Reading books is one of the fundamentals in trying to educate children but sometimes it’s hard to get some kids interested in picking up a book to start of with. Bookaboo, a new ITV series made up of 11 episodes that backs the National Year of Reading 2008, hopes to encourage mums, dads, grandparents and the whole family to pick up a children’s picture book and share it with the kids at home.
CITV’s New Star is a Rock Star Puppy
The character of Bookaboo is that of a puppy who plays the drums but suffers from stage fright and needs a story to help him play his solos. The dog will be performed by puppeteer Marcus Clarke, who has worked on several Jim Henson productions including The Storyteller and The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Lucy Goodman, creator of Bookaboo, says that one of the main factors behind the programme was that a national survey commissioned by CITV and Happy Films showed that only 3% of fathers read to their children, compared to 89% of mothers.
She added: “It’s important development-wise that young boys are able to share a book with dads, granddads or male carers and it can be fun and rewarding too. Our research is showing that dads are just not finding time to do this and I hope in Bookaboo we’ve created a character who will inspire an appetite for books in both children and grownups”.
Meat Loaf in Episode One of Bookaboo
Rock legend Meat Loaf makes an appearance in the opening episode to read The Lamb Who Came for Dinner by Steve Smallman and Joelle Dreidemy. Talking about his own reading experiences he said: “You need to have fun with reading, you need to be a little animated and if it’s scary make them shiver under the covers. If it’s friendly and happy make them feel fuzzy and warm.”
Other celebrities set to share a book with Bookaboo include Al Murray, Spice Girl Mel C, singer and Strictly Come Dancing star Alesha Dixon, former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman and actor Robson Green. Some of the books to be featured are the award-winning That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell, Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton and Class Two at the Zoo by Julia Jarman (illustrated by Lynne Chapman).
Aims to Promote Reading like BBC’s Jackanory
Bookaboo will sound familiar to those who have seen the BBC’s long-running Jackanory series, in that each week a famous face recounts a children’s tale, and promotes the work of popular and up-and-coming authors. It’s also an interesting idea of creating a character that can’t do anything until he’s heard a story.
It is a reflection of modern society that it takes a TV programme to get more kids picking up books but it can certainly do no harm and is sending out a positive message for youngsters who have difficulty reading or have little interest in it. The very essence of a good children’s show is something that is entertaining but also educational in some way and this seems to follow that formula. The series will be supported by an online Bookaboo Book Club, live events and in store promotions.
The full list of books are:
- The Lamb Who Came for Dinner by Steve Smallman and Joelle Dreidemy (read by Meat Loaf)
- That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell and Neal Layton (read by Amanda Holden)
- Pooh! Is That You Bertie? by David Roberts (read by Al Murray)
- No Matter What by Debi Gliori (read by Mel C)
- The Cow That Laid An Egg by Andy Cutbill (read by Kym Marsh)
- More Pants by Giles Andreae (read by Alesha Dixon)
- Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton (read by Ben Shepherd)
- A Mummy for Owen by Marion Dane Bauer (read by Fern Britton)
- Norma Snows by Paula Metcalf (read by Kelly Holmes)
- The Hairy Toe by Daniel Postgate (read by Julian Clary)
- Class Two at the Zoo by Julia Jarman (read by Robson Green)
- The Night Pirates by Peter Harris (read by Michael Rosen)
- Whatever by William Bee (read by David Seaman)
Bookaboo starts on Monday, March 2 on the CITV channel and will be shown at 12.15pm, 3.20pm and 5.50pm.
Steven Cookson - Steven Cookson is a writer and attempted journalist based in Howden. Originally from Chester, that Hollyoaks place in North-West of ...
