Bookish Good News
In place of our usual banned book talk, this month, partly because it’s a dark and gloomy January, and partly because the world is just a little bit on fire right now, I decided we were in need of some positive news to set us up for the year ahead.
We will of course return to our banned book talks but for now, let’s enjoy some positivity from the world of books:
UK & Scotland Highlights
National Year of Reading 2026 (UK)
The UK has designated 2026 as the National Year of Reading, a Department for Education initiative supported by more than 60 partner organisations. The campaign aims to help people rediscover the joy of reading and to strengthen reading habits nationwide.
Key goals include increasing library usage by one million people and encouraging millions more to read regularly for pleasure.
We have registered our interest in becoming a pledge partner and will share updates as this develops.
Stephen Fry Launches The Pleasure List
Stephen Fry, in his role as President of Hay Festival, has launched The Pleasure List, a campaign designed to encourage reading for pleasure across the UK. The initiative invites the public to recommend books that have brought them joy, with the aim of inspiring reluctant readers and those who feel they have lost the habit of reading for enjoyment.
Anyone who submits a recommendation via the online form is entered into a draw to win a bundle of books to donate to a public or community space of their choice. The campaign aligns with the UK’s National Year of Reading 2026.
A New Children’s Booker Prize
The Booker Prize Foundation has announced the creation of a new Children’s Booker Prize, with the first awards due to be presented in early 2027. The prize will award £50,000 to the winning author of a children’s fiction title, with additional payments to shortlisted authors.
Alongside the prize, the Foundation plans to gift 30,000 copies of shortlisted and winning books to young readers each year, working with literacy and reading organisations to support access to books.
Inclusive Books for Children (IBC) Book Box
The Inclusive Books for Children Book Box programme distributes free collections of inclusive children’s books to UK state primary schools and community libraries. Rather than selling books, the scheme gifts curated sets of 100 books to institutions that need them most, helping to increase representation and diversity in reading materials.
Evaluation of the programme has shown positive impacts on pupils’ awareness, self-esteem and enjoyment of reading.
Beyond Words Book Clubs (UK)
Founded in the 1990s, Beyond Words Book Clubs use word-free, picture-based stories to support people with learning disabilities. The clubs provide a space for shared reading, discussion and connection, helping participants express emotions and experiences that may be difficult to articulate in words.
As of late 2025, 187 Book Clubs were active across the UK, with 275 people trained to run them. A recent study found that 94% of children involved reported improved emotional wellbeing after engaging with the books.
Scottish Book Trust
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity for reading and writing in Scotland, delivers a wide range of book-gifting programmes and literary activity. Through initiatives such as Bookbug and Read, Write, Count, the Trust distributes over a million books each year to children, families and communities across Scotland.
In addition, the Trust supports, funds or runs more than 1,200 literature-related events and activities annually, including festivals, author events and community programmes.
Growth in UK Bookshops
There has been a notable rise in new bookshop openings across the UK in recent years. Industry data indicates that the number of independent bookshops is at its highest level in a decade.
In Glasgow, the number of physical bookshops doubled between 2020 and 2024, representing a 100% increase and placing the city among those with the strongest growth in bookshop locations during that period. Researchers and commentators have linked this trend to increased interest in reading driven in part by social media communities such as BookTok.
BookTok and The Literary Escape Festival
Over the Christmas period, a TikTok video by Currie swapper and founder of the nationwide Literary Escape Festival, Laura Ruddock went viral, reaching over 90,000 views. The video has directly contributed to more than 800 ticket sales and increased visibility for the festival events across the UK.
Around the World
Little Free Library: Global Book Sharing
The Little Free Library network now operates more than 150,000 book-sharing boxes across over 115 countries, spanning all seven continents. The initiative supports free access to books at a community level, encouraging sharing and local engagement with reading.
Hachette Book Group: Raising Readers Campaign
Hachette Book Group has pledged $200,000 to its Raising Readers campaign, aimed at expanding access to books and supporting literacy initiatives. The programme focuses on fostering reading habits through partnerships with literacy organisations and community programmes.
African Storybook Initiative
The African Storybook project provides free, openly licensed stories in more than 200 African languages. The platform supports early literacy by making culturally relevant stories available in both widely spoken and lesser-represented Indigenous languages.
International Book Project
The International Book Project, a US-based non-profit founded in 1966, has shipped millions of books worldwide. In 2025, the organisation delivered over 24,000 books to schools across Malawi and is currently preparing further shipments to Botswana and Liberia.
LuckyBooks: Supporting Young Readers in Ukraine
LuckyBooks publishes and distributes science and educational books for teenagers across Ukrainian libraries. Thousands of books have reached young readers in regions affected by war, supporting continued learning and access to educational materials.