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Beyond books: What does it mean to be a reader? We need to recognise the many different ways children read, from magazines and comics to audiobooks, song lyrics and video games. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/beyond-books

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Poems on Toast by @attielime.bsky.social is a joyful and wonderfully varied collection of poetry. It's full of wit and humour, while also tackling some deeper emotions. Personal favourites include Reading is My Superpower, Did You Do It?, and Poetry. A great addition to the KS2 bookshelf.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Non-fiction texts are an essential part of the classroom reading diet and deserve far more attention. In my latest blog, I begin to explore the important role non-fiction can play in developing a rich reading culture. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/making-spa...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Our Reading Champions are full of enthusiasm and energy, and are always looking for ways to get other pupils reading. I've written about their role and what they actually do to help shape our reading culture: jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/reading-ch...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Delighted by how many times my picturebook assembly overview has been downloaded over the past couple of weeks. It's lovely to hear that the books are also being used in classrooms, as well as for assemblies. Feel free to download and adapt it for your school setting. padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Reading is about the relationship between reader and book but also about the relationship between reader and reader. To broaden the reading community my pupils are part of, this morning they all wrote reading postcards for children at another school.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I'm delighted to be included in the latest issue of Teaching English magazine as the winner of the @natecommunity.bsky.social Primary Award. It's lovely to have my work recognised, and I'm even more pleased that it creates another opportunity to highlight the importance of reading for pleasure.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Loving all the photos of the shortlisted books for the Verse Novel Awards arriving in schools this week. Over the next few weeks, hundreds of children across the UK will be reading, sharing and discussing them, before choosing their winners. I can't wait to hear what they think!

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Ghost and Toast: Slice to Meet You, released today, is exactly what you'd expect from graphic novel author and illustrator Phil Corbett (creator of the Kitty Quest series). Ghost (the dead one) and Toast (the bread one) are going to be loads of fun for LKS2.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

If you're looking for picturebook assembly ideas that have a focus on empathy and inclusion, I've put together a whole year's worth. All of the suggested books are ones that I've used in the classroom or for an assembly. I hope it's useful for people. padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Do take a look at the free @booktrust.org.uk Represents online author workshops taking place this year. There are six planned, suitable for Years 3-7, featuring an exciting selection of authors & illustrators. The first, with Love Ssega, takes place on 7 October. www.booktrust.org.uk/how-we-help/...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I thoroughly enjoy being part of the editorial team for English 4-11. We're always looking for interesting articles about any aspect of teaching English from teachers, librarians, lecturers or anyone else involved in children's primary education.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

'If we want children to develop a genuine appreciation of poetry, to experience the joy of creating their own poems, dipping into a collection with a friend, or performing a poem to the class, we must embed it as part of a school’s reading culture.' jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/using-poet...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

This response is increasingly common. We just have to make sure we give them enough genuine reading opportunities in school.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Now on my fifth class set of Amulet graphic novels. They've been read relentlessly for about twelve years.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

My latest article for Educate magazine. Audiobooks, magazines, comics, podcasts, digital texts... it all counts.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

My latest article for Educate magazine. Audiobooks, magazines, comics, podcasts, digital texts... it all counts.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

As an ECT, knowing where to begin with building a classroom reading culture can be quite challenging. Here are some strategies and suggestions about what to focus on first. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/building-a...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

If you teach in KS2 and are not aware of the Cringe Club series by @emilyjaneclark.bsky.social, I'd recommend checking them out. Have just finished book three (well, the third one I've read anyway) and they just get funnier. Very popular with my Y5/6 pupils.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

With many schools starting again next week, it's the perfect time to start thinking about how to build and strengthen a culture of reading for pleasure. Tim Redgrave, Marie Zarro and I are delighted to be relaunching the Patron of Reading initiative. padlet.com/mariezarro/p...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I've just added a few more links and resources to my RfP Padlet. Do take a look! padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Delighted by the response to my picturebook assembly overview. It's great to hear that people are finding it useful. If you missed it last time, you can find the link here: padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r... There are also links to the lists from the previous two years.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

If you're looking to develop how you use comics and graphic novels in school, do get hold of Comics in the Classroom by Helen Jones and Lucy Starbuck Braidley, and Teaching with Comics and Graphic Novels by Tim Smyth. I've been working my way through them both over the summer and have learned lots.

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

This week’s #KidsBooksFriday is inspired by the great Dolly Parton. So whether it’s books about kindness, generosity, gratitude, inclusivity, positivity, hope, self-belief, or something else, let’s share books that embody Dolly’s spirit and legacy. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit #BeMoreDolly

Book cover for You Choose by Nick Sherratt and Pippa Goodhart

Book cover for Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriella Epstein

Book cover for Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

World Kit Lit Month takes place every September, and this year marks its 10th anniversary. It's an exciting opportunity for pupils to read books from or set in another country, or books translated into English. The website is full of useful resources and is well worth exploring! worldkidlit.org

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

My 2026-27 overview of picturebook assembly suggestions is now ready. I've continued to focus on empathy and inclusion, linking the book selections to significant dates across the year. I really hope it's useful. The link can be found here: padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

The Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen, by Guy Bass and David Roberts, is one of the most exciting and unique books of the year. It's a collection of spooky short stories, poetry and comic strips. The range of styles, both in the writing and the artwork, is just fantastic.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

160 schools have already signed up to take part in the first pupil-judged Verse Novel Awards. If your school would like to join them, the deadline is Friday 4 September. To sign up and receive your judging pack, simply complete this form: docs.google.com/forms/d/1Dmc...

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I was excited for my copy of Comics in the Classroom by @eggyhelen.bsky.social and Lucy Starbuck Braidley to arrive yesterday. So for this week’s #KidsBooksFriday, what comics / graphic novels do you reckon could work particularly well in a classroom? #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Comics in the Classroom by Helen Jones and Lucy Starbuck Braidley

Book cover for Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto

Book cover for Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Book cover for Bumble & Snug and the Jealous Giants by Mark Bradley

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I really enjoyed writing this as it brought back memories of one of my favourite teachers as a child. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/reading-re...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Dance of Resistance by @catwrote.bsky.social is a superb biography about Josephine Baker. It explores her journey from racism and poverty in 1920s America to becoming one of the world's top stars, her work with the French Resistance and her involvement in the civil-rights movement during the 1960s.

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Nadine Batchelor-Hunt @nadinebh.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I feared this would happen. His story was troubling but the wave of hatred and obsession in the media when he was clearly someone who was vulnerable - whatever you thought of him - was entirely disproportionate and in my view fuelled by racists. My thoughts are with his loved ones tonight.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

It's important to keep track of what's on the classroom bookshelves. Here's a simple and practical way to get the pupils more involved. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/tracking-t...

jonbiddle2.substack.com

Tracking the shelves

Giving pupils a say in what stays and what goes

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

We're relaunching the Patron of Reading initiative, which is all about schools forming long-term relationships with authors, poets and illustrators. If you're a children's writer who'd be interested in taking part, just add your details to this list: padlet.com/mariezarro/p...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

The @writerscentre.bsky.social in Norwich is doing incredible work as part of the National Year of Reading. I was very pleased to contribute this article for them, sharing some favourite book recommendations for children aged 4-11. nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/writing-hub/...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

It can take a fair bit of work to get to the point where pupils aren't thinking about ‘boy books’ and ‘girl books’ anymore, they're just thinking about great books, but it's so worth the time and effort.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

As children get older, peer influence on reading choices increases. Having a reading role model who is only a few years older can really help to ignite a child's enthusiasm for books. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/across-the...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

A few months ago, Marie Zarro and I launched the Verse Novel Awards. It's already become bigger than we imagined, which shows how much enthusiasm there is for this increasingly popular form. I wrote a short article about why we started the awards. www.badgerlearning.co.uk/blog/verse-n...

badgerlearning.co.uk

Verse Novel Awards 2026

Find out what makes verse novels so special and learn more about the Verse Novel Awards 2026.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

At the end of each year, I write a letter to my class about our reading journey together. It's something I really enjoy doing as it's so personal to each group of pupils. The link is below if you'd like to have a read. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/a-letter-t...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Wilomina by John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs (aka @metaphrog.bsky.social) is a wildly entertaining graphic novel for KS2. Shades of Lightfall and Amulet, with a hint of Stranger Things thrown in. It's full of energy, action and humour. Definitely one for the classroom bookshelf.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

The Story Bridge is another wonderful tale from author Richard O'Neill MBE (illustrated by Raquel Martin). Perfect for assemblies, it emphasises the importance of community and the way stories bring people together. It also provides an authentic insight into Romani and Traveller communities.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The best people to speak to about building reading cultures in secondary schools are usually librarians, so that's what I did. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/reading-cu...

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Thornhill, by Pam Smy, has been around for a while now. It's one of my favourite YA books, telling two tragic stories set 35 years apart. One is told through a diary, the other through wonderfully Gothic illustrations. It's dark, haunting and an absolute masterpiece. Perfect for KS3.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Got stopped at airport security earlier. 'Nothing to worry about mate, I'm just going to have a quick look through. I think your bag's been flagged because of the number of books in there.'

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

I've just published my latest article on Substack. Do quiet weeks really exist in schools? jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/a-quiet-week

jonbiddle2.substack.com

A quiet week

Inevitably, it can sometimes feel as if we’re not doing enough to develop reading in school.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

There are some amazing children's verse novels around right now. When the Birds Wake Up by Jessica Mary Ellis (illustrated by Sophie Burrows) is an incredible debut. Gentle, heartwarming and full of emotion. Highly recommended for Year 5/6. Out in September, published by @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Over the years, I've written dozens of Reading for Pleasure articles and shared lots of resources. I'm planning to use Substack as the place where they all live, creating a library of practical RfP strategies, articles and resources. I hope it will be useful. jonbiddle2.substack.com/p/welcome

jonbiddle2.substack.com

Welcome

Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked with schools to build reading cultures where reading is celebrated and valued by children, staff and families.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

One for the staffroom from Jarrett Lerner.

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