The stars of Sunderland Empire's latest production have joined calls to get Wearside reading.
Former Blue Peter presenter and star of the show, Matt Baker from Easington, was on hand to support the National Year of Reading.
Matt, who is starring as Caractacus Potts in the hit musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and his co-star Rachel Stanley, who plays Truly Scrumptious, took time out of rehearsals to read with youngsters from Sunderland's Hudson Road Primary School.
The pair read extracts from Ian Fleming's novel, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the children even got to go on to the stage for a close-up of the famous flying car.
The launch event at the Sunderland Empire is just one of many activites which will be going on in the city to promote 2008 Year of Reading.
Partners include Sunderland City Council, City of Sunderland College, Sunderland Empire, SAFC Foundation, Sunderland Echo and Sun-FM. They have all joined efforts to promote reading during the year.
The aim of the national campaign is to celebrate reading in all its forms and promote the benefits it offers and the opportunities it opens up.
Other partners, including Sunderland libraries, have set up a special National Year of Reading committee to make sure there will be plenty of opportunities, events and activities on Wearside to get as many people as possible involved in reading.
Activities will follow nine monthly themes and will include storytelling sessions, arts and craft workshops and author visits.
There will also be larger events planned to be held at events such as International Friendship Festival and Houghton Feast.
Pupils from Hudson Road Primary School were chosen to help launch the campaign as a reward for their academic achievements and some for taking part in the pupil librarian scheme.
Jane Hall, chairwoman of the Sunderland National Year of Reading group said: "Partners from across the city have come together to really spread the word and involve as many people as possible.
"We want to get people excited about reading and if they can take just 10 minutes out every day to read this could really make a difference.
"Parents can play a huge part in this by reading with their children from young and encouraging this as they get older."
Sunderland's activity will contribute to a national campaign, which is supported by celebrities, including Geri Halliwell, Lenny Henry, Bill Bailey, Jon Culshaw, Jo Brand, Jo Caulfield and Lee Mack. For more information about activities taking place in Sunderland around the National Year of Reading, tel: 514 1235.


Reading, a big part of Matt's life

EASINGTON actor Matt Baker said reading has always been a big part of his life.
The former Blue Peter presenter said he is fully supportive of any campaign to get youngsters to read more.
He said: "There are some fantastic books out there for children and young people to read. It's amazing the diverse choice that is available.
"During my time on Blue Peter, I read of lot of the books the young people were reading and there were some great ones. In fact, I would say it would be very hard not to find something to suit everyone."
Matt, 30, said as an actor and presenter he spends a lot of his time reading scripts, but he is also a keen reader for relaxation.
He and his wife, Nicola, 29, read to their son, Luke, who will celebrate his first birthday next week and the youngster already loves his baby books.
Matt said: "Books are all around the house, just like part of the furniture. Reading is obviously the key to most things and a very important part of life."
The youngters from Hendon's Hudson Road Primary School enjoyed their trip to the theatre and said they read at school, but also love to read at home.
Aysha Begum, nine, said: "I really like reading. I love Tracy Beaker and all the Jacqueline Wilson books."
Classmate, Fahmida Chowdry, eight, said she always loves to read and likes most of the children's books.
"I like the Roald Dahl books and books by Jacqueline Wilson and have read the Harry Potter books."


THE Sunderland Echo is running two campaigns aimed at improving literacy skills on Wearside.
The Turn a Leaf campaign promotes activities and events in the city which encourage reading and writing.
This is aimed at adults who need to improve their literacy skills, families with children under five and Key Stage 2 youngsters, aged seven to 12, who are the most likely to stop reading for fun.
On Monday, the Echo launched a competition Barclays Books for Schools in partnership with Barclays Bank as part of National Year of Reading.
During the next four weeks primary schools are urged to collect "money" vouchers which will be appearing several nights a week in the Echo.
The five schools which collect the most "cash" will be given £1,000 each to spend on books of their choice.