Egmont launches Paper Beach reading project

Egmont Books has created Paper Beach, a community art project backed by events with authors to help children learning at home and connect them with one another.

A collaboration with East Cliff Creatives, the project aims to celebrate the joy of reading and connect readers around the world. It asks people of all ages to join in by answering two questions: “Where does reading take you?” and “Where do you want to go on your next reading adventure?’ The project is open to anyone, in particular, schools and children.

The culmination of the project will be revealed in a major live event in March 2021 where all entries will be brought together to create one giant artwork.

To accompany the project, Egmont Books has launched a series of online author events to help parents and teachers currently delivering home learning to children across the UK. They will be presented by Gareth P Jones and include authors Adam and Charlotte Guillain, Jim Smith, Jenny McLachlan, Sophy Henn, Jack Meggitt Phillips and Smriti Halls.

Each author event will include a home-schooling task and resources tailored to the age and stage of every participating child. The event programme will run for six weeks and kicked off on 19th January. Each pre-recorded event is also posted on Egmont’s social media channels and the East Cliff Creatives website.

Submissions to the Paper Beach project from schoolchildren will automatically be entered into a competition to win £500 worth of Egmont books for their school. Egmont Books is offering six prizes, one per week for the duration of the event programme.

Cally Poplak, executive publisher, said: “Egmont’s purpose is to make every child a proud reader because reading has the power to change lives for the better. Children who read for pleasure achieve more and have better wellbeing. It’s more influential on a child’s academic success than the family’s socio-economic background. It’s the great leveller and the key to social mobility. So I am extremely proud to launch such an innovative project for these stay-at-home times that encourages children to celebrate the magic of reading and the adventures that books can take you on.”

To submit an entry and view the six-week events programme, visit East Cliff Creatives Paper Beach website.