Every Child A Reader 

Kilglass National School to receive hundreds of new books for their students this year thanks to Children’s Books Ireland

Kilglass National School  has been announced as one of the recipients of a book-gifting programme which will bring hundreds of new books and resources to its students in 2026. Designed by national charity and arts organisation Children’s Books Ireland, the ‘Every Child A Reader’ programme is a year-long support provided to select schools which helps to foster a love of reading in their students and wider school community. 

As part of this project, our school will have their own dedicated Champion of Reading, an author or illustrator assigned to the school who will host a series of live workshops throughout the year with students. These creative and engaging sessions will help promote a love of reading, writing and illustrating amongst class groups.  The first of our workshops have commenced with Senior Infants and First & Second Class.  Our other classes are looking forward to working with our Champion of Reading in the weeks ahead.  

Our Champion of Reading is artist and illustrator Linda Fährlin.

Delivered by the team at Children’s Books Ireland, the ‘Every Child a Reader’ programme will bring a diverse collection of excellent contemporary titles to students in Kilglass National School 

Through this initiative Children’s Books Ireland provides schools with a library of 250 books covering all ages, interests, genres and issues which represent the richness and diversity of Irish society. As well as hundreds of brilliant new books, chosen schools will receive supports and resource packs as well as bookmarks, bunting and stickers to celebrate their new library books. Other materials such as curated reading guides, lists and further guidance will also be given to schools and families to encourage a love of reading that endures beyond the school gates.

Given the lack of sustainable funding for school libraries from the Irish government, it is unsurprising to see a demand for free book-gifting programmes such as ‘Every Child A Reader’ for primary students and ‘Everyone A Reader’ for secondary students. In 2025, Children’s Books Ireland received over 1,000 applications from primary and secondary schools for the limited number of spaces for the book-gifting programmes commencing in 2026. Of 907 applications received from primary schools only 28 of these could be selected to receive the support provided through the ‘Every Child A Reader’ programme.  A big thank you to Ms McDermott for applying successfully to get access to this super Book Gifting programme.  

According to Education and Advocacy Manager, Dr. Becky Long, the volume of submissions was, “evidence of the tremendous level of need, both in relation to a lack of physical books in schools, and a lack of new, contemporary and inclusive books.” 

Children’s Books Ireland believes that every student on the island of Ireland deserves access to books and a chance to fall in love with reading.