On 4 September 2026, Her Majesty The Queen, Patron of the National Literacy Trust, joined families at Speke Hall in Liverpool to take part in storytelling activities themed around the magical world of The Gruffalo, helping to foster a love of reading as part of the National Year of Reading 2026.
In July 2025, the National Literacy Trust in partnership with The Very Group, launched a three-year initiative in Liverpool as part of its Early Words Matter programme to boost children’s early language, literacy and communication. With the support of Macmillan Children’s Books, the initiative uses the magic and appeal of the Gruffalo stories to encourage parental engagement, storytelling and young children’s love of reading.
Attendees at Speke Hall were also joined by special guest The Gruffalo and his creators, Dame Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, ahead of the publication of Gruffalo Granny on 10 September, which will be the first new Gruffalo story in over 20 years.
Storytelling and play
Her Majesty arrived in the ancient woodland of the National Trust’s Speke Hall to join local families participating in a special storytelling session, bringing the world of the Gruffalo stories to life, alongside author Dame Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler.
The afternoon was designed to show parents how stories can be used as a springboard to chat and play as part of day-to-day life.
Families were then surprised with a visit from The Gruffalo himself who joined in with activities developed by the National Literacy Trust to bring The Gruffalo stories to life through play, song and rhyme.
Everyone was treated to a sneak peek of the new picture book, Gruffalo Granny with Julia Donaldson sharing the book cover and her inspiration for the story, as Axel Scheffler drew the new Gruffalo character for everyone to see.
Every child was gifted a copy of The Gruffalo or The Gruffalo’s Child, generously donated by Macmillan Children’s Books, to take home and continue the play and storytelling.
It was fun to meet the families and act out The Gruffalo with them, and I hope that they'll feel encouraged to read more stories and perhaps even to act them out themselves. It was also a good opportunity to get together with some of the people from the National Literacy Trust's Liverpool hub and find out more about all that the charity is doing to promote books and reading during the Year of Reading and beyond. To my mind the sharing of a story is one of life's greatest pleasures, so the more widely the habit is spread the better!
Dame Julia Donaldson
I am very pleased to support the National Literacy Trust’s work helping families discover the joy of sharing stories and reading together through the world of the Gruffalo. It’s vital that all children, no matter where they live or what their background is, have the opportunity to discover the power of stories and illustrations so their imaginations can grow and their curiosity can develop - very much like the Gruffalo's Child in her adventures.
Axel Scheffler
About our Early Words Matter campaign
Her Majesty also met with local partners and organisations working with the National Literacy Trust to improve access to early years support in Liverpool, including local business The Very Group, and long-term partner of the charity, KPMG UK, who supported today’s activities and the distribution of Gruffalo books to families in Liverpool. The Queen also met with local early years practitioners Denise Wright, from Liverpool City Council, and Susan Roberts, manager of Speke Family Hub.
The National Literacy Trust’s Early Words Matter programme addresses government statistics which show that by the time they are five, almost half of children on free school meals across England are falling behind in their language, literacy and communication.
The programme aims to empower families and support children from their earliest years, so they grow up in a language-rich home, where play and shared storytelling is a part of everyday life.
New research shows signs of change
New research published today by the National Literacy Trust, supported by tonies®, shows both encouraging signs of change and the pressures families continue to face. Daily reading, chatting, and playing activities increased collectively for the first time since 2019, but half of parents (49%) still do not read with their child daily.
The findings also show that parents are strongly motivated by the enjoyment and connection these activities bring but many families continue to face practical barriers that can make these activities harder to sustain, including lack of time, stress, the cost of activities and resources, and access to local support.
Long before a child starts school, the foundations of their future are being built. Sharing stories and fostering a love of reading from the earliest years helps develop the communication, language and literacy skills that children need to thrive. Our Early Words Matter programme exists to break down barriers for families facing disadvantage and poverty, empowering them with the confidence, knowledge and resources to give their children the best start in life.
Jonathan Douglas, CBE, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust
The National Year of Reading and beyond
The National Literacy Trust and Macmillan Children's Books are embarking on a multi-year partnership to help more children from disadvantaged communities discover the joy of reading through the enduring appeal of The Gruffalo.
As part of the partnership, Macmillan Children's Books are donating 50,000 Gruffalo picture books, which with the support of Amazon, the National Literacy Trust will distribute in communities facing high levels of disadvantage. The books will support shared storytelling through the charity's community programmes, reaching families in early years settings, Family Hubs and trusted community spaces, including faith centres and food banks.
Sharing a story is one of the simplest, most wonderful ways to connect with a child - and because the Gruffalo is so widely beloved, welcoming Gruffalo Granny gives us a fantastic opportunity to invite even more families to experience that magic during this National Year of Reading. Building on Pan Macmillan's longstanding partnership with the National Literacy Trust, we are so proud to launch this ambitious multi-year campaign, and we are deeply grateful to Her Majesty The Queen for spending time with families in Liverpool today, helping to highlight just how crucial early years reading really is.
Alison Ruane, MD, Macmillan Children’s Books
The partnership will also raise vital funds for the National Literacy Trust through book sales. From September to November, 50p from every Gruffalo book sold in WHSmith stores will be donated to the charity (up to a maximum of 20,000 copies).
Additionally, this Christmas, 50p from every copy sold of The Gruffalo's Child Activity Book sold across all retailers will also support the National Literacy Trust's work.