I've seen a couple of #SaturdayFF posts on similar subjects tonight so...
My parents bought a set of encyclopedias when I was born - the Merit Students Encyclopedia - and I have strong memories of using them extensively growing up to simply learn things, read for the sake of reading, or helping with schoolwork. I'm pretty certain with hindsight that because they were an American publication they were not on the radar of most of my teachers which is why a lot of my homework that copied whole sections was marked highly. - Mark H
My mum and dad also bought a book of 365 stories/poems to read at night. I can remember seeing my mum or dad reading to me from the book for a few years in a row and I can remember the book itself - a large, thick book with a pale purple, textured cover - but I can't remember any of the stories. - Mark H