Author's bid to keep children reading for pleasure
Up-and-coming children’s author B. Ware is on a mission to reignite children’s passion for reading in a world filled with digital distractions. A master of middle-grade fiction, B. Ware crafts engaging, relatable characters and brings magical tales to life through her artful storytelling.
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Since the release of her debut children’s book, WARNING: Magic Can Be Dangerous!, last year, she has been offering free whole-day school visits across the country to inspire young readers.
“My daughter and I have always loved reading, but my son was a very reluctant reader when he was younger,” says B. Ware. “Hearing that children’s reading enjoyment levels are continuing to decline made me want to do my bit in an attempt to combat that.”
With video games, social media, and on-demand entertainment vying for children’s attention, fewer young people are choosing to read for pleasure. Through her school visits, B. Ware aims to change that by making reading an exciting and interactive experience. “By visiting schools in the local community and giving children a reason to get excited about reading again, I’m hopeful I can make a difference,” she adds.
So far, B. Ware has visited 59 schools and reached over 15,000 children, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and teachers alike. With the second book in her Words of WARNING collection, WARNING: May Contain Dragons, set for release this month, B. Ware is thrilled to announce that she will continue offering free school visits throughout 2025 and beyond.
“During my workshops, I’ve seen firsthand the impact a visit from a local author can have and witnessed children falling in love with reading again whilst getting stuck in to writing stories of their own. With restrictive budgets preventing many schools from being able to accommodate author visits, I took the decision to offer all of my visits free of charge,” B. Ware explains.
It was during one of B. Ware’s school visits that she met Theo Jarvis, a talented young illustrator from Bristol who uses drawing as an outlet for his autism and ADHD. Struck by his creativity and passion, she invited him to design the cover of WARNING: May Contain Dragons, which now features Theo’s eye-catching illustrations.
A compelling standalone addition to the Words of WARNING collection, WARNING: May Contain Dragons dispels myths about dragons while delivering important messages about mental health. The book, currently available for pre-order through all major retailers, will officially launch on the 25th of March at a special release event hosted at Theo’s school, Brookthope Hall School—an independent specialist school in Gloucester for autistic young people aged 7-16.
With her unwavering dedication to keeping children engaged in reading, B. Ware is proving that books still have the power to captivate, inspire, and change lives.
B. Ware is available to visit schools within a 100-mile radius of her hometown, Cheltenham, and will also consider requests from schools further afield. Schools interested in a visit can contact her through wordsofwarning.com.
