Que mau!

Once upon a time there were three bears who very rarely met in their little house in the woods because Daddy Bear left before dawn to avoid the congestion charge, and Mummy Bear had to network at Pilates classes when she finished work.

Every night Baby Bear would plead: "Is anyone going to read me a bedtime story?" According to a a survey, parents start out reading to small children but abandon it as they grow up, to the point where just 3% of children aged 12 say they are read to every day.

Only one in 10 children aged seven to 12 say they have a daily bedtime story or reading, but there is clearly some embarrassment among parents over this. More than a third insisted they did read to their seven to 12-year-olds every day.

Children's laureate Jacqueline Wilson pleaded with parents to keep reading. "Daily sessions are a fantastic chance for parents and children to communicate."

The survey, for Scholastic Book Clubs and Fairs, comes before the publication next week of Great Books to Read Aloud, a list of more than 70 recommendations. Endorsements come from the education secretary, Ruth Kelly, the chancellor, Gordon Brown - who reads his son the Thomas the Tank Engine books and does all the train noises - and Cherie Blair.

"So will you read to me now?" asked Baby Bear. "Don't be silly," said Daddy Bear. Baby Bear downloaded an MP3 file from Bedtime Stories for Small Mammals, and cried himself to sleep as usual.

The Guardian