Our great Books for Schools promotion is just days away from starting, but there is still time to sign up.

The East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star are giving away £20,000 worth of books to primary schools across the county in a hope of fostering a love of reading among Suffolk’s youngsters.

There are now more than 130 primary schools in the area signed up, but today we’re calling for those that haven’t to get on board.

Brad Jones, editor of the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star, said: “We’re really passionate about this campaign, because reading is so important to a child’s development. Creating a love of books and reading at a young age is also so important.

“Our Books for Schools promotion will result in hundreds more books going into local schools.

“But if schools want to be a part of it, they have to do just one thing - sign up. This is a really quick process, and there really is nothing to lose for schools in doing it.

“I’m sure the parent communities around each school will then get together to collect as many tokens as they can.”

The Oaks Primary School in Ipswich was among the first to sign up to the campaign.

Rose Palmer, the school’s librarian and reading advocate, said getting children interested in books is crucial to their development.

“There is no substitute for it. There are studies that show your brain fires its most as a child when your are sharing a book with someone compared to looking at a screen or playing computer games.

“If you get the book bug early, you have it for life.

“Reading can also help children understand their emotions, to give them the words to express their feelings.”

The first Books for Schools tokens will be printed in the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star every day from Monday October 1.

If a school collects 1,000 tokens, they will receive £100 worth of books.

At the end of the campaign, the four schools that have collected the most tokens per pupil will each receive £2,500 of books.

Has your school signed up? If not, ask them to send the school’s name, address, postcode, telephone number and the number of pupils to booksforschools@archant.co.uk