Almost 90,000 books in 2025 – giving North Lincolnshire children the best start in life

Nearly 90,000 free books landed in letter boxes and on doormats across North Lincolnshire this year – one every single month for almost 7,000 children – giving them a head start that lasts a lifetime.

Through the council-funded Imagination Library, almost 7,000 children currently receive a free, high-quality book every month, from birth until their fifth birthday.

Almost nine out of 10 of all under-fives in the area receive them, with 85,875 given out in 2025.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “More than 85,000 books a year tells you everything you need to know about our priorities. This council backs families, backs learning, and backs children to succeed from the very start.

“Reading underpins everything that follows in life – confidence, achievement and opportunity. By funding the Imagination Library, we’re making sure every child in North Lincolnshire gets that foundation, not just a lucky few.”

Year after year, North Lincolnshire is quietly delivering one of the most ambitious early-years literacy programmes anywhere in the country – at scale, to every community, without families having to pay a penny.

Since the scheme launched in 2013, more than one million books have been delivered to over 27,000 local children, with North Lincolnshire responsible for around one sixth of all Imagination Library books delivered in the UK.

New titles are refreshed each year, so every child receives their own age-appropriate books as they grow – by the time they are five they will have a library of 60 books.

Families are encouraged to register all eligible children – even if an older sibling has already been part of the scheme – so every child can take part, build their own library at home, receiving a book addressed to them every month and build a love of reading, often before they start school.

The impact is measurable. Children registered with the Imagination Library are significantly more likely to be school-ready, with nearly 67 per cent achieving a good level of development at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, compared with 55 per cent of those not registered.

Cllr Julie Reed, cabinet member for children, families and communities, added: “This is about more than books. It’s about families reading together, children feeling excited about learning, and setting expectations early that education matters.

“When a book drops through the letterbox addressed to a child, that sense of pride and ownership is powerful – and it stays with them.”

Parents and carers can also sign up to receive monthly ‘ideas sheets’, an email packed with ideas for activities and games to play with your child, and information about their development, all themed around that month’s books.

The Imagination Library is part of a global initiative, but its scale and success in North Lincolnshire are driven by sustained local investment and strong partnerships between the council, libraries, community hubs, schools and families.

The scheme is completely free to join. Each child must be registered individually to receive their own age-appropriate book every month.

Parents and carers can register online via the council’s website or by visiting their local library or community hub.