Join the Reading Revolution
We’re a national charity that wants to bring about a Reading Revolution so that everyone can experience and enjoy great literature, which we believe is a tool for helping humans survive and live well.
From our global Shared Reading movement, to our Calderstones Park home – The Reader builds lively communities that bring people together and books to life.
Find a group near you-
93%
Felt better after a session
-
700
Groups around the UK
-
10,000+
Readers a year
-
84%
Made new friends
What's Happening
Globe on Tour: Julius Caesar
Friday 3 June, 7.30pm and Saturday 4 June 2.30pm & 7.30pm £10.00 - £16.00This Summer, Shakespeare’s Globe brings a startlingly relevant new production of epic tragedy Julius Caesar to The Reader at Calderstones...
May Half-Term – Bathe the Cat
Monday 30 May - Sunday 5 June, various times £4.00Bathe The Cat at the Storybarn Monday 30 May – Sunday 5 June (May Half-Term) Sessions run at 10am, 12pm...
The HandleBards Twelfth Night
Sunday 31 July, 7pm £10.00 - £17.00Sunday 31 July, 7pm Join The HandleBards at The Reader for a bicycle-powered, laugh-out-loud production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Duke...
Planting Seeds with Poetry
Sunday 12 June, 11am and 2pm Free‘I am the seed that grew the tree that gave the wood to make the page to fill the book with poetry’ - from...
Relaxed Reading for Parents and Carers
Every Wednesday, 10am - 11.30am FreeSessions run weekly on Wednesdays, 10am – 11.30am A free Shared Reading group for parents and carers who’d like to...
Books and Brambles
6 Week Outdoor Adventure, starting on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 June £49.001 child £49, 2 siblings £80, 3 siblings £120 Books and Brambles is a six-week outdoor adventure of exciting weekends...
Incy Wincy Rhymers
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday - various times £4.00Our sessions for little ones - 1 - 4 year olds - and their families. We'll explore classic stories, family...
Mighty Oaks Welly Walk
Sunday 19 June 10am and 2pm £4.00Combining the whimsy of our Storybarn with the exciting heritage of Calderstones Park our wonderful Welly Walks are the perfect outdoor adventures...
Make at the Mansion House
Last Sunday of the month, 10am and 1pm FreeAt our monthly, drop-in arts and crafts sessions, we welcome you to take some time to be inspired by heritage...
Tiny Acorns
6 week Indoor Sessions, starting 29 April 2022 £49.00£49 for 6 weeks - booking includes a copy of our featured baby board book to keep and share again and...
Bogs, Newts and Hullabaloo Welly Walk
Monday 30 May, 10am & 2pm £4.00Combining the whimsy of our Storybarn with the exciting heritage of Calderstones Park our wonderful Welly Walks are the perfect outdoor adventures...
Become a volunteer
Love reading? Love meeting new people? Want to make a difference locally? If so, Shared Reading could be the thing for you. And you could be just the person for us.
The Reader at Calderstones
The Reader at Calderstones is a community unlike any other, somewhere people can get together, experience literature and try something new.
Drop in at the Mansion House to get a bite to eat at The Reader Café, join a Shared Reading group or explore 5,000 years of storytelling in our dedicated exhibition.
Explore the park, where you’ll find the Storybarn play space and The Reader Ice Cream Parlour.
The Mansion House
The Mansion House is a reading home with heart – drop in to discover a place filled with possibilities.
The Calderstones Story
Discover stories of life in Liverpool, starting 5,000 years ago, in our dedicated exhibition.
The Storybarn
Our imaginative play space for children and families will spark a lifelong love of reading for pleasure.
The Storybarn
The Storybarn exists to spark a life-long love of books and reading, and an unending curiosity for exploring the astonishing worlds of our imagination.
Whether you’re coming as family, party or school, this imaginative play space is dedicated to sharing the delights of reading with babies and children.
Come and play!
-
8,937
Storyhunter and Incy Wincy Rhymer attendees
-
95
Birthday parties
-
111
School visits
-
23
Family fun days
Something More
Spring refresh – The Reader Café reopens Saturday 30 April
‘Nothing is so beautiful as Spring – When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush’ From…
The HandleBards Present: Twelfth Night
If music be the food of love, cycle on… Written by William Shakespeare | Directed by James Farrell The hugely…
Be Part of the Story – Volunteer with Us
Be Part of the Story – Volunteer with Us Can you help rebuild the Reading Revolution and make a difference…
