I have seen the impact of books on people's lives
Children’s Books Ireland was honoured to speak with leading book industry figure Philip MacDermot on the importance of supporting children’s access to books and reading. Philip is the founder and former book publisher at Poolbeg Press and was an Agent for UK Children’s Book Publishers. He is a Children’s Books Ireland Leading Light, giving regularly to support our work. He spoke to us about why he believes supporting children to access the joy of reading is one of the most powerful things you can do.
Supporting a charity like Children’s Books Ireland that helps children to enjoy books is a no brainer. I worked in the publishing industry my whole life and have seen the impact of books on people’s lives. I initially worked as an agent for UK publishers like Transworld and then I went on to set up the publishing house Poolbeg Press where we published Irish authors like William Trevor, Maeve Binchy, Patricia Scanlon and many others.
I always recall the famous Physicist Professor Brian Cox. He hosted the BBC programme 'Wonders of the Universe' and spoke many times about how it was a book that sparked his interest in the universe: when he was 12 his parents bought him a copy of the book Cosmos by Carl Sagan and he credits that with inspiring him to become a physicist. Books can achieve immeasurable things.
'All life comes out of books, everything from all of your world is in books. And if you can read and love reading, then your life is infinitely better.'
Every child should be able to read, to fall in love with reading and have access to books. Things need to be fairer though. There are so many children who are living in disadvantage that don’t have access to books, not because they don’t want to but because they don’t have the means or the opportunity to learn to love reading. Children are the measure of where our society will go and how it will thrive and if you look at the data, you can see so clearly how children experiencing disadvantage have less access and opportunity to read. This is an injustice that needs to be addressed.
I absolutely believe that more children who can’t afford books should get them and be given the chance to become a reader. All life comes out of books, everything from all of your world is in books. And if you can read and love reading then your life is infinitely better: you can study, you can read for pleasure, you can read for information, you can learn and access anything you want.
Giving to Children’s Books Ireland is one of the easiest things in my life. I signed up as a Leading Light and each month my €21 donation comes out of my account. I’m not even aware of the money going out, it is such a small amount and makes such an enormous difference. I like the idea of it going every month, until I die or until there is no money left, I am making a difference in an area that I believe in. I think more people should be willing to do that.
I absolutely encourage everyone else who loves books to give to Children’s Books Ireland and be part of levelling things up. Giving to this cause is an act of complete self-interest because when children read the world is that little bit better.
About Leading Lights
Leading Lights is Children’s Books Ireland’s regular giving programme. At Children's Books Ireland, we work with families, teachers, librarians and communities across the island of Ireland to get books into children’s hands and to inform adults who can make a big impact on their relationship with reading. We advocate for the changes Ireland needs to grow a new generation of readers, and we support artists so that they can make excellent work for children and young people. A community of like-minded people who strongly believe in the vision of Every Child a Reader, Leading Lights are part of the solution to making this a reality. If you want to be part of this story and help us to bring all the benefits of reading for joy to children and young people in Ireland, please join us by committing to giving €10, €21, €50 or €85 a month and help us change children’s lives, one book at a time.
