International Literacy Day is celebrated around the world on 8 September. Founded in 1965 and first observed in 1966, the purpose of the day is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies - in both its 'conventional' (reading, writing and numeracy, and their links with socio-economic development) and 'modern' form (the diverse learning needs of individuals in knowledge-oriented and globalized societies).

A staple of children's literacy in New Zealand since 1963 are the Ready to Read book series, published for the Ministry of Education. Over the years a large number of books have been produced for primary schools, all featuring iconic New Zealand writers and artists. As the Ministry's Literacy Online website notes, "the high-quality texts offer multiple opportunities for learning, supporting students to become efficient readers. In particular, the series supports students to develop effective reading processing systems [and] reflects a wide range of cultures. Some books also affirm the experiences of students with special needs."

Archives New Zealand holds a number of Ready to Read books, as well as their original artwork commissioned by the Ministry of Education. 'Going to the Beach' was published in 1984, and features two of New Zealand's most well-known creative personalities, Margaret Mahy and Dick Frizzell. The vibrant images above are of the original artwork by Frizzell, its final published form in the book, and the cover (featuring the famous Ready to Read logo). Other well-known artists and their work can be found in the series, including Cliff Whiting, Bob Kerr, Robyn Kahukiwa, and Gavin Bishop, to name but a few. Information about the Ministry of Education Publication Folders series can be found at archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=699.

Archives Reference: ADCT 699 W5428 Box 14/ 7/10 archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=18809993

The history of Ready to Read can be found at literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Teacher-needs/I...

For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter twitter.com/ArchivesNZ