Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel has challenged everyone to share a great book with a special child over the summer holidays.

You can read the media release below, or download it as a PDF.

YOU’RE ON THE HOOK: READ A BOOK!

14 December 2017

Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel has challenged everyone to share a great book with a special child over the summer holidays.

“Behind every great scientist is a library of inspirational books, and an adult who introduced them,” said Dr Finkel, launching the 2017 Storytime Pledge campaign.

“We can all help our children to pick up the pen on the future, by hooking them on reading today.

“In following days we will share children’s book recommendations and reading pledges from some of Australia’s leading scientists, inventors and thinkers, including Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty, queen of quantum Michelle Simmons, and marine ecologist Emma Johnson.

“Join us in taking the Storytime Pledge: I promise, you’ll be glad that you did.”

Dr Finkel nominated the children’s classic Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown as a family favourite.

“I read to my boys every night that I could, often drifting off to sleep with them, and I admit it, occasionally even dozing off before they did,” Dr Finkel said.

“Life got busy, but story time never stopped, until my boys were ready to seize the books themselves.”

Dr Finkel emphasised that education was a mission for everyone.

“Parents, grandparents, guardians, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbours, family friends: let’s all take the pledge to give our children a head-start on life.”

Storytime Pledges will be posted on the Chief Scientist’s website www.chiefscientist.gov.au.

Add your pledge using the Twitter hashtag #StorytimePledge.