How the Gift a Gruffalo campaign donated 20,000 copies to children across the UK
In the summer of 2024, WHSmith, National Literacy Trust and Macmillan Children’s Books teamed up with a new campaign to get more children reading. ‘Gift a Gruffalo’ saw copies of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved story, The Gruffalo, gifted to children from communities where the link between low literacy levels and poverty is the most evident.
For every copy of a Gruffalo title bought in WHSmith during the campaign, WHSmith, Macmillan Children’s Books and NLT promised to give a copy of The Gruffalo, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, to a young child from a disadvantaged community.
Customers were also able to donate money to the National Literacy Trust, at WHSmith High Street stores across the UK, at the till point or online, with all funds raised supporting the charity’s ongoing work with communities, schools and local partners in socioeconomically deprived areas of the UK.
Thanks to the support of WHSmith customers, the campaign donated 20,000 copies of The Gruffalo to children in some of the most deprived communities in the UK, through the National Literacy Trust’s literacy hubs. The books were distributed over Christmas 2024 and in the early part of 2025.
Joanna Prior, CEO at Pan Macmillan said: “We are so proud to publish The Gruffalo at Pan Macmillan and privileged to work with the brilliantly talented Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, whose books have won the hearts of children and families throughout the UK. I can imagine no better way of celebrating the 25th birthday of this best loved, iconic character, than working in partnership with The National Literacy Trust and WHSmith to help get books into the hands of children who need them the most.”
Author Julia Donaldson said: “There's nothing like a book for sparking a child's imagination and helping them to understand themselves and the world…I believe that all children should be able to access books and stories and the joy they can provide, and this partnership will go a long way to help this become a reality.”
Illustrator Axel Scheffler commented: “Discovering and enjoying picture books is an important moment for a child, and one that should be available to all.”
The Gruffalo, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024, is an award-winning modern classic with a cast of immediately recognisable characters. It has captured the hearts of countless children, and reached millions of readers globally, and promises to delight future generations for years to come.