Awesome Books has expanded its World Book Day giveaway with Barnardo’s,
donating almost 30,000 children’s books to 570 Barnardo’s stores across the UK.
Building on the success of the previous campaign, the initiative helps more
children choose a free book of their own while reinforcing Awesome Books’ wider
commitment to reading access, sustainability, and giving books a second life.
UK – Awesome Books has expanded its World Book Day giveaway, donating nearly
30,000 children’s books to 570 participating Barnardo’s stores nationwide and
building on the success of last year’s 10,000-book initiative.
During the World Book Day period, children visiting participating Barnardo’s stores
could choose a free book to take home and keep — a simple idea rooted in a
powerful truth: children are more likely to read when they enjoy it, and they are
far more likely to enjoy it when they can choose a book for themselves and feel
that it is truly theirs. World Book Day’s own public materials similarly emphasise
the importance of letting children choose and own a book for free, while National
Literacy Trust research shows book ownership is strongly associated with reading
enjoyment.
The expansion comes at a time when access to books remains a serious issue.
Awesome Books cites a campaign figure of almost 770,000 children in the UK
without a book of their own. The latest National Literacy Trust data likewise shows
that in 2025, 1 in 10 children and young people aged 5 to 18 did not have a book of
their own at home, while both the National Literacy Trust and World Book Day
report that only around 1 in 3 children and young people enjoy reading.
By expanding this year’s donation to nearly 30,000 books, Awesome Books is
working with Barnardo’s to remove barriers to book ownership and help children
see reading as entertaining, social and fun. Reading for pleasure matters because
it is closely linked to literacy outcomes and future life chances; World Book Day
describes it as the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success, ahead of family
circumstances, parents’ educational background and income.
“Books can open doors, build confidence and spark a lifelong habit of reading.
Expanding this giveaway means more children can walk into a local Barnardo’s
store, choose a book that excites them, and take it home to keep. That moment of
choice matters — and it can be the start of something life-changing.” — Taskeen
Ahmed, CEO, Awesome Books
The partnership also reflects Awesome Books’ wider sustainability mission.
Awesome Books describes itself as an ethical online bookseller that donates a book
for every book sold, and previous official company messaging has described its
business as a circular, reuse-led model designed to keep books in circulation rather
than waste. Barnardo’s has also publicly linked the partnership to preserving
resources for future generations by giving books a second chance to be enjoyedand re-read.
Awesome Books was founded on a simple conviction: books that still have stories
to share should not be thrown away. Through resale, reuse and donation, the
company aims to make reading more accessible while extending the life of books
that might otherwise go to waste. Barnardo’s public campaign materials for the
partnership note that Awesome Books aims to donate 100,000 books each year
through its literacy programme.
For Awesome Books, the giveaway is part of a broader commitment to improving
access to reading for children who need it most. For Barnardo’s, the partnership
fits a wider mission to help children and young people across the UK feel safer,
happier, healthier and more hopeful.
To learn more about Awesome Books’ literacy mission, or to help support future
reuse and reading initiatives, visit https://www.awesomebooks.com/our-purpose.
To find a local Barnardo’s store, visit https://shop.barnardos.org.uk/store-finder/.
