Manuel Almunia, the Arsenal goalkeeper, encourages literacy and history in the FA Premier League sponsored initiative by talking about his best read. 

David Clifton meets the player to discuss his chosen favourite book, which explores the Normandy D-day Landings of 1944.

The Barclays Premier League and the National Literacy Trust has teamed up to encourage young people and families to pick up a book and read in the Premier League Reading Stars programme. Each Premiership side selects a player to nominate two of their favourite books and to take the message of reading for pleasure to young people in the area.

Arsenal football club nominated goalkeeper Manuel Alumnia to talk about his best reads and he chose two books based around the Second World War. They were; The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne and D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II by Stephen Ambrose. David Clifton went to Highbury & Islington to find out why the Spanish keeper has such an interest in the Second World War.

Manuel Almunia was at the Central Library in Islington answering questions from dozens of children partaking in the literacy programme. The questions were based around football, but the adoring crowd were also very interested to discover what literature a professional footballer favours.

The 30 year old Spaniard, who is applying for British citizenship and therefore could one day play for England, is keen to get the message of reading out to the young: I read everyday. I always read on the coach to away games. It keeps me focused and I feel it is the basis for all education. It is very important for children to enjoy reading and not just to do it because they are told to.

The Gunners' keeper has a keen curiosity in the events of the Second World War. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a young boy's story in a Nazi concentration camp, whilst Stephen Ambrose's book on D-Day is an authority on the Normandy landings. Stephen Ambrose himself is renowned for his works about the war with his book, A Band of Brothers being created into a successful television series. Says Almunia: The information in Ambrose’s book is superb - the facts, the statistics and the real life stories really bring to life the events that unfolded at the D-Day landings. Admittedly it is a hard book to read, but only because it is so precise in its details.

The book was actually a gift from Manuel's wife, who knew of his keen interest. As an added bonus the couple visited Normandy and toured the various landing sites: My wife knows me very well! We visited Normandy, which is a beautiful place. The craters from the shells are still visible and the pill boxes and bunkers are all around you. It really makes you think about what it must have been like to be there in 1944.

Click here to win a copy of Stephen Ambrose's book D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II signed by Manuel Almunia.

For more information on the Reading Stars Programme click here. 

For further initiatives from Arsenal Football Club, visit www.Arsenal.com/community.