Kids News launches a free book club for all Australian children

kidsnews.com.au, in partnership with HarperCollins, have launched the Kids News Book Club to encourage children to read and inspire a love of storytelling. And the best news? It’s free.

Penelope (left) and Lola Ilton reading some of the books from the Kids Book Club. Picture: Ian Currie

AUSTRALIA’S children have a new free book club.

kidsnews.com.au launched the Kids News Book Club this week to encourage children to read and to inspire a love of storytelling.

The club, in partnership with HarperCollins, has kicked off with five great titles aimed at students from years 3 to 8.

The titles are: His Name was Walter by Emily Rodda; Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman; Barney and the Secret of the French Spies by Jackie French; Funny Kid Prank Wars by Matt Stanton; and The Girl, and the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad.

Each month Kids News will add a new book with the first three chapters available free to read. All students will also have the chance to win a class set of the book for their school.

Kids who sign up for free membership (which requires parental consent) can purchase the books at a discount price, enter competitions and win cool stuff.

Non-members can purchase books, too, but without the members’ discount.

Sisters Lola (left) and Penelope Ilton check out the five great titles on the Kids News Book Club. Picture: Ian Currie

Kids News publisher Toni Hetherington said creating a free book club for young readers across Australia enhanced the literacy benefits kidsnews.com.au was already bringing to schools.

“While kidsnews.com.au is a free daily news site for schoolchildren written in sensitive and appropriate language and a valuable literacy tool for teachers, it makes sense to complement that with the addition of quality works of fiction,” Ms Hetherington said.

“Building on our children’s general knowledge via news and inspiring their creativity and imagination through books is a powerful combination.”

Michelle Weisz, Head of Marketing & Communications for HarperCollins Children’s Books Australia: “We are so excited to have the opportunity to partner with Kids News on this new book club. The Kids News website brings news stories to classrooms in a fun, accessible and engaging way, and we are delighted to add our books to the mix to help teachers and parents get kids reading.”

For more details, visit kidsnews.com.au