Celebrating the 10^th issue of The Story Corner magazine – graphic novels!

We’re excited to release our 10^th edition of The Story Corner magazine!

Since our first issue in 2020, we’ve distributed over 700,000 copies to children across the country. Our 10^th issue is a monumental achievement. This is in line with our mission to foster a love for reading amongst children in disadvantaged areas.

Sparking the joy of reading

We’ve always strived to inspire the joy of reading and encourage a whole school reading culture through various initiatives like our volunteer-led reading programme, literacy support programmes* and of course, Story Corner magazine.

We’ve been lucky to collaborate with many fantastic authors and illustrators on each issue, who have worked hard to craft engaging and relatable stories for the children we want to support.

Our illustrator, Sarah Harrison, has also worked with us on every single issue to design beautiful illustrations and bring the characters to life. To explore more of Sarah’s work, please read the previous blog.

Issue 10 of The Story Corner

The theme of our latest issue of The Story Corner focuses is graphic novels. We understand the power of storytelling both through words and illustrations and have recognised the growing popularity and educational value of graphic novels in school and at home – they bring so much to the reading experience by boosting reading confidence and allowing children to feel proud of their reading successes.

Jon Biddle, an avid graphic novel collector and model teacher, speaks about how graphic novels can be used within the classroom, stating they’re a fantastic resource for children to have fun and engage with – explore his blog here.

Here’s what makes The Story Corner special:

1. Inclusive and diverse content

We work with a variety of authors to create content that’s inclusive and relevant. Our stories feature characters of different genders, ethnicities and abilities, so that every child has someone they can relate to and identity with.

From adventures in issue 2 to celebrations in issue 8, each issue of the magazine has a different theme! This makes our magazines exciting and is a great way to explore character development through different themes, topics and plots. This exciting format also combines visual art and storytelling, making reading more engaging and accessible for the children who receive them.

Inside our 10^th issue there are tons of fun stories, activities and games, all around graphic novels. Our readers will enjoy engaging tales crafted by talented illustrators and authors like Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers, who grew up reading comics. They shared their excitement about the latest edition: ​“each new story is an adventure which takes us into a different world. It’s an amazing feeling being creative: it gives you a voice and you can share your imagination with others.”

2. High-quality curated material

We strive to make each issue informative and high quality, as well as an attractive resource that engages children through reading and writing activities. We use vibrant illustrations and creative layouts to make each page visually appealing, and interactive elements like colouring in and cut-out card games to ensure the content is educational and enjoyable – we’ve even included a ​‘Finish the comic strip’ section in the latest issue!

3. Interactive and engaging

The Story Corner goes beyond traditional storytelling by including activities designed to encourage interaction. Our popular drawing competition is a unique feature that fosters creativity and provides a platform for children to showcase their talent.

Issue 10 features our beloved drawing competition, where children can create their own graphic novel character. This acts as a platform for young artists to showcase their talent and win exciting prizes, like a book bundle.

4. Durability

Our magazine is made to last. We use high-quality, durable paper, allowing children to keep, draw on and reuse their magazine as they’d like. We understand that children often revisit their favourite stories and activities multiple times and our magazine is designed to withstand this.

Understanding the importance of sustainability, we also prioritise using high-quality, eco-friendly paper that is long lasting.

5. Wide reach and accessibility

As said, we’ve distributed over 700,000 copies of our magazine free of charge to partner schools in disadvantaged communities. Created for children who may not have easy access to books and literary resources, we want to ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstances, can experience the joy of reading and benefits of literature.

We want to ensure we reach the children who need us the most, that’s why we also distribute to community settings like foodbanks, community centres and hospitals.

6. Mission-driven approach

At the heart of The Story Corner is our mission to spark a lifelong love for reading. We believe that every child deserves access to high-quality, relatable literature and this initiative contributes to that. By offering engaging literacy resources, we aim to nurture a love of books from an early age.

We know that book ownership in the UK is alarming, with 1 in 5 (19.2%) children aged 5 to 8 not having the luxury of owning a book at home (National Literacy Trust, 2023). One part of our mission is to bridge the book ownership gap, offering an inclusive, engaging and educational resource that all children can cherish and learn from. The Story Corner magazine is a resource children can keep for themselves, further promoting the joy of reading beyond the school gates.

We’re proud to say we’ve created 10 issues of The Story Corner magazine and each one is made with love and care. In every issue we celebrate creativity, inclusivity and sustainability as we spread the joy of reading to children in disadvantaged communities.

The Story Corner magazine is only available to schools who meet our eligibility criteria. Schools need to have a higher than national average Pupil Premium and IDACI percentage plus lower than national average KS2 reading results.