In a bid to encourage reading, Hitchin Library have teamed up with Nub News for a 'Countdown to Christmas' list with a daily recommendation of a festive book favourite.

Library boss Rebekah Nicolas will offer a daily book choice for the festive season.

Through hearing stories, children are exposed to a wide range of words. This helps them build their own vocabulary and improve their understanding when they listen, which is vital as they start to read.

Learning to read is also about listening and understanding, as well as working out what's printed on the page.

So, read on for Hitchin Library's festive favourite for today, Tuesday, December 8.

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For me, The Jolly Christmas Postman is the MVP (most valuable player) of Christmas books.

If you're familiar with this book, you'll understand why it's not possible for us to stock it at the library but I can't not include this in my festive favourites.

The Christmas themed follow up to the award-winning Jolly Postman sees deliveries made to much-loved fairy-tale characters, deliveries which bring extra joy to the reader who will discover surprises in the form of a story-within-a-story-within-a-story, a jigsaw and more.

The Jolly Postman's final stop is to Santa's workshop to drop of all the children's letters.

There are so many treats in this book, I loved it as a child and I still love it now.

Pure genius from Janet and Allan Ahlberg.

Book featured: The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg (Puffin Books)

This book can be bought at Hitchin Waterstones