Did you know about the governments Year of Reading? It’s all about encouraging us all to read more, to read for fun, to learn, to explore – all the good stuff.

To get involved, I’ve re-started the Nature Book Club. You can join the Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the 12 books we are reading in 2026. Books should be easy to get hold of and under £10 to buy. Second hand, borrowed and library copies are all very much encouraged.

Here is the full list:

At the end of each month there will be a new thread started for the book, with people adding their thoughts and comments. This thread will therefore contain spoilers if you’ve not finished reading!

Discussions are usually varied and we are all adults, so can keep a check on our own behaviour. Right? Any rudeness will be swiftly dealt with. It’s never happened before, so I don’t foresee any problems. The threads remain in the group, so if you don’t finish by the end of the month, you can add your comments whenever you like.

What’s it all about?

The Year of Reading is being supported by a huge range of organisations. The National Literacy Trust are heavily involved, and have a whole host of resources if you need any ideas to get yourself or your family back into books.

I especially like their suggestions for linking reading to nature. Take a look. Of course, our focus on this website is also grief, and reading can be a thoughtful way to look at all aspects of grief for both adults and children.

We’ve reviewed a few books over the years that have been helpful. I plan to do more of this during 2026.

You might also add reading to your daily planners? It’s something I’ve been doing more in the evenings to have some downtime, in between the kids dinner and ours a bit later. Just 30 mins a day can really help my sense of self and relaxation. Our daily planners are a free download, pick the one that best suits your current state.