Children were filled with awe at the launch of an initiative to change the way young people connect with literature.

The Big Green Bookshop hosted the launch of the Patron of Reading: Haringey Chapter at Wood Green Library in High Road, Wood Green.

The book shop based in Brampton Park Road, Wood Green, organised the event, which aims to attach an author as patron of reading to individual schools in Haringey and help children think about writing more broadly than just start, middle and end.

Felix Shelton-Barrow, 11, who attends North Haringey Primary, said: “It’s been awe inspiring to meet these people who have written so many books, especially interviewing Michael Rosen.

“I read lots anyway but this will definitely encourage me to read a lot more.”

A patron of reading is a school's special, designated children's author with whom the school forms a personal attachment and is a nationwide initiative.

They work with the school over three years to raise the profile of reading for pleasure with pupils, parents and staff.

Novelist, poet and former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen attended the launch and was hopeful it would encourage a different perception of writing amongst the children.

He said: “This sort of thing is massively beneficial because it brings people who write for a living face to face with children who write because they are told to. It’s the equivalent of children who play football meeting footballers.

“For them, writing can be a bit of a rehearsal but writing should start from things that excite and baffle us, not from a formula, this is not to criticise teachers but writers write because they want to.

“We set a ball rolling and see where it goes and it’s important that children see that. I would hope that they can see writing engages feelings and ideas.”

Assistant headteacher at North Haringey Primary School in Falkland Road, Harringay, was unsure of what to expect at the launch but was surprised at her pupils’ reaction.

She said: “When we walked into the room and all the authors were sat there it got the children very excited and suddenly they became very confident, talking away to the authors.

“It has inspired them and helped them realise the importance or writing and reading.”