A PRIMARY school teacher from Woodley has brought new meaning to finding a good book with the Big Book Hunt.
Emma Ballard, who teaches in Earley, has hidden more than 500 books to be hunted out by children during half term.
Ms Ballard encouraged children in the area to seek out the books.
She said: “I love to develop children’s reading skills.
“Its been very popular, and everybody seems to want more books.”
The books were sponsored by numerous small businesses, packed into book bags with information about the event, and hidden away, with photographs as hints to guide book-seekers.
“I have to thank all of our sponsors, without whom it wouldn’t have been possible,” Ms Ballard said.
Young readers are encouraged to send pictures of their finds to the event’s Facebook page, and re-hide their finds once they’ve read them so that others may also enjoy them.
Ms Ballard admits that making the trips by bicycle is “lots of work, but it makes the children who get the books very happy”.
“There are areas in the community that are in need, and I’ll keep trying to get books to them,” she added.
“My mission is to get more books into more schools and nurseries, and we’re always looking for new sponsors.”
Ms Ballard started the project as part of Once Upon A Story, a fledgling book shop that she has started, working in partnership with publisher Usborne.
