Gift a Gruffalo book
Thank you for buying a book so we can gift a book
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After 25 years, The Gruffalo is perhaps one of the most-loved picture book characters of modern times.
We have teamed up with WHSmith and Macmillan Children's Books to mark the 25th anniversary of The Gruffalo to get more children reading.
You are part of this story too.
Thank you for buying a copy of Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler's The Gruffalo in WHSmith so that we can gift a copy of The Gruffalo to children who don't have a book of their own.
Where will the gifted books go?
The gifted copies of Gruffalo books will be distributed through our literacy hubs where we work alongside some of the most deprived communities in the UK to tackle low levels of literacy.
Do you want to make a one-off donation?
There are still more children who need your help
Can you help us bring the joy of reading to more children who don't have their own book?
Donate today and your generosity will support our ongoing work with communities, schools and local partners to fund resources, including free books for young children who are unlikely to own one, and interventions to help improve their reading skills.
Donate today and help even more children
Why is early language, literacy and communication important?
Building early language, literacy and communication skills in a child’s early years is crucial for their development and future life chances, but recent National Literacy Trust research shows that one in five young children don’t own a book.
Families experiencing poverty work hard to get what is best for their children, but a mix of factors, including perhaps being less confident in their own literacy skills, less able to afford age-appropriate books, and the struggle of competing time pressures, means that lower income families are less likely to have the resources, information and confidence to support their young children's crucial early communication, language and literacy skills.
Your donation will change a life story
Literacy to grow
Watch our short video and discover why we are committed to empowering families with young children with the literacy skills they need to grow.
Thank you
Our 'Gift a Gruffalo' campaign is available in WHSmith branded high street stores but not in WHSmith Travel stores, franchise stores and concessions.
For every copy of a Gruffalo title purchased from WHSmith - Thursday 23 May to Thursday 5 September 2024 - WHSmith, Macmillan Children’s Books and the National Literacy Trust will give a copy of The Gruffalo, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, to a young child from a disadvantaged community.
Pop along to your local store this summer to buy a Gruffalo book and be part of changing life stories across the UK.
Find top tips on reading with your little one
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Are you a business?
National Literacy Trust’s Early Words Matter campaign calls on the Government and the business community to commit to working together to provide better early years support to families from disadvantaged communities. It is endorsed by members of the National Literacy Trusts’ national Business Council, of which WHSmith is a member.
