Magic takes many forms – think about books for a moment, really think what they are.

Sheets of paper bound together, with squiggly marks printed in lines.

But once you know the code you can translate these squiggles, and enter a world that has been carefully crafted, perhaps from nothing more substantial than a seed of an idea floating through the imagination.

But what about picture books?

Picture books paint the pictures in the imagination and help make sense of the squiggles.

Picture books get read over and over, they become part of the fabric of childhood.

Picture books get pulled this way and that, by tiny hands discovering the world.

Picture books get ripped and dog eared just like a favourite teddy.

Put picture books in the hands of little ones and they’ll plant the seed for reading.