Schools in North Somerset can win extra books for their libraries by holding sponsored reading challenges.

North Somerset Times: Sam Goodger selling some of her Usborne books.Sam Goodger selling some of her Usborne books. (Image: Archant)

Usborne book seller, Sam Goodger, is backing the Times’ Books For Schools campaign and encouraging schools in North Somerset to hold sponsored reading challenges to raise money to buy books.

Usborne will then donate extra books to each school’s total, depending on how much they raise.

The offer is part of the Ready, Steady, Read campaign which is aimed at promoting literacy in the classroom and enabling schools to get free books.

If a school raises £100 or more Usborne will donate an extra 10 per cent in free books, for £250 or more schools will receive an extra 30 per cent and for £600 or more Usborne will donate 60 per cent – which amounts to an extra £360 worth of books.

North Somerset Times: Sign up for a reading challenge and win books for your school.Sign up for a reading challenge and win books for your school. (Image: Archant)

Sam said: “The more your pupils read, the more money will be raised to buy books for your library and classroom, and the more free books your school will earn.

“I will arrange the entire event and can provide sponsorship forms, reading logs personalised to your school, certificates acknowledging each child’s personal achievement, bookmarks and even an explanatory letter to parents, asking for their support.”

Sam joined Usborne four years ago when her daughter Ella was two and she was pregnant with her second child.

She said: “My daughter was a huge book lover already so this seemed perfect for me to get lots of free books to fill her book shelves.

“Over the years I have worked with many schools to fill their libraries and classrooms with our fantastic books.

“I have a huge passion in children’s education and it means so much to me that every child has access to the wealth of knowledge that books provide.

“Our award-winning books range from birth to young adult and with over 2,500 titles we really do have something for everyone from our phonics and reading programme to non-fiction and activity books.”

Schools interested in taking part in a sponsored read can fill in the form in this week’s North Somerset Times and send it back to us. We will pass the forms onto Sam who will contact each school to arrange the event.