ABC Book Club

ABC Book Club ABC ensures schools and children have unlimited access to free, quality books 📖 📚

In cases where there is no library, ABC has created reading spaces within schools to encourage a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

03/06/2026

Question...What do you get when you combine:

1. A school fundraising champion
2. An incredibly talented artist
3. A brilliant set designer
4. Children who want an insprational library
5. The charity ABC Book Club

Answer...The most incredible London themed reading space!

This library project surpassed the expectations of all involved and blew the children away!

We couldn't be more proud of this library and working with the team at Bickley Primary school was a dream.

created their magic and we pulled it together to create something truly special.

We didn't want to leave. Anyone got a good book? You know where to find us!

🔍 inspiring reading for pleasure - improving child literacy - children’s charity - national year of reading - London themed library - welcoming comfortable reading spaces - happy children - making reading fun

03/06/2026

ABC Book Club has an interesting story - and our Head of Operations - Jo Chandler - was recently interviewed on the 12.30 TWC Business Podcast where she explained how the charity came to exist. And yes it did involve a chance meeting at a grassroots football match. Keep watching to hear the whole story.

Thanks to for inviting Jo on to the podcast and giving her a chance to explain all. You can listen to the full interview at www.1230.co.uk - where Jackie interviews entrepreneurial business women every week on Business Beat Radio.

🔍 building libraries for schools - encouraging reading for pleasure - improving child literacy - children’s charity - female entrepreneurs

Can you help? As a charity, we rely on donations of excellent quality pre-loved books to fill the bookcases in our newly...
28/05/2026

Can you help?
As a charity, we rely on donations of excellent quality pre-loved books to fill the bookcases in our newly built reading rooms in primary schools. At the moment, we are desperately short of chapter books for ages 6 and up.
If you are having a half term clear out and have some books that are still in excellent condition that need a new home, we’d be so grateful to receive them.
Your donation will make a huge difference to children like Frankie from our previous post who has had his relationship with reading transformed by using one of our spaces.
We are looking for popular favourites, later editions of classics plus the latest literature, fiction and non-fiction books. Anything your children have outgrown and you think another child might enjoy.
Wishing you a happy half term, and thank you in advance 💜🩵💛


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27/05/2026

So what changed?

For Frankie - it was about the space ABC created at his school - Turnham Academy in Brockley. We changed the hard floor of the classroom and installed tactile ‘grass’, and decorated the space with cushions, bean bags and blankets.

His school reading room became a colourful, calming place where he could settle down, feel comfortable and lose himself in a story.

He told us that reading in his new library helps him feel calm and somewhere he can forget about his worries for a while ❤️

And honestly? That’s exactly why we create spaces like these.

Because sometimes, building a love of reading for pleasure starts with building somewhere children feel safe, comfortable and inspired.

Thank you to Frankie and Turnham Academy for the amazing feedback 💜🩵💛


🔍 inspiring reading spaces - comfortable reading spaces - welcoming reading rooms - inspiring reading for pleasure - improving child literacy - children’s charity - hear children’s voices - what the children think - children’s feedback

21/05/2026

Having children lead the design on their ABC library is intentional.
Children are more likely to engage when they are invested, and when their opinions are taken seriously.
For reluctant readers especially, the library can be an unwelcome, overwhelming and uncomfortable place.
That's why every reading room ABC builds is unique - designed from a moodboard created by the children.
At Turnham Academy in Brockley, the children asked for a Fairground themed space. We brought their ideas to life with a bespoke ‘Big Top’ reading nook, fairground themed wall art, bunting, air balloons, colourful rugs, cushions and lots of engaging great quality books.
We create a world that they can step into which transforms both their reading journey and their relationship with books. An experience that former pupil and football legend Ian Wright found so valuable during his time at the school, which is why he kindly agreed to come and open this space for us.
Thanks to all at Turnham Academy who helped us bring this vision to life 💜🩵💛

🔍 inspiring reading rooms for schools - inspiring libraries for schools - encouraging reading for pleasure - national year of reading - improving child literacy - children’s charity - bespoke school libraries - bespoke reading spaces

20/05/2026

How do you take an uninspiring classroom and turn it into a creative, welcoming reading space to inspire children to read for pleasure?
Here’s how!
A little ‘behind the scenes’ showing how we go about transforming ordinary school rooms into inspirational spaces for children.
With thanks to Dave from - our set designer and builder - who created the stand out feature of this Rainforest Reading Room by constructing a life size tree in the middle.
Then we dress the space with colourful wall art, comfortable cushions and rugs, soft toys and of course, lots and lots of great quality preloved books.
Seeing the children enjoy their new space is always one of the most rewarding parts of what we do. 💜🩵💛

🔍 building inspiring reading rooms for children - building school libraries - inspiring reading for pleasure - improving child literacy - national year of reading - children’s charity - bespoke reading rooms for children

14/05/2026

We can’t reveal the finished library yet… but here’s a sneak peek of the magic that’s coming.

This room in Bickley Primary School was a blank canvas, but for the past 3 months we've been working behind the scenes painting, building and and bringing to life one of ABC's most collaborative projects!

Luckily for us, we've been given the opportunity to work with , an incredibly talented artist whose children attend Bickley Primary.

Together with our set designer, Dave at , we are building something that will be beautiful, impactful and very, very special.

We can't wait to share it with you but for the time being we're keeping it secret a little while longer!

💜🩵💛

🔍 new mural artist - creating inspiring reading rooms - encouraging reading for pleasure - improving child literacy - children’s charity - bringing a blank canvas to life - creating magical spaces for children

13/05/2026

When we create spaces for children to read, the environment is as important as the books.

Children love smaller spaces — the dens, tents, tree houses and hidden corners. Somewhere they can retreat to and feel safe, calm and comfortable. It really changes the way children experience reading.

For some children, especially those who may feel overwhelmed, anxious or distracted in a busy classroom environment, a quiet nook can become a place to pause, regulate and escape for a while.

That’s why we intentionally design spaces that are far from a boring room with bookcases around the edges. ABC libraries feel welcoming, comforting and immersive — with soft furnishings, calming corners, colour, texture and areas to go to settle down.

We believe that environment can be what helps to unlock a love of reading in the first place.

💜🩵💛

🔍 building reading rooms for schools - building school libraries - inspiring reading for pleasure - improving child literacy - children’s charity - creating reading nooks - reading environments are important

07/05/2026

At ABC, we've received some rave reviews for the work we do in schools. But so far, all these compliments have come from adults. None from the people who really matter... the children!

So we decided to go and revisit some of our schools and ask the students their thoughts about their ABC reading rooms.

To kick off, we re-visited Plumcroft Primary in Plumstead, where we were pleased to hear how often the Rainforest Reading Room is being used and how the children are enjoying spending their time there.

They had just one request of ABC.. more books! Now that’s the kind of feedback we can action, so another box full of 100 excellent quality pre-loved books are winging their way to the school.

With thanks to the staff and pupils at Plumcroft Primary for their time 💜🩵💛


🔍 library review - library feedback - what the children think - children’s charity - inspire reading for pleasure - improving child literacy - national year of reading

06/05/2026

It's not often you get to spend a day with a group of professionals who absolutely 'get' what you do, and why you do it. The Literacy Link is a group of more than 50 literacy charities who join together to pool ideas, share initiatives, and support each other in these difficult times for charities.
Where we could be in competition with each other, we collaborate. We are stronger together, all doing our own thing on a local and national level.
ABC is proud to be a part of the Literacy Link, and to be in the same room as some of the 'giants' in the literacy charity world.
Looking forward to our next meeting and to getting even more involved. 💜🩵💛

Address

9 St Marks Road
Bromley
BR19HG

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+442083156925

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