Rose Ayling-Ellis: ‘I wanted to write the book I wished I had when I was a child’

Like galore of today’s young people, Rose Ayling-Ellis remembers dressing up arsenic a fairy for World Book Day arsenic a child.

But, dissimilar astir each nan others who’ve dressed up arsenic book characters for World Book Day, Ayling-Ellis is now delighted to person written a children’s book that’s been specially selected for nan day, connected March 5.

The erstwhile EastEnders actress, who’s been deaf since birth, became a family sanction successful 2021 erstwhile she was Strictly Come Dancing’s first deaf contestant, and consequent winner. But since then, arsenic good arsenic starring successful nan ITV play Code of Silence, she’s started penning children’s books, and her sixth, The Big Bang!, has been chosen arsenic a World Book Day 2026 choice.

The book is astir a deaf kitten and his kitten friends who get frightened by a storm. The kittens that tin perceive person to study a caller measurement to pass pinch their deaf friend, who can’t perceive nan thunder but is frightened by nan lightning.

Ayling-Ellis, 31, admits she’s “thrilled” her book has been selected for World Book Day, and says: “I wanted to constitute book that I wished I had erstwhile I was a child.

“I emotion creating. I person an creator background, truthful nan illustrations are my favourite part.”

The book, which intends to thatch nan value of helping others, particularly those pinch disabilities, has been illustrated by Paddy Donnelly, an award-winning writer and illustrator.

“I’m fortunate to person specified an knowledgeable squad astir maine to thief maine realise my ideas,” says Ayling-Ellis, who explains nan book is “close to my heart” because nan deaf cat, Casper, is based connected her mum’s puerility cat, and nan different cats successful nan book are based connected nan cats Ayling-Ellis grew up with.

Stressing that World Book Day is astir making reference accessible to each children and helping animate their imagination, she says: “Books gave maine that chance.

“I constitute astir nan truth, adapting, being a squad subordinate and education.”

And she adds: “It’s important for children to publication truthful that they tin study caller things.”

However, though research shows reference for nosy is 1 of nan strongest predictors of a child’s early success, National Literacy Trust data from past twelvemonth has recovered reference enjoyment is now astatine its lowest level successful 20 years, pinch only 1 successful 3 children saying they bask reading.

And only 1 successful 5 (18.7%) of children and young group aged 8 to 18 said they publication regular – nan lowest level since 2005.

The information suggesting conscionable 1 successful 3 children now bask reference is “really worrying”, says Fiona Hickley, executive head of World Book Day, a reference kindness that intends to thief children emotion reading.

“Reading is 1 of nan biggest indicators of a child’s early wellbeing and success, much important than family circumstances aliases parents’ acquisition background,” she points out.

“Reading for nosy boosts confidence, sparks imagination and creativity, supports learning crossed nan curriculum, and improves cognitive development. Plus, reading is simply a awesome mental wellbeing skill for young people – relaxation, quiet time and distraction for engaged minds.”

Hickley says nan problem is that reference is often treated arsenic homework aliases a task, alternatively than thing enjoyable.

“When children aren’t given nan state to take what they read, aliases are constricted to definite ‘educational’ books, it stops being fun, and excessively galore children move disconnected completely,” she explains.

Parents play a immense domiciled successful helping children bask reading, of course, and Hickley suggests these ways to make reference consciousness earthy and nosy to kids…

1. Give prime without judgment

Let children prime nan books, magazines, aliases audiobooks that entreaty to them – Hickley stresses that what they publication doesn’t person to beryllium astatine each educational, truthful it could be, for example, a comic, joke book, shot magazine, imagination epic, aliases an e-book.

“What matters isn’t what they read, it’s that they’re reading for fun,” she stresses. “Children, for illustration adults, enjoy different types of reference depending connected their mood, truthful giving them state builds a genuine emotion of books.”

2.  Make books easy to access

Hickley points retired that libraries are a awesome and often overlooked assets for making books a normal portion of mundane life, and children are acold much apt to publication erstwhile they spot books astir them.

“Spending clip successful your section room gives children entree to a wide scope of books without costs or commitment, and allows them to research freely until thing catches their interest,” she says.

“Libraries are particularly awesome places to spell successful nan colder months – warm, welcoming, calm, and social. They connection a logic to get retired of nan house, a alteration of scenery and a shared family regular built astir books.”

She explains that regular room visits thief children spot reference not arsenic homework, but arsenic thing group do people successful their free time, and adds: “Libraries are genuinely typical spaces, providing an affordable measurement for children to create a emotion of reference for fun.”

3.  Share stories and make memoriesAlthough parents reference pinch aliases to their children does, of course, thief amended their literacy, Hickley stresses that it’s astir overmuch much than that.

“It’s about connection,” she says, suggesting that parents publication aloud to their children, perceive to audiobooks together, and chat astir nan stories, asking easy questions for illustration ‘Which characteristic would you beryllium friends with?’ aliases ‘Why do you deliberation that happened?’.

“These talks thief children consciousness their thoughts matter and show books are nosy and meant to beryllium shared,” she says.

“We often perceive astir nan value of making memories and having meaningful experiences pinch our children, and galore adults, erstwhile asked, callback being publication to by a parent, grandparent or coach arsenic a cherished, lifelong memory.

“By sharing stories pinch your children now, you’re creating those aforesaid moments for them. And it’s free!”

4.  Make usage of World Book Day

Hickley stresses that World Book Day is astir capturing children’s imaginations and making reference fun, truthful nan kindness useful pinch schools, libraries, bookshops and families to thief children observe books successful ways that consciousness breathtaking and accessible.

As good arsenic a assortment of World Book Day events held passim nan UK and Ireland, nan inaugural includes nan distribution of much than 23.5 cardinal £1/€1.50 book tokens done schools, nurseries, libraries, prisons and different charities successful nan UK and Ireland. Tokens tin beryllium redeemed successful bookshops, supermarkets and online until March 15 (see participating retailers here).

Hickley adds: “Through book tokens, £1/€1.50 books, and nosy activities – from book breakfasts to bedtime stories – we springiness children nan chance to take what they read, research caller stories, and bask them connected their ain terms.

“When reference feels for illustration a choice, thing to bask alternatively than a task, that’s when it really sticks, and that’s the magic we effort to create each year.”

The Big Bang! by Rose Ayling-Ellis is published by DK, priced £1. Illustrations by Paddy Donnelly. Available now.