PRH Children's and Speakers for Schools bring online book clubs to 30,000 young people

Social mobility charity Speakers for Schools is partnering with Penguin Random House Children’s on a series of online book clubs aiming to reach 30,000 young people.

The National Teen Book Club will offer six Penguin YA books and a space where students from state schools and colleges can discuss each book’s themes, meet experts from relevant industries and learn more about the publishing industry.

A diverse range of books and speakers, including Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, will present possible career options in writing and publishing to young people. The aim is to encourage young people to read beyond the national curriculum and develop a lifelong enjoyment of reading.

Books featured by the club include The Upper World by Femi Fadugba, One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus and Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen. More are to be announced and the theme of this year’s books is mental health and wellbeing.

PRH Children’s is also offering participants discounts on all of the books from the club, which can be purchased in e-book for 99p, in audio for £1.99 or with 50% off for physical copies for each school or college.

Ruth Knowles, publishing director at PRH Children’s, said:  “At Penguin we publish books for everyone because a book can change anyone, so we are delighted to partner with the National Teen Book Club to introduce a fantastic and diverse range of Penguin YA books and authors to a new audience of young people. Not only do these books offer readers the chance to immerse themselves in trending genres, from fantasy and sci-fi to twisty whodunits, but they also touch on themes important to young people today, including mental health, sexuality, race and social media. The book club gives participants the chance to read and discuss a book with their peers in small groups, as well as hear about career possibilities stemming from reading, through Q&As and workshops with publishing experts. We’re excited to reach new audiences in this way and further inspire a lifelong love of reading.”

Savitri Patel, head of enrichment at Speakers for Schools, added: “The aim of the National Teen Book Club is to broaden the horizons and raise the aspirations of young people by helping them engage with the increasingly diverse and relatable representation to be found in young adult books. We provide them a place to exchange ideas and socialise while developing literacy skills and confidence. I am delighted to have the support of Penguin Random House Children’s, who have partnered with us for the next stage of this enrichment programme in order to help demystify and increase access to the publishing industry, aiding young people’s current learning and standing them in good stead for the future.”

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