Football mascots Pottermus and Boomer have been signed up to help boost children's reading skills in Stoke-on-Trent.

The mascots of Stoke City and Port Vale will feature in a new book which has been commissioned to encourage boys to read, as part of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Best Start in Life plan.

Boys are known to lag behind girls when it comes to reading and writing, and it is hoped the book will help reduce that gap.

Stoke-on-Trent's health and wellbeing board were told about the initiative during an update on the Best Start in Life plan.

The aim of the plan is to increase the proportion of Stoke-on-Trent children achieving a 'good level of development' (GLD) to 72 per cent by 2028, in line with a government target.

Figures show that just 58 per cent of boys in the city achieved GLD in 2024/25, compared to 72 per cent of girls.

Patrick Myers, programme director for Family Matters, told the board that of the five areas of learning covered by GLD, literacy typically has the lowest results.

But he said that early years literacy is improving in Stoke-on-Trent faster than the country as a whole, partly due to the Thrive at Five programme, which provides support to parents in areas of high need such as Bentilee and Abbey Hulton.

Mr Myers said: "We know that white boys are particularly behind the curve with regard to reading and writing. We are working with Stoke City and Port Vale to produce a book with Pottermus and Boomer. It's with the illustrators at the moment.

"It's an exciting development to encourage, not just boys, but anybody in the early years to access reading material.

"The book will be provided free through early years settings. It's about getting books into the home, language enriched environments."

Councillor Lynn Watkins, who is involved with the National Literacy Trust in Stoke-on-Trent, said a recent report by the organisation demonstrated the importance of providing children with reading material.

She said: "It isn't all doom and gloom. There are children who enjoy books, it's just they might not being able to access them at home."

Mr Myers explained that the Best Start in Life plan's key aims are to improve access to high quality early years education and health care, and provide the right support for parents.

He said that Stoke-on-Trent had 'progressed significantly' over the past year, with unverified figures showing that 69.2 per cent of children are now achieving GLD – although some areas of the city are doing better than others.

Mr Myers said: "The evidence now is very strong that outcomes at the end of the foundation stage at the age of five are predictive of future outcomes. A UCL study has indicated that low GLD results in lower GCSE outcomes.

"If we get it right in the early years, children's and families' lives are better."

Stoke-on-Trent has been shortlisted for participation in a national project to support potty training – Mr Myers said 'too many' children are starting school without being potty trained.

The board also heard that 98.9 per cent of private early years providers in the city are now rated as good or outstanding.

Main image: left via Ronnie Macdonald on wikimedia commons / right via EchetusXe on wikimedia commons