A charity has announced plans to distribute books to children and families in Fife food banks this Christmas.

The Scottish Book Trust will reach out to communities in Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, and the Levenmouth Foodbank Community Support Project.

This comes in response to the charity being 'inundated' with requests from food banks and local authorities throughout Scotland to support vulnerable children and families who are facing 'challenging circumstances'.

As the cost of living crisis continues, more than a million people in Scotland live in poverty, with a quarter of that number being children.

The charity aims to mitigate the impact of this by providing books to children who are growing up without them.

The Scottish Book Trust has highlighted that children and young people who don't have a book of their own are twice as likely to have lower mental health.

Marc Lambert, CEO of the Scottish Book Trust, said: "The power of books and the importance of children and young people having access to books should not be underestimated.

"Reading has the power to redress the impacts of disadvantage.

"We know the difference that books make in children’s lives and we want to ensure no child misses out.

"Books bring comfort, escapism and togetherness in families.

"Every child deserves the magic of a book and donations to our appeal will provide vital support for those most in need."

The charity’s Christmas appeal for 2024 will feature Eric Carle’s iconic character, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, with permission from Penguin Random House LLC and The World of Eric Carle.

Mary Mekarnom, senior director at The World of Eric Carle Penguin Random House, said: "We are so happy that we can help support Scottish Book Trust’s Christmas Appeal this holiday season.

"Eric Carle used to say that he did not see children as a group.

"He saw a child, a child, a child.

"Meaning every child has individual needs and has a different way of learning or responding to a book.

"We are hopeful that The Very Hungry Caterpillar can help support this appeal and make a difference in the lives of each individual child and family in need."

Over the past three years, the charity has given more than 290,000 books to children in need of support and living in areas of deprivation through food banks, community hubs, and other charities.

The funds raised from the appeal will allow the Scottish Book Trust to continue their work, providing books to families and offering support through their various programmes.

To learn more about the Scottish Book Trust's Christmas appeal, visit their website.