DEVON Gets Reading has announced that author and former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo has agreed to be patron of the campaign. Devon Gets Reading is part of the National Year of Reading and is designed to boost literacy across the county. Mr Morpurgo is one of Britain's best-loved and most successful novelists. He has written more than 100 books and lives at Iddesleigh, where he also runs the charity Farms for City Children which gives young people from urban areas the chance to spend time in the country. Mr Morpurgo said he was thrilled to become patron of Devon Gets Reading. 'Reading opens the doors to knowledge and understanding — is there anything more important for children growing up in this ever more complex world?' he said. Mr Morpurgo is pictured reading to pupils from Hatherleigh Primary School and Ratcliffe Special School in Dawlish in the Devon County Council marquee at Devon County Show last week as part of the campaign.