Torchlight Books!

Learning to read is such a gift, often mistaken as a chore by children because it may feel hard and not come naturally. The persistence however, is worth its weight in gold and often it’s simply just a case of finding the right way to introduce more books to a child to ignite that passion and teach them this super special language. Once the right doorway has been opened, a brand new language is learned with the ability to transport into another world between the pages of a book and that’s a pleasure that everyone needs to discover, in whichever way works for them.

Norfolk local Adam, co-founder of Torchlight Books with his wife Jess, was once a reluctant reader himself, never being able to find his vibe in “boring books” as a child and taking himself into adulthood before the new world of stories was opened up to him in a way which worked for his world. Think how many people will go through their whole lives having accepted a fact which wouldn’t have been true, that reading wasn’t for them Being someone who was on the very edge of being one such person but stumbling into the richer side of reading life, Adam wanted to pour passion into creating a reading world for children who are like him so his business was born.

What Adam and Jess do with their subscription boxes designed into three different age brackets of 5-7. 8-9 and 10+ is provide books which wouldn’t scare a new reader, or a reader with disillusioned thoughts about reading, and which would entice them into the discovery that reading is actually for everyone. As well as their own experiences as individuals they have two children and have experienced first hand from a parent’s point of view how tricky it can be to get children reading, especially children who don’t want to do it, or rather, think they don’t want to. The right strike has to be made form the off or the seed is set to offput and once that has begun it’s quite tricky to encourage the excitement again but because it is so very important, for so very many reasons quite aside from reading for pleasure, they have discovered ways which really help with this and have incorporated into their boxes a special art in their choice of books which makes children feel far more at ease with a book.

We all know what it’s like to have something we just have a mental block on, I myself find numbers incredibly hard and kind of shut down when I think about doing anything to do with maths, this is such a common thing with reading too and what Torchlight aim to do is lift the panic and switch off a book may bring to a child. They have specially chosen all the books so that they are the least frightening to someone who is already turned off. Children don’t have to have a specific problem like dyslexia to have built up fear or phobia, and their choice of literature for young people is to help them not experiences those feelings but instead to discover the joy books will bring them. The titles have been chosen for larger text, wider spaces and with stories which aren’t a challenge but enjoyable for all ages (including parents) and their special boxes are like little gifts of promise with non scary packaging and inviting elements inside.

We have been gifted a box for age 10+. I thought Jimmy could probably benefit from having the opportunity to try their books as though he does read, he doesn’t really read any kind of fiction and yet I know he loves stories as he used to adore being read to (another important thing to do with children to encourage reading). He tends to pick up books he can dip in and out of like annuals, books about the military or a specific footballer and I can’t remember the last time he read something with a story. His box came with 3 fiction books “The Day I Fell Into A Fairytale” by Ben Miller, “Tom Gates, The Brilliant World of Tom Gates” By Liz Pichon (these are great and he is familiar with these books as has seen his siter read them all – they have pages to write in and join in with the story so are a bit of a cross between a dip in and out book and a novel) and a smaller book, which automatically feels less daunting as it doesn’t look like it’s loads to read, called “Anty Hero” by Barry Hutchison which has pictures, but not too many making it very definitely a more grown up book to read, and a really fun story which is easy to get lost in. This is the one we went in first for Jimmy knowing that it wouldn’t daunt him. And he loved it! As a result he was on a roll and te second book he picked up was the Ben Miller, about a brother and sister living out make believe games when they discover a portal in the supermarket that would transport them to their made up worlds! You may know Ben Miller as one half of Armstrong and Miller and my kids already know him from one of our favourite series “The Worst Week of My Life” which was a draw for Jimmy to read his book and he loved it!

On the roll from the previous two he’s moving next to Tom Gates which has fallen just as schools go back and he will need a little light reading after home work and dealing with a new school day having begun high school for the first time. To relax with a Tom Gates to make him laugh and engage him before bed is just the ticket, especially as now it’s back to school I’ve said no phones after 7pm and no screens at all including television. I’ve said they can read, as it’s actually so beneficial to the brain to read before sleep, in a book, not a device, and as he’s right in the thick of having just been enjoying books and reading the timing couldn’t be better.

Both I , and Jimmy, really appreciated the torch that came with his box which gave it a more enticing edge – what kid doesn’t love a torch? And it’s wind up so no batteries or charging needed. There was also a very helpful card within it offering great tips for parents – one of which was to lead by example and model that reading is a good thing. I suspect my children don’t see enough of me reading anything of any value so have begun reading a book again, something I do genuinely love to do but convince myself I don’t have time being a busy Mum of four. Truthfully, I do have the time I just choose to watch reality TV or look at my phone but I think both Jimmy and I are getting so much more from me reading a few chapters of my book in the evening instead. Florence too has picked up one of the Torchlight books so it’s encouraging all of us to relax and read more!

Torchlight Books have gifted us more than their subscription box as they’ve invited us to all read more and that can only ever be a good thing. What a brilliant gift a box would make!

There are currently 3 different boxes in each category and you can buy just one or all three in each with no tie ins. They are each priced at £22.95 with delivery options becoming less expensive with multiple orders.

Collaboration.