”