Essex County Council has launched a freely available app to encourage children to read.
Named the Essex Year of Reading App, the council has described it as “library in your pocket” and said it provides access to fiction, non-fiction and poetry, along with functions to play and learn through animations and quizzes.
There is also phonics support to help younger children learn to read and write, and information for adults on improving their reading and writing skills, including links to other support.
Cllr Tony Ball, cabinet member for education excellence, lifelong learning and employability, said: “This is a marvellous tool aimed at improving reading across all ages in a modern and thoughtful way. There is a wealth of reading material and creative competitions for all to enjoy.
“The app is a major asset to the Essex Year of Reading and will be of tremendous value to anyone looking to improve their reading skills.”
The app has been developed as part of the Essex Year of Reading campaign and is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
