Nobody really knows exactly how we learn to read, but everybody agrees that reading is a very important skill. Parents and carers can do so much to help children become readers.

Children who know what fun books are and how interesting they can be will be keen to learn to read when they begin school.

Fluent readers do well in school, and their reading skills will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.

Parents and carers can help by sharing lots of books with children from an early age, and by hearing and helping their child read when they start school.

The better we are at reading, the easier life is.