Some 40 people came along to sit in the sun and read.

They included small children to retired members of the community, students, teachers, footy players, members of the Parkes writers group, Author-rised, and of course, Librarians.

Sir Henry read a large comic book, while Caroline Butler won the "Lucky Henry" prize of  books for each age group, chocolates and mugs for sharing and reading together. 

Reading Hour is an initiative of www.love2read.org.au  but Parkes is held at a different time to maximise exposure to the joys of reading.

(Official date is Tuesday, August 19, between 6-7pm)

The Reading Hour is held once a year, to celebrate how easy it is to give the gift of reading.

Reading can be incredibly fun and rewarding no matter how old you are.

Sharing a book with your child, ten minutes a day, an hour a week will help prepare them for success later in life. 

As an adult, reading can offer work-life balance, improve analytical thinking, and give you a better understanding of the world.

Pictured are scenes from the Reading Hour held in The Square.