EIGHT-year-old Izzie Robinson has come up with a novel way of encouraging children to read.

According to Izzie's mum, Rachael, Izzie is like Roald Dahl's famous bookworm character Matilda. "Izzie is just like Matilda, she reads and reads and reads," says Rachael.

With bookshelves brimming with beautiful books Izzie has already read which were kindly passed on to her by friends, and conscious of the expense of buying books, Rachael says her daughter came up with the lovely idea to leave the books she has read around her home town of Ilkley for other children to pick up and read.

So far Izzie and her mum have left eight books in waterproof wallets bearing the label 'Enjoy me then leave me somewhere for someone else to find' around the town.

They can be found on benches, on walls, places where families are likely to pass, according to Rachael.

A photograph of one of the books Izzie left on a bench - Enid Blyton's 'The Famous Five - Five go to Demon's Rocks' was shared on Twitter by BBG Academy in Birkenshaw.

Rachael, who has also set up a Facebook site 'Ilkley Books' to help spread the word about the initiative says they hope to leave around 50 books in the town.

It is hoped the initiative will also resurrect children's interest in books too rather than reading tales on mobile technology.

According to Rachael, Izzie prefers books and enjoys turning the pages. They hope their quirky initiative will encourage children to pick up a book and put down their mobile technology for a change.

The devastating fire on Ilkley Moor, where Rachael spends time with her three children - she also has two sons - and walking the dog also inspired them to do something for the community.

"We wanted to do something a bit special," adds Rachael, who hopes the book idea will gain momentum similar to the painted rocks idea.

Looking to the future - Izzie, who attends Burley Oaks Primary School in Burley in Wharfedale, has set her sights on writing her own book and following in the footsteps of her favourite author, David Walliams.

To find out more search Ilkley Books on Facebook.