Barrington Stoke was founded on one passionate belief: that all children should experience the joy of reading for pleasure.

The co-founders of the company both had personal experience of how children could be excluded from the world of books. Patience Thomson was an internationally recognised expert in the field of reluctant readers, who had been principal of Fairley House School for children with specific learning difficulties. Her own son, Ben, was profoundly dyslexic. Ben's wife, Lucy Juckes, was a publishing professional who saw that wonderful books were going unread by children who simply had no access to stories. Patience and Lucy realised that to bring books to dyslexic, reluctant and disadvantaged children, they would need to create an entirely different kind of publisher. So Barrington Stoke was born in Lucy's Edinburgh home.

The first stage was to get the support of authors. Disadvantaged readers needed the best, most compelling stories, written by the same people their classmates and friends were reading. So Lucy and Patience approached the top children's authors and asked them to write for the new company.

They were asked again and again, "Who are you and what have you published?" The only answer was "No one and nothing - but we have an idea...".

It wasn't just about getting the best writers. To be successful the books had to deliver gripping stories which would captivate and entice even the most reluctant reader - using language that made the reading experience easier. The challenge was to adapt the texts subtly so that the author's voice remained, and the reader would not feel patronised or short-changed, but would simply find Barrington Stoke books smoother and easier to read.

The Barrington Stoke Consultants

Barrington Stoke consults their customers, the reluctant readers themselves, at every stage of production about both content and presentation. Who better to tell us what they could and couldn't read, what they liked and disliked? Up to 50 children read and comment on all the manuscripts before they are published. These consultants reveal new perspectives on reading problems and how they can be solved. Thousands of young readers have been consulted about our books. They are named in the book, and receive a copy and a certificate recognising their contribution. The experience gives many children who struggle with reading a much-needed boost to their confidence.

Style and Presentation

The books are short, but they look like any other story by the author on the outside. The covers are well-designed, stylish and appealing, and in no way indicate that they are targeted at less able readers. Barrington Stoke books are printed on cream or off-white paper which is more restful on the eye than stark black on white. The company commissioned a specially designed font to expert guidelines, to encourage a smooth read. The text isn't justified, to make it easier for the reader to keep his or her place, and the layout is always clear and easy to make out.

The Barrington Stoke Range

Fiction - for children with a reading age of 8 and above, from popular children's authors such as Terry Deary, Theresa Breslin, Catherine MacPhail and more. Recently published books in this range include Johnny Delgado: Private Detective by Kevin Brooks and The Chain by Keith Gray.

4u2read.ok - fiction for Primary pupils reading below the age of 8. These are simplified versions of original Barrington Stoke titles, with subtle changes to the text and additional illustrations and breakout thought bubbles. These books, such as Starship Rescue by Theresa Breslin and Robin Hood All At Sea by Jan Mark, can be used in mixed-ability classes with the original texts.

gr8reads - non-patronising fiction for teenagers reading below the age of 8, gr8read books are written by award-winning authors, tackling mature subjects with clear, accessible language and illustrations. In Respect!, Michaela Morgan tells the story of Walter Tull, premier league football player and the first black officer in the Army in WW1; Alison Prince's Luck is a dark comedy: Dale's got no job, no girlfriend, and rows with his mum - can his luck change?

fyi - For Your Information, fiction with stacks of facts for pupils who prefer information texts. By combining great stories with facts and figures, fyi titles are particularly popular with reluctant reader boys. Check out The Last Viking by Terry Deary or our February Children's Book of the Month, Traitor's Gate by Catherine MacPhail.

Barrington Stoke also publish resources for parents and teachers, including worksheets, spelling dictionaries, resources for people working in Support for Learning, and more.