'It's heartwarming when children find a hidden book'

Theo is one of the lucky children who found a book

"It's really heartwarming when the children find a book."

Kath Blythman has been running the "look for a book" initiative in Ballymena in County Antrim for more than a year.

She, along with her two children Tilly and Liam, hide books under swings, inside slides and other secret places in the town for children to take home, read and eventually re-hide.

Kath, the owner of a bookshop in Ballymena, says she wants "to promote reading for pleasure".

"We don't want children to lose their reading skills over the summer," she tells BBC News NI.

"We want to keep it fun."

Kath Blythman and her two children - Liam and Tilly

Theo has just finished P1 and is one of the many lucky children in the County Antrim town to have come across a book.

He likes Mr Men books, and while he does not know how to read yet, he says he's looking forward to it being read to him.

His big brother Jonah has just finished Mr Bump.

Theo's grandmother praises the "lovely" initiative.

"It's good to get children to read and good to get children out," she adds.

Jonah, Theo, their granny and younger brother Sully

Kath adds that it is "brilliant" to see children get excited and running over to their parents to tell them they've found a book.

"So many people can't afford to buy books," she says.

"Sometimes it's as exciting hiding a book as finding it."

Squealing with excitement, Tilly, who is four, cannot believe her luck with her new find.

"Some people don't have any [books], so they need some," she says.

Kath says it is "brilliant" to see children run over to their parents to tell them they have found a book

Cost of living

Kath says the cost of living often means that people cannot afford to buy new books for their children.

"It's nice the kids take [books] home to read," she says.

"One book might go around 10 children in the summer.

"It's a perfect way of recycling."

Kath says some children are "quite reluctant" to read because of new technology.

"They want to be on their tablets and want to play games instead of reading."

David Williams and Roald Dahl are popular with Erin, Nessa and Lucy

Nine-year-old Erin, alongside Nessa and Lucy, who are both 10, like to read.

They enjoy authors like David Williams because he's "funny" and Roald Dahl because he "uses adjectives".

"Reading is good for your mental health and makes you feel good," Lucy says.

Asked if they would rather play games on their tablets or read, they all agreed "a bit of both".