New partnership provides free eReaders for schools most in need

Primary school pupils struggling to read will be given a boost by a new partnership which will bring 1,000 free eReaders into schools.

Under a deal struck between the Evening Standard and America's biggest bookshop chain, Barnes & Noble, children in schools with some of the highest illiteracy rates will be encouraged and helped to read books like Roald Dahl's Matilda via the eReaders.

The free eReaders are being supplied by NOOK Media LLC, a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, to boost the Get London Reading campaign launched by the Evening Standard, sister paper of The Independent. The campaign has so far helped over 2,000 children improve their reading by raising £1m to fund the training and supply of reading helpers by national literacy charity Beanstalk.

In all, 1,000 free NOOKs will be supplied to help volunteers teach in almost 300 London schools with high levels of illiteracy. In addition, Barnes & Noble are lowering the price of their NOOK Simple Touch eReader across the UK. Jim Hilt, Barnes & Noble's managing director, said: "Literacy is at the heart of everything we do. We hope to further enrich the minds of readers of all ages across the UK and give them access to books they love."