THE region is in the grip of a reading frenzy according to Barnado's as its chain of shops struggles to keep up with demand.
The charity is facing a paperbacks shortage as avid readers continue to clear shop bookshelves.
David Abdale, North-East area retail manager for Barnado's, said: "We have noticed a big increase in book sales since December, and customers seem to be requesting those titles which made the top 20 of the BBC list, such as Lord of the Rings, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Pride and Prejudice."
Demand for certain books has become so high that shop managers have waiting lists.
At present, the hot favourites are crime, thrillers and science fiction, rather than the classical literature of the winter months, but Mr Abdale said that all paperbacks would be welcomed by the charity.
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