To think Marcus Rashford is doing an amazing thing

[hibbledibble]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/entertainment-arts-54972339

I'm shocked that so many children in the UK do not own a single book: it's a travesty. I naively thought that it was something accessible to all families, especially with the bookstart packages. I'm glad he is doing something to right this.

He's brilliant.
We had Bookstart in our area (hope it's still going), also thankful to Dolly Parton's imagination library which has come to an end. For the years it was running, every child signed up to it had a free book a month from age 0+

Like daisypond, AmyandPhilipfan, and LemonsYellow, no, we didn't own many books at all growing up. Books were what you got from the library. Each of you could borrow 8, so that (in my family with 4 dc) meant 32 books coming in to the house when we went, we only needed t go once a month or so, which my working parents were able to manage when we were little.
This scheme is aimed at secondary pupils though, so they don't need their parents to take them. Although, obviously more likely to go if their parents did take them when they were little. I used to love the library when mine were little - taking them to a craft session once a week throughout the holidays, all free, was a wonderful thing to be able to do when on a budget.

I'm a massive fan of bookstart, they do a brilliant job but the point here is the halo effect Marcus Rashford will have on older children, boys in particular. I think it's fantastic.

I might be tempted to ask how much of an impact some of the other schemes are making, are they getting results long-term, if not why not etc etc but that's not to take away from this initiative.

I was also a library child, we didn't own books at home but my parents read voraciously, you never saw them without a book in their hand. My step dad still goes to the library once a week, my mum is now glued to her kindle. She did better during lockdown

Its fantastic, we didn’t have books in our home growing up, reading was strictly for religious purposes or school required texts at gcse.

I absolutely love reading, I always have a book on the go, but I find I do read more if I’m stressed, sad, anxious etc as it gives me a small escape from crap things that are happening around me.

Obviously I think it's great that he is promoting books and reading for children, but I wish he had teamed up with one of the existing charities like BookTrust rather than with a single, commercial publisher.
By working with Macmillan Children's Books this will very clearly be a marketing venture designed to increase distribution of Macmillan's own range of books, rather than a broader range of titles. And of course the books which Rashford himself is planning to publish .
A charity like BookTrust are already on the ground and know how to get books out where they're needed, but they simply lack funding. I'm sure they would have loved the revenue generation potential from such a high profile celebrity.

Call me a cynic, but I think it's likely that the people who will benefit most from this initiative will be Macmillan and Rashford himself.

Exactly @CornflakeMum

I 100% think that him encouraging teens to read will make it more socially acceptable for a lot of teens, but this is not quite the same philanthropic type scheme as the genuinely driven by love and experience and knowledge that he had for the FSMs vouchers and the work of fairshare. I'm not criticising him for it, but don't think it oozes the same warm feelings and outpouring of love his food campaign had.

He is building his career post football. Cue the outrage.

I think he's a good egg, and he's a good role model for children to look up to.

Not getting the outrage tbh..he is great.

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered another voracious reader who doesn’t own a single book. I find that very unusual indeed.

I suggest that the majority of families in which not a single secondhand book has been purchased for pennies at a school fete etc are not voracious readers.

He’s more intelligent and productive than the people who sit there whinging and moaning about people on low earned incomes/ on benefits etc...

These people who moan are probably twice Marcus’ age too. Yet he’s there setting them the example. I have no respect for people who free school meal bash/low income bash etc...

I hadn't heard of him until he was in the news about the FSM. But from what I've seen about him he seems a brilliant young man.
Is Bookstart still a thing? I thought it had stopped years ago! I've still got a lovely canvas bag I got with books in when ds1 was a baby.

So often the impact of being raised in poverty is multi layered. Not just about not having food but also access to books, access to a decent standard of accommodation, health care etc. No point just fixing one of those things. I like that he's diversifying a bit.

This is going to be a more regular thing than BookStart. It has my students excited which is a good thing.
I've seen lots of people mentioning school libraries and I wonder how many people know that schools don't have a requirement to provide libraries (unlike prisons) and many have been savaged due to cuts. And that's before you start to deal with the current situation.

He’s a real inspiration - he’s taking his fame and using it to improve lives - but you’ll always have the people who’ll try to tear someone like this down. Other celebs should take note.

@GrammarTeacher

This is going to be a more regular thing than BookStart. It has my students excited which is a good thing. I've seen lots of people mentioning school libraries and I wonder how many people know that schools don't have a requirement to provide libraries (unlike prisons) and many have been savaged due to cuts. And that's before you start to deal with the current situation.

When I was looking at secondary schools for DC I was surprised that so many of them used "we have a library" as a selling point. I thought all schools did! I was also sad to see how small most of them were, with so few books. Most of them were probably 1/4 of the size of the one at my school, and they mostly had more students too I assume its a funding issue.

I'd rather children had access to hundreds of thousands of books than be given one.

have a look at Dolly Parton's imagination library, there are benefits to a child owning a book, it really helps with self esteem.

Yes he is another fantastic project

What a great role model for your people

Its great, it's going to encourage more children to read. Many children will be more likely to read because a footballer says it's cool to read.

He’s a good guy! Please note media (esp. the BBC) we want more working class heroes and not people with marbles in their mouth or people who’s parents are famous continually paraded in front of us.

@sashh

I'd rather children had access to hundreds of thousands of books than be given one.

have a look at Dolly Parton's imagination library, there are benefits to a child owning a book, it really helps with self esteem.

Marcus Rashford, Dolly Parton - 2 of the shining lights of this world - they are fantastic people using their talent/success to benefit others.

Our school library is currently closed, no books coming home not even the ORT one. Our local library is also closed, they're doing a contactless pick up and drop off at their main library but it's a bus ride away so unavailable to the majority of children, plus you don't choose the books anymore they just give them so it could be ones your already have.

I have loads of books for both myself and DD but my neighbours who've very middle class both working parents don't have a single book in the house as they usually go to the library weekly and also use the school library to give their children variety.

I'm behind a scheme like this but more to get libraries open again both public and school ones. I'd love to have a bit more variety in DDs reading.

For young working class boys in particular, the endorsement of reading by a premier league footballer is a powerful one

This is the key thing. It’s alright giving out books but it needs role models to talk about reading and books to encourage kids to read as well. It’s clear Marcus is going to encourage reading by sharing what he reads for example.

Also From what I read, Marcus will also be writing some books and recommending books to read. Again, this will be helpful for building interest and encouragement to boys. I can’t think of anyone else specifically encouraging boys to read.

Zoella (influencer in her twenties) did a book club with WHSmith where she sold a package of books aimed at young women for a set price. I don’t remember any criticism of that or suggestion it stepped on work other organisations did.

He's worth 1000 of any of the media and political dicks trying to pull him down to their level. The way they have responded is disgusting.

I think he is an inspiration. Shockingly, 1 in 8 schools in this country do not have school libraries and in poorer areas this is twice as likely to be the case.