CHANNEL 4 - TV DUO LAUNCH KIDS' BOOK CLUB

TV presenters Richard and Judy are looking to improve child literacy by launching a kids' version of their popular book club on their Channel 4 show.

Eight books for readers aged five and above have been shortlisted to feature on the show, with famous names such as JK Rowling and Jacqueline Wilson jettisoned in favour of titles such as Derek Landy's Skulduggery Peasant and Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort.

Richard and Judy's weekly book club has instigated a huge surge in book sales since 2004, with titles featured in its first year earning some £25 million, according to trade magazine The Bookseller.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon's stunning novel The Shadow of the Wind saw its popularity soar after being featured on the show, while Kate Mosse's Labyrinth held the number one spot in the paperback fiction sales charts after being praised by guest reviewers Carol Thatcher and Bettany Hughes.

And Joseph O'Connor's Star of the Sea - which had sold just 3,500 copies - went on to sell more than a million after Bob Geldof compared it on air to Charles Dickens.

Judy Finnigan commented: "We are delighted our book club has encouraged so many more adults to enjoy reading, and we are really hoping that this book list for children will be a big success. It's really important that, in this DVD age, kids are encouraged to read as well as watch."

Executive producer Amanda Ross added: "Child literacy is a vital issue, we're delighted to have the platform of the Children's Book Club to inspire kids and encourage parents. We've deliberately chosen entertaining books to make getting to grips with reading fun."

The eight chosen titles will be previewed on Channel 4 tomorrow as part of the network's Lost for Words season.