Barrington Stoke is ten years old and that's a fact worth celebrating.

For a decade this innovative publisher has createdaccessible, enjoyable and unpatronising short books for children who are dyslexic, struggling to read, or simply reluctant to sit down with a book. The great stories are by some of the best children's authors working today, Kevin Brooks, Catherine Forde, James Lovegrove, Pete Johnson, Chris Mould, Chris Powling, Kaye Umansky and so the list goes on...

Each book is read before publication by struggling readers of the right age, so that the final book is both accessible and a terrific read. And there's nothing on the up-to-the -minute covers to suggest that the books are for less fluent readers. So it isn’t surprising that top authors and artists mingled with consultants (readers who had worked on their books) at the 10th birthday celebrations.

 In the photograph taken at the October Gallery, London (on 12th June) are some of the authors, artists, and Barrington Stoke staff with four of the original consultants.

Sonia Raphael, Managing Director spoke about the many touching letters they received form parents, teachers and children telling them how finding Barrington Stoke had made a difference to their lives. “From the mother who wrote in with such glee that she had just had to tell her son off for reading under the covers with a torch, she never thought she would ever see him reading a book let alone when he shouldn’t have been .. . To the 15 year old who wrote ‘this is the best book I have ever read – in fact it is the only book I have ever read by myself.’... We are so privileged to be able to make such a difference and whilst we know Barrington Stoke is special, we have only been successful because of all the people who have believed in and supported what we were trying to do.” 

If you have a birthday message for Barrington Stoke or have used their books with young readers, tell us about it. Post a comment.