National young readers day!

I found out that today is National young readers day and there is a Bedtime Stories blog hop to help celebrate the day. Never one to say no, when it comes to celebrating reading I just had to join in. 

The hop is being hosted by Casper,who have developed these amazing new mattress's that bizarrely fit into these rather small boxes. I've yet to try out their  mattress for myself so I can't tell you how they factor for comfort, still I loved Casper's idea for a blog hop based around what books we enjoyed when we were younger and was keen to take part.

So let’s begin.

Peter rabbit, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Tom kitten, Hunca Munca and lots of other equally adorable little critters were the start to a good nights sleep for me when I was little.

Beatrice Potters beautifully illustrated books and sweet little characters had me hooked. 

Resulting in me spending a large proportion of my childhood talking to my rather extensive collection of animals, as if at any minute they might talk back.

As well as envisaging all the little antics my pets might be getting up to, when no one was looking.

My love for Beatrix Potter didn’t disappear with age either, to this day her drawings still make me smile, as do her stories.

Beatrix Potter helped my imagination to grow to the point that I too, now feel the need to spill words onto pages and call myself, somewhat tentatively,  a writer.

Beatrix is a true inspiration, not only to the imagination but to chasing our dreams. She fought hard to get her books published and in a time when women writers were practically unheard of.

Without her determination, children all over the world would have missed out on the joy that her lovable creations bring.

Book are important, they provide an escape from the everyday, they help us to feel as if someone, somewhere, understands our pain, our heartache and in some way can relate to whatever it is we are going through.  

They open our minds to the impossible, make us believe in the fantastical and bring us a wealth of pleasure.

With the power to illicit every emotion under the sun and to transport us to worlds we might never have known. Books not only deserve to be celebrated but also to be shared.

So this National young readers day, share a book with a child, because they are the next generation of readers. The next generation to be inspired by the magic of the written word.

And a love of books is an amazing gift to give.

Don’t you think?

love and hugs 

Joss xx