In Why Read? The Battle Between Book and Screen Kenneth Baker recalls how reading was so important to him as a child, and why in this National Year of Reading, and working together with the National Literacy Trust, he would like to encourage today's young people to share his love of reading.

'I first came across poetry at my primary school in a book containing Blake's 'The Tiger'. I had never seen one, but it came alive by reading about it. My father read to my sister and myself extracts from Dickens and I still reread all his novels - my favourite is Bleak House.'

'In my life I've spent more time reading books than any other activity. I want to share the joy and pleasure with those who are not natural readers. Opening a book spells the end of ignorance and it frames our imaginative life forever.'

'This book has over 100 illustrations for as Alice in Wonderland said 'what is the use of a book without illustrations?'