Said announced as BookTrust’s Writer in Residence

Award-winning children’s author S F Said has been announced as the new Writer in Residence at BookTrust, effective 1st March.

The residency, which has been held by the likes of Michael Rosen, Cressida Cowell and Nick Sharratt, was launched in 2009 to provide a platform for writers and illustrators to explore issues they are passionate about and inspire more children to read. This year sees BookTrust implementing a new strategy, which focuses on supporting disadvantaged children to build reading habits. 

Said, who has published children’s books including Phoenix and Varjak Paw (both Corgi Childrens), is best known for his work to improve representation in children’s literature. His latest novel, Tyger (David Fickling Books), for example, draws upon his own experience of growing up as a British Muslim of Middle Eastern origin. 

During his residency, Said will encourage children to read whichever books they most enjoy and to follow any route into reading that makes them feel excited and inspired. 

The author said: "I am delighted to be the new BookTrust Writer In Residence. I want to use my time in this role to celebrate the life-changing power of reading for pleasure and to make the case that every single child can be a reader. We know from research that reading for pleasure has the greatest positive impact of any single factor on children’s life chances. I think this means we have to do everything possible to enable every child to find the books that will unlock reading for them; the ones that will light the spark of literacy and give them a space in which they feel included and inspired. I will be advocating for all different kinds of books and different ways into reading. I will be talking to teachers and librarians about reading for pleasure and getting their top tips on how to help every child become a reader."

Diana Gerald, c.e.o. of BookTrust, added: “S F’s commitment to making reading feel accessible to all children makes him a fantastic force for change and we are honoured to have him on board. For children to experience the life-changing benefits of reading regularly, it’s vital they are encouraged to choose and enjoy whichever books appeal to them most. We need to get the message out there that no book or approach to reading is ‘right’ or ‘better’. As long as children feel motivated and inspired to read, and are supported along that path, that’s what matters. We’re so pleased S F will use his residency to amplify this message and we’re looking forward to this being a positive legacy of his residency.”