The BIG BOOK BANK initiative, which has received excellent feedback at pilot stage, will give children at participating schools a voucher for a new, free book from Waterstone’s in return for bringing their own books in to school and depositing them in ‘The Big Book Bank’.

Pupils will be encouraged to write a review of their book before it is put in The Bank and then sent to the school library for other children to share.

The scheme launched at the end of September 2008 when 23,000 primary schools across the country will receive a leaflet, telling them how to sign up for The Big Book Bank scheme online at Waterstones.com/bigbookbank, also created by Wax Communications. Those schools who sign up will then receive a Big Book Bank display kit, designed by Wax Communications, including posters to use in their school, illustrating how The Big Book Bank works, as well as recommended reads leaflets and vouchers for the children.

Teachers will be able to download from the website lesson plans and activity sheets and a letter to send home to parents explaining the scheme. There will also be fun games for the target audience of 8 to 11 year olds to play on the site. The scheme will be promoted in-store nationwide.

Catherine Allison, Account Director at Wax, says: “The scheme has received fantastically positive feedback from teachers, children and parents where it has piloted and we are sure it will be a huge success nationally. Having created and developed the Active Kids promotion for the last four years for Sainsbury’s, we have gained extensive knowledge, know-how and resources to create and deliver engaging and community focused promotions that deliver brand building kudos to the company behind it. The Big Book Bank is a great example of how everyone can benefit from a well-conceived and executed promotion.”

Nyree Jillings, Waterstone’s Children’s Marketing Planner, says: “Waterstone’s wanted to create an initiative to encourage kids to read for fun and to share their love of reading with their friends in a practical way. The aim is to encourage their further interest by offering a new book to enjoy. We are delighted with Wax’s all- round expertise in masterminding and delivering this comprehensive scheme which we are confident will prove popular with teachers, kids and parents.”