DYSLEXIA affects one in 10 children to some degree - an estimated 1.2m UK children.

To mark Dyslexia Awareness Week, book chain Waterstones has been working with its chosen charity Dyslexia Action to raise awareness of this hidden disability and encourage all children to discover the joys of reading.

The Huddersfield store has put together a display of books specially selected for dyslexic or reluctant readers.

All the books are by best-selling authors such as Jacqueline Wilson and Darren Shan. Stimulating and yet accessible, the stories have been chosen because they have features that make them easier to read - shorter sentences, familiar vocabulary, space between lines and the use of wide margins, for example.

Dyslexia Action says it's also important for books to be printed in a clear sans serif font, with a minimum print size of 11pt and printed on tinted paper, which reduces the glare of black print on bright white paper.

The charity says reading habits are important for child development. Reading stimulates the growth of vocabulary and general knowledge; what we know is directly related to the amount that we read. Children with poor reading skills and habits are in danger of low educational achievement.

But how can parents help their children?

* Get children off to an early start with books by reading to them and with them. Help children to recognise and understand the sounds that letter combinations make - this is called de-coding.

* Children who find it hard to master the principles of de-coding need early intervention. The longer a child is left struggling the harder it is to improve their skills.

* The Waterstones Guide to Books for Young Dyslexic Readers suggests that parents should discuss the content of books with children and encourage role play - read out loud to each other, using different voices for different characters.

* Make reading a fun activity and don't worry if your child wants to hear or read the same book over and over. This is good practice because it reinforces the understanding of the story and helps them to memorise words.

* Information and advice is available on the new website www.waterstones.com

* Difficulties in sounding out words and mispronunciation of letter combinations.

* Missing out words or reading the wrong word.

* Taking a long time to read something and understand it.

* Having real difficulties with spelling and copying things.

* Difficulties learning times tables, days of the week, remembering telephone numbers or lists of instructions.

* Confusing left and right and mixing up names.

* Finding it difficult to learn nursery rhymes and songs.

* Communicating well orally but producing poor written work.

* Having a family member with similar difficulties.

* Dyslexia is a brain-based developmental disorder and a lifelong condition.

* Brain imaging of people with and without dyslexia has shown that there are differences in the language processing regions of the brain.

* The condition does not affect intelligence and can occur at any level of intellectual ability.

* It is generally described as the inability to recognise the sounds that letter combinations make and can affect sufferers mildly, moderately or severely.

* Dyslexia is an inherited condition and needs early intervention, from the age of five or six ideally.

* Although the condition cannot be cured, specialist multi-sensory teaching helps to improve the difficulties that dyslexia presents.

* Unfortunately, dyslexia often co-occurs with other disabilities such as dyspraxia, which affects motor skills, and atten tion deficit disorder.

For more information check out www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

Ten books children won't be able to resist

WE'VE got copies of the following 10 books - all selected because of their suitability for reluctant readers or those struggling with dyslexia - to give away.

- Frame by Frank Cottrell Boyce, £5.99, Macmillan.

- Candyfloss by Jacqueline Wilson, £12.99, Doubleday.

- Alone on a Wide Wide Sea by Michael Morpurgo, £10.99 HarperCollins.

- The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, £10.99, David Fickling.

- Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan, £4.99, HarperCollins.

- The Legend of Spud Murphy by Eoin Colfer, £3.99 Puffin.

- The Twits by Roald Dahl, £4.99 Puffin.

- The Temple of the Ruby of Fire by Geronimom Stilton, £3.99 Scholastic.

- Judy Moody by Megan McDonald, £3.99 Walker.

- The Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith, £4.99 Puffin.

All the books are being supplied by Waterstones and are on display in the Huddersfield store.

To win the collection, put the answer to the following question on the back of a postcard and send it to: Waterstones Competition, Features Department, Huddersfield Examiner, PO VBox A 26, Queen Street South, Huddersfield HD1 2TD. Our drop off points are Kitsons on the Piazza and Ryans, High Street.

Q: How many children in the UK have dyslexia?

Don't forget to include your full name and address. The closing date is one week today and normal competition rules apply.