PARADOXICALLY, THE MOST popular book club in this country is based on a television programme. Books featured in the Richard & Judy Book Club and its Summer Reads spin-off attract so many readers that sales of some soar by 3,000 per cent.

So who better to support Channel 4's Lost for Words season which aims to highlight the number of children who leave primary school unable to read. As the culmination of a week of programmes looking at child literacy, Richard & Judy's Kid's Books Club is “the fun, light side of things,” according to Amanda Ross, its producer, the woman credited with getting Britain's adults reading.

As with the adult Book Club, there will be no literary snobbiness. “There is no campaign element,” Ross says. “What we want to do is inspire kids to get reading and help parents to pick the right books for their children.”

Lack of appropriate material, rather than lack of enthusiasm is the main cause of child illiteracy, according to a study carried out in Monteagle Primary School, East London, which found that half the children could not read by the age of 11.

A year-long initiative began to attempt to raise literacy levels. Children were grouped by ability rather than age, and given books targeted at their level. An hour a day was devoted to reading. At the end of 12 months, the school has attained 100 per cent literacy. This success inspired Ross to back the Channel 4 project, originated by its head of news and current affairs, Dorothy Byrne.

“It is absolutely possible to achieve 100 per cent literacy,” Ross says. “I realise that I am of some influence in the publishing industry and Richard [Madeley] and Judy [Finnigan] were keen to become involved.”

Ross read avidly as a child growing up in Essex, with encouragement from her mother. But she has no children of her own, so was she daunted by choosing the books?

“What makes a good book is the same whether you are a child or an adult,” she replies. “It simply needs to grab you and drag you into its world. The only difference we discovered is that children take more notice of covers — all the books on our shortlist have vibrant jackets.”

Books in the Richard & Judy Kids Book Club are placed into four bands suggested by educationalists and publishers — for early, developing, confident and fluent readers, with age as a guideline only.

After consulting experts, publishers and retailers, Ross and her team picked 19 books before getting children to try them out and pick the best two in each category. Some popular authors, such as Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Horowitz, Philip Pullman and J.K. Rowling were left out to make way for lesser-known writers, but children can still expect rollicking reads.

Ross' personal favourite is Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams (in the “confident” category). “I'm not going to say it's the new Harry Potter, but that and Spydog (developing) are set to be hugely popular.”

The top two bands are more clearly divided into girls' and boys' titles, but it is noticeable how generally appealing most of the books are.

And, as sitting through any children's film will show, children are drawn to anything with a vaguely rude word in the title. Dubbed by Ross as “the power of underpants”, Aliens Love Underpants by Clare Freedman and Ben Cort (early) and The Killer Underpants by Michael Lawrence (confident) were both popular.

As well as promoting the books, the Richard & Judy show will allow children to question popular authors and to hear celebrities speak about the importance of reading.

Ross hopes her role in children's literacy will last beyond one TV show. “I want this to have longevity,” she says. “I'm not sure if the people I really need to get to will be watching a show on Channel 4 at 8pm, but I'm hoping that, by using our Book Club network and having posters in shops and stickered books, we will reach a much wider audience.”

The full list of books is on a website, with help for parents to assess their child's literacy level, further suggested titles and reading notes.

Other programmes in the literacy season include Dispatches; Last Chance Kids, a three-part documentary following the Monteagle school project and Three Minute Wonders, in which Nick Hornby, Sebastian Faulks, Jilly Cooper and Martina Cole will each write the first part of a story that is passed on to celebrities and the public to continue.

Richard & Judy's Best Kids' Books is on Channel 4 at 8pm on Thursday

www.richardandjudybookclub.co.uk/childrens

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