Tip 1
Find out about jumble sales in the area from local newspapers, magazines and posters. Go with a group of friends and an adult to see what book bargains you can find.

Tip 2
Organise a second-hand books sale at lunchtime – but make sure you do this with the cooperation of a teacher.

Tip 3
Set up a "Home Library" noticeboard in your school – it could be in your classroom or year group area or in the main entrance to the school – head it up with a few lines about what Home Library is about and explain how all of you want to collect and read lots of books. That way, visitors to the school might donate a few gems!

Tip 4
Check out all the local charity shops with even a few second-hand books for sale. Visit each of them regularly and compare notes with friends – which ones offer the best book bargains, and are friendly to young browsers like you? Award them marks out of ten – you could even keep an updated chart on the "Home Library" noticeboard – see above.

Tip 5
Look out for information about guide and scout jumble sales, car boot sales and so on. Go with a group of friends and take an adult with you to check out the book bargains.

Tip 6
If you are a cub or a brownie or a guide or a scout, perhaps you could ask your leader whether you could organise a book sale or "book swap."

Tip 7
Organise a Saturday morning get-together with all your friends. Each of you should go through your bookshelves beforehand to find old books you won’t read again. Bring your bag of books and a contribution to refreshments (crisps, coke) to the house of the person whose mum will mind the least that you’re "clogging" around the house. Have a "Home Library book swap" morning. Perhaps the long-suffering mum will mind less when she knows you’re concentrating on books rather than videos!

Tip 8
Check out your relatives – you’ll be amazed to discover that your grandparents and your aunts and uncles did learn to read as well, and they enjoyed their books too. They may have some treasures in the attic, or hidden away on a shelf or in a box somewhere. Ask them if you can look. And do ask if you may have them – almost certainly they’ll be delighted to let you!

Tip 9
Make friends with your local children’s librarian. Libraries often organise sales of books, which are still quite readable but not quite smart enough to lend out any more. Ask when and where the next book sale is likely to be and organise a group of friends to go along with you too. Take an adult too – they hate to be left out of things.

Tip 10
There are more and more cut-price bookshops on the High Street selling new books at very low prices. Do a survey of great new book bargains and post this on the school "Home Library" noticeboard.