CREATIVE READING WEBSITES

The British Council is not responsible for the contents of any external sites.

100 Best African Books

SABDAT organised the competition to find the 100 best African books from the last century and they are listed here.

100 Words

The idea behind 100 words is to write 100 words, no more, no less, every day. On this website, you will find 15,658 chunks of 100 words written by a number of participants in a number of styles. Some are poems, some are stories, some are diaries, some are fiction, some are nonsense.

ABC Tales

Read and write stories. Discussion forum about stories and poems, start a conversation with fellow readers about the latest book, article or poem that you've read, chat with others, share your experiences with your fellow authors or would-be-authors.

About.com

Listings including UK authors and publishers amongst others.

ACHUKA Children's Books UK
Independent children's books site containing reviews, author interviews, competitions, news and links to author sites. Includes a useful page on where to find reviews of children's books.

AddALL
Compares prices in over 40 online bookshops.

Africa Centre

Read specially commissioned pieces by the four award winning African Writers, Meshack Asare, Shimmer Chinodya, Charles Mongoshi and Buchi Emecheta. An internet residency for teachers and children.

African Arts Literature

Information about African literature organised by country, genre and author.

African Books Collective
African Books Collective is an organisation of 102 independent and autonomous African publishers. The site includes catalogues of both adult and children's books.

Alliance of Literary Societies

Useful index of UK literary societies, with links to related literature sites.

Amazon

Online bookshop.

Arts and Kids

Work with businesses to enable children to experience the arts. Have  a national storytelling competition in 2005.
 

Ask about Writing

Writing news and news of events, competitions, and what's on where, in addition to a growing list of reviewed writer-relevant websites.

Ask Chris
Essex libraries recommendations for reading groups.

Association for Scottish Literary Studies
Aims to promote the study, teaching and writing of Scottish literature, and to further the study of the languages of Scotland. Links to Scottish writers.

BBC Books
Portal for all book-related material on the BBC site.

BBC Book Club
BBC Book club where you can comment on any of the books listed. Forthcoming books for discussion are also listed.

BBC Poetry
Visual and audio poetry, poet in residence, reviews, author and book information.

BBC Radio
Four Book programmes with author interviews.

Best Book Price

A price comparison site that compares prices in over 20 bookshops.

Big Picture

The Big Picture campaign launched in 2007, is run by Booktrust to promote children's picture books in the UK. The website will have information about the campaign as well as picture books and illustrators.

Black Writers Resources
Links to usefuls sites for UK black writers.

Bloodaxe Books
Major poetry publisher site with reviews, interviews and features. The British Council Literature Department produces a series of tapes of contemporary poets in partnership with Bloodaxe Books.

Bloomsbury Magazine Reading Group
Bloomsbury (the publisher) reading group site with reading guides.

 
Bol UK
Online bookshop.

BookCrossing
A global book club that encourages members to leave books they have read for others to find and enjoy. Read the book, register it on the web site with your review, release it for others to read and when they add their review to the site you are automatically notified by e-mail.

Booked Up

Booked Up is a UK programme encouraging Year 7 (age 11-12) children to read for pleasure.

Bookends
Internet magazine on books and reading. Up-to-date news, reviews and interviews. Also an online book club.

Bookfinder
You can search through over 100 million new, used, rare, and out-of-print books for sale with click through to the bookseller's website to buy the book directly from the seller. 

Bookgroup.info
Dedicated to reading groups, this site is based on the reviews of a Brighton reading group. Features an archive of books previously discussed, adds a new title each month. Also offers advice on setting up new forums. Group members identify with a different pair of shoes!

Bookheads

Book Trust's teenage reading site with reading group diaries, books for teenagers and the Book Trust Teenage Book Prize.

Book Information
Invaluable Booktrust database site. Search for new and forthcoming UK books, publishers and literary awards and prizes.

Bookmates
Information about how to set up and support bookgroups at home and in the workplace.

Bookplace

Online bookshop and magazines.

Book Trust
Independent educational charity for the promotion of books. Good material online including news, author information, prizes information and book lists.

Book Wrap

Video interviews with authors.

Books at Random

Random House Publisher reading group guides with a description of the book, questions,  discussion topics, author biography, and sometimes a note from the author.

Books and Reading
An excellent list of links for creative reading.

Books from Scotland

Scottish online bookshop featuring over 13,000 Scottish-interest titles.

Bookstart
The first national books for babies programme in the world. Booktstart aims to provide every baby in the UK with a Bookstart pack of free books and guidance materials. There is information for parents and for Bookstart schemes and professional users.

Boox

A reading resource for young people with a book of the month, magazine of the month and reviews.

Born Magazine
Born Magazine is an experimental venue marrying literary arts and interactive media. Original projects are brought to life every three months through creative collaboration between writers and artists.

Branching Out
Network for libraries; contemporary literature and reader development. Includes the fun and useful 'Which Book' service, for finding books by theme and subject.

braw

Scottish young people's books, reading and writing with over 800 children's books, information about authors and illustrators, an online bookclub and reading and writing initiatives.

Breathing Places

The Reading Agency reading promotion in support of the BBC Breathing Places campaign focusing on the environment, nature and wildlife.

British and Irish Authors on the Web
Mitsuharu Matsuoka's catalogue of sites on British and Irish authors, from Caedmon and the Bede to Roddy Doyle and Benjamin Zephaniah.

Buckinghamshire Libraries Book Selector

A database of over 700 children's and teenage book reviews, searchable by type, age range, author and title.

Can I Have a Word

An interactive poetry e-learning website for primary school teachers. Themes include changing bodies, the elements, the human body and the odyssey. With commissioned poems.

Carcanet Poetry
Publishers with books and author information.

Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards

The Carnegie Medal is awarded to the writer of an outstanding book for children; the Kate Greenaway Award is for book illustration.

Cheltenham Festival of Literature
A major literary festival with two seasons and a children's section.

Children's Bookcase
Children's online bookshop with books listed by age group and genre.

Children's Book Centre
A bookshop with on-line purchasing and a list of their top twenty books. Audio file extracts from their book-and-tape section.

Christchurch Library Bookmark
Online magazine with new fiction, reviews, prizes, reading guide and a book club.

Complete Review
Reviews of books that have recently been published, re-published, are in the news, or archives. With indices by author, title, genre and national origin. Links to other relevant sites, including book review and publishers' sites.

Contact an Author

Asite designed to help people find authors, especially those who are available for interviews, talks, workshops, after-dinner speaking and/or commissions in the UK.
 

Contemporary UK writers
British Council website featuring 500 UK and Commonwealth writers with 5-10 new entries added per month. Biographies, bibliographies, prizes and critical reviews.

Cool-Reads
Books for 10-15 year old readers by 10-15 year old reviewers.

Creative Reading
Yorkshire Arts site for sharing ideas about how teachers and librarians can communicate creative reading ideas to young people.

Crime in Store
Crime literature bookshop.

Derbyshire Reading Groups

Useful information about setting up and running reading groups.

Digital Fiction
Flash projects. Atmospheric online writing, interactive narratives, multimedia fiction, animated diaries, urban horror, dreams and nightmares.

Dorset County Council Libraries Website
For reading and readers - offers features, ideas for a good read, and a chance to talk about books online.

Dreamcatcher - Literary Arts Journal Type
Dreamcatcher is a literary arts journal sponsored by the Arts Council. It features fiction, poetry, interviews and reviews. The website contains extracts from the print version.

Edinburgh International Book Festival
Largest literature festival in the UK.

enCompass Culture
A worldwide online reading group for children, teenagers and adults with book recommendations organised by different categories (e.g. science, general fiction etc.). You can read and write reviews, join in with chats, add your comments to the webboard or ask the online reader in residence for advice.

English Service Collection
Complete works online - plays, poetry, fiction, short fiction and criticism.

EU Read
Organisation for the promotion of reading in Europe.

Fantastic Fiction
Bibliographies of science fiction, fantasy and horror genres.

The Good Book Guide
Bookshop with extensive reviews of new titles.

Google Book Search
Full text of some books plus linked library search feature.

Granta
Home to Granta magazine (with contents and biographies online) and the Granta imprint.

Guardian Author Reference
Encyclopaedic reference to hundreds of past and present authors.

The Guardian - Books Section
Includes news, reviews and author profiles.

Guardian Poetry
Guardian newspaper poetry site.

The Guardian Reading Group
The Guardian newspaper online reading group. You need to register to join in the discussions.

 
HarperCollins UK
HarperCollins Publishers website with interviews, extracts, competitions and a large database of author information. With a special children's books site HarperCollinsChildren for children, parents, and educators featuring books, authors, interactive games and activities, learning tools and online membership programs, such as AuthorTracker and online newsletters.

HarperCollins reading group advice
The publisher HarperCollins site with how to start a reading group and links to both fiction and non fiction guides that can be browsed by title. Sign up for on line newsletters.

Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts
Major literary festival.

The Independent - Books section
Includes news, reviews and author profiles.

International Childrens Digital Library

Over 600 full text children's books online.

John Smith and Son
Online bookshop.

Library Catalogues
Locate a copy of the book you want to read in a library near you. With over 18,000 library catalogues worldwide. Search by title, author, postcode.

Lion and the Unicorn Bookshop
Children's literature bookshop with reviews and online magazine.

Lit-Net
For readers, writers, librarians, etc, based in the West Midlands region, with useful online resources.

Literary Criticism
Online literary criticism collection with biographies of authors.

Literature Awards
International literary awards site that includes an awards calendar.

 
Literature Festivals Listing by the Literature Department
An A-Z list of literature festivals in the UK.

Litro

Free literary magazine distributed every week at underground stations in London and elsewhere around the world. This website allows you to read, print and share your thoughts on the magazine.

Liverpool Reads

Each year Liverpool selects a book for the whole city to read.

London Review of Books
Online version with archive.

Love Reading

Readers sign up to the site, specifying which genres of books they love, and how often they want to be contacted. They will then be contacted with lists of relevant books, and will have the opportunity to read the first chapter for free. Any book that the reader wants to buy can be sent, with Lovereading.com promising at least 25% off the recommended retail price of the book.
 

Luminarium
English literature from the medieval to the 17th century with authors and their works.

Magic Pencil

Children's book illustration site with information about 13 leading UK children's illustrators, examples of their work, touring schedule for the accompanying British Council exhibition around the world, teaching materials for reading, writing, drawing and storytelling.

Man Booker International Prize Debate

The Man Booker International Prize will recognize one writer for their achievement in fiction. The prize will be awarded once every two years to a living author who has published fiction either originally in English, or generally available in translation in the English language. You can add your voice to the Man Booker International debate and put forward the author you think should win the Man Booker International Prize 2005.

MEDAL

MEDAL is short for: Making a Difference: Educational Development to enhance Academic Literacy. This project aims to improve learning and teaching in Childhood Studies, through a focus on academic literacy. It includes Children’s Literature and literacy.

Meet the Author

Short video clips of authors talking about their books. With over 800 author clips.
 

Mrs Mad's Book-a-Rama
Site for younger readers allowing you to search reviews by subject and submit your own comments, a 'Top 50' list, and some games and quizzes.

Mslexia
Magazine 'for women who write'.

Murder Squad
A group of crime authors.

My Book Exchange
Exchange books that you are not using for books that you want with other members.

My Home Library
A site planned by Anne Fine, the former Children's Laureate with downloadable book plates, book reviews and links.

 
National Association of Literature Development (NALD)
National Association of Literature Development creative reading initiative showcases reading development work throughout the Yorkshire region.

National Centre for Language and Literacy
If you want to arrange an author or illustrator visit in the UK search here. Supports teachers, parents and governors in a wide range of ways.

National Library for the Blind
National Library for the Blind web site with news on the latest books, a writer in residence, fiction café for the selection of books to suit your mood, and the library catalogue.

National Literacy Trust
Charity to promote literacy with online resources.

National Year of Reading

2008 in the UK National Year of Reading - find out about events, how to get involved, have your say, word of the week, take a reading challenge and enter the professional zone where there is a Wikireadia 

Nighthaunts

The writer Sukhdev Sandhu writes about nocturnal Londoners ranging from the avian police and night cleaners to security guards and exorcists. He posts his nocturnal journal throughout 2006, adding a new section each month. The site includes specially commissioned audio by the sound artist Scanner. You can sign up for an e-mail alert every time a new piece is added. 

Northamptonshire County Council Learning Resources for Education
Includes an A-Z of links to children's book author sites.

Notes from the Underground

A free literary London newspaper distributed at underground and mainline stations and selected branches of HMV. Launched December 2007. The website features all the content from each issue, both in print and as a podcast,  plus additional stories, reviews and videos.

One Word
Online literary radio site - listen to book extracts and series, plus author interviews.

Opening the Book
Creates resources for readers and provides training and consultancy services to all professionals who work with readers and reading groups.

Orange Word Audio Archive
A selection of author interviews from their annual Writers' season.

Over My Dead Body
Mystery magazine. Book reviews, movie reviews, author profiles and interviews. Older files are in the morgue.

Penguin UK
Well designed publisher site with extensive author information.

 
Penguin Readers Group
Penguin publisher's reading group site. How to set up a reading group, a directory of readers groups, author of the month and Toby Litt's cult choice. Requires free registration.

Phone-Book.com
Publishes ultra short fiction from 150 characters to 150 words in length for distribution by WAP-enabled devices as well as the internet.

P N Review
Carcanet's long-running critical journal.

Poetry International Web

A worldwide forum for poetry on the internet. PIW brings you news, essays, interviews and discussion, but, first and foremost, hundreds of poems by acclaimed modern poets from all around the world, both in the original language and in English translation.

Pulp.net
Pulp Net is an online magazine of new short fiction and fiction reviews. Each month it publishes three new short stories by established and rising new authors. The Live Lit page offers selected highlights of London's fiction events.

Quick Reads

Every year on World Book Day there is a new range of Quick Reads books. It was launched on World Book Day 2006 to provide fast-paced, bite-sized books by bestselling writers for emergent readers, anyone who had lost the reading habit or simply wanted a short, fast read. There are educational materials to accompany the books on the website with areas for the public, employers and learning providers. 

Random House Kids

News about Random House children's books. 

Read Routes
Take a journey around London, whether by foot or via the pages of some of our favourite books for readers of all ages and abilities. A London Libraries Development Agency project that draws on the enthusiasm and expertise of librarians throughout London's 33 boroughs.

Reader2Reader
People's Network readers website where you can review books.

Reader's Paradise
Reviews of new fiction with interviews.

 
Reading Agency
The Reading Agency looks at new ways of working with libraries to inspire a reading nation. Examples of projects: Reading Partners (bringing libraries and publishers together); Breathing Places (wildlife and environmental booklist and reading promotion); First Choice for emergent readers; Made in Britain (cultural diversity); Banipal (Arab writing); Chatterbooks (children's reading groups); Manga Manga and Boox (teenagers). It includes a UK Reading Group database.

Reading Connects

A UK National Reading Campaign initiative that seeks to support schools in building their own reading culture. Through this site, all schools are offered the tools they need to get started on developing a whole-school approach to reading for pleasure or build on existing good practice.

Reading Groups Database

Search for a reading group near you in the UK.

Reading is Fundamental
Site from this non-profit making organisation emphasising the fun element of reading for both children and parents.

Reading Matters
Good list of reviews of books for older children and an automated Bookchooser.

Reading Roller Coaster

The Summer Reading Challenge is the largest UK reading promotion for young people aged 4–11 years and is organised by The Reading Agency. It is run in public libraries during the school holidays and each year takes a different theme, which in 2004 was the Reading Roller Coaster.

Reading Routes
Routes can follow a geographical line or they can be linked by ideas or subject matter or simply by a word in the title. The important point is that they encourage readers to travel from book to book.

Reading Zone

News and information about children's books with a children's, teacher's and grown ups' zone.

Reads for Kids
A New Zealand site that includes: Fantasy Readers' Maze (search for your fantastic self and find some great fantasy reads); Holiday reading; Annual selection of books for children and young adults; reading lists for parents and kids; readers personality lists (what kind of reader are you? Choose a list of great reads for your personality); children’s literary prizes and awards; and interviews with New Zealand children's authors.

Route Online
Site combining music and Flash-based e-texts.

SABDET

The Southern African Book Development Education Trust is a UK-based charitable education trust. Its objective is to advance education for the public benefit concerning indigenous publishing in Africa as a means of communication and literacy. SABDET’s book promotion, Reading Africa, is funded by the Arts Council. This builds on the Zimbabwe International Book fair and African Books Collective initiative, Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th century.

SALIDAA

SALIDAA (South Asian Diaspora Literature and Arts Archive) is an online digital archive containing a substantial body of work produced by South Asian writers, artists, performers and musicians in England from 1947 to the present. The literature collection includes a wide variety of materials such as excerpts of fiction, poetry and plays, manuscripts and writers' notes.

Scottish Book Trust
Independent organisation promoting books and reading in Scotland.

Scottish Book Trust - Scottish Writers
Database of over 350 contemporary Scottish writers, poets and playwrights living and working in Scotland today.

Scottish Poetry Library

Scottish poetry resources with a 'poetry online' section including an annual selection of Scottish poems and a poetry map of Scotland. With title recommendations in the new books section and a growing list of pages on contemporary Scottish and other poets in the poets A-Z including, where possible, a 'books I love' section of the poet's own recommendations. The online catalogue is also searchabale by theme. Canadians and Scots poets alternate month by month to introduce chosen poets.

Scottish Writers
Information on Scottish writers with links to resources on other sites, plus video and interviews.

Scottish Writers from the Past
Historical Scottish authors.

Seven Stories: Centre for Children's Books 

At the heart of Seven Stories is a treasure trove of original artwork and manuscripts that record the creative process involved in making a children's book and provides an insight into the working lives of authors and illustrators. It collects original artwork by British writers and illustrators for children. Information about events, school work and an online bookshop.

Short Story

News, information and advice for short-story writers. Search over 500 short-story collections. National Short Story Prize information.

Shot from the Lip 

Guide to spoken word events and artists in London.

Shotsmag
Crime and mystery online magazine with articles, reviews and interviews.

Six Book Challenge

The Six Book Challenge, run in association with the Costa Book Awards, is targeted at adults who want to improve their literacy skills and forms part of the Vital Link programme for libraries and literacy run by The Reading Agency. Libraries work in partnership with organisations such as colleges, community adult education and trade unions.  Over 40 prisons are also running the Challenge.

Skrev Press
Skrev Press promotes shorter fiction, namely: short stories, novellas and novels under 80,000 words. Their publication Texts' Bones, available by subscription or free download, promotes experimental shorter fiction. It also contains critical reviews of contemporary short fiction titles and authors.

Small Island 

Small Island Read 2007 was the biggest mass-reading initiative that has ever taken place in the UK. It ran from 11 January to 31 March 2007. It brought together the pre-existing annual reading projects 'The Great Reading Adventure' (Bristol and the South West) and 'Liverpool Reads', and partners from 'Aye Write! Bank of Scotland Book Festival' in Glasgow and Hull Libraries. Everyone in the areas covered by the project was encouraged to read Andrea Levy’s award-winning novel Small Island. This site contains a wealth of information about the project and the book Small Island by Andrea Levy.

Society for Storytelling
Open organisation for anyone with an interest in storytelling.

Spiked
Good web-based source of fiction reviews and interviews.

Stories from the Web
Author interviews, booklists, and the chance for children to write reviews and stories.

Story Code

A book recommendation site that codes the reader’s experience of a book and then suggest other books that they might like to read. 

Story Circus
Stories for children. Parents can print our stories in colour as storybooks, and in black and white for colouring in.

StoryQuest 
A festival of stories and storytelling to inspire reading and writing in children at the beginning of secondaryschool. Their website provides resources to be used on or offline. Two featured websites are Story catcher, free online creative writing scheme for school children (6-15 yrs) and Read a million words, a campaign to inspire and encourage children to become word millionaires.

Studies in Travel Writing
International, refereed journal on the more scholarly side of travel writing; annual.

Summer Reading Challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge is the largest UK reading promotion for young people aged 4–11 years and is organised by The Reading Agency. It is run in public libraries during the school holidays and each year takes a different theme.

Swap-a-book

This is an annual campaign that encourages readers to swap books with friends. Co-ordinated by the The National Literacy Trust.

Tangled Web
UK Large site devoted to crime, mystery and fantastic fiction. Extensive reviews, author profiles, book lists and up-to-date news.

Teaching Ideas for Primary Teachers
A large site with activities for primary age children. The English section includes Introducing Shakespeare and Newspaper Activities. Also a Book Corner for children and teachers, and Time Fillers, with educational puzzles and games.

The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph books section. Includes news, reviews and author profiles.

Their Reading Futures

Online resource for library staff to support their work with, and for, young readers (and Families) and to help build skills in this work.

The Times
The Times books section with extracts from novels and reviews.

Time to Read

Reading site for the north east of England with: a database of books with a close connection with the North West region; writers; reader development toolkits; events; news and links.

Times Literary Supplement
Subscription information and an archive for subscribers.

Turn the Page

Turn the Page is a Hampshire Library and Information services Reading Group that encourages electronic discussion of a featured Book of the Month.

UK Children's Book Directory
Directory of links to sites on authors, illustrators, publishers, relevant organisations, events, information for writers, discussion lists, book news and reviews, individual books, series and characters, children's literature - history and study, and children's booksellers.

UK Radio Stations
Links to UK radio stations broadcasting on the Internet, arranged according to the audio player software required for each.

UKtouring
Information on John Hegley, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Pete McCarthy, Roger McGough, Ian McMillan, Brian Patten and Iain Matthews.

University of Toronto Online Poetry
Over 2,000 out of copyright poems online.

Unusual Suspects
Six crime novelists.

Used Book Search
Search for second hand, rare, out-of-print books and text books worldwide.

Vintage Books Reading Group Guides
Vintage Books reading group guides include a description of each book, questions, discussion topics, and author biographies.

Virago
Virago publishers site with author and book information. Includes reading guides and a reader's group.

Waterstones Bookshop

Online bookshop with reviews. Ask a Bookseller to be added soon.

Webwords

This website provides audio extracts of 500 audio books, allowing visually impaired people – and every user - to choose their preferred narrator. 

Welsh Books Council
Promotion of publishing and reading in Wales, and support to writers. Includes booklists, reviews, a children's section with games, information, stories and poems. They also have a sister site which lists Welsh books and books of Welsh interest (www.gwales.com).

Welsh Literature
Useful history of Welsh literature, from the dawn to time to the present day.

Welsh Literature Abroad

Welsh Literature Abroad works to facilitate the translation of Wales' literature. Translation grants are available to publishers.

W. H. Smith
W. H. Smith online. Features a useful search facility.

Which Book Net
Fun book selection site from OpenLibraries Ltd.

Word of Mouth
Online discussion group with three sections: Buzz - the book everybody's talking about or should be; Challenge - incredibly tough reads- were they worth it?; and Indulgence - books read purely for enjoyment.

Wordpool
With book reviews, book lists, author profile, information for children's writers, news and an e-mail discussion group.

Words on Wheels

A colourful bus full of books. Scottish Book Trust runs a touring programme in Scotland that takes both children's authors and a wide range of the latest children's books to schools in Scotland.

Words Without Borders
Words Without Borders undertakes to promote international communication through translation of the world's best writing - selected and translated by a distinguished group of writers, translators, and publishing professionals - and publishing and promoting these works (or excerpts) on the web. Words Without Borders is hosted by Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.

Words Words Words
'Words Words Words' is a literary e-zine published online every quarter. The website contains articles, fiction, short stories, poems and links to further resources. Submissions for publication online are accepted from writers around the globe.

World Book Day
UNESCO-designated annual celebration of books and reading.

Writeaway

Children's literature website with author interviews, reviews, forums and news. 

Yahoo UK Authors
Yahoo's useful listing of UK authors and other resources.

Young Book Trust
The website for Book Trust, the national organisation for the promotion of books and reading. Author information, prizes, booklists by age, annual 100 books.

Young Cultural Creators

A project that opens up young people’s reading and inspires their creativity. The combination of libraries, museums, archives, galleries, and children’s writers brings the project to life.