Welcome to Puffin World of Stories
At Puffin, we believe that stories can inspire a child to feel that they can be, and do, anything.
However, not every child in the UK has access to books and stories. Libraries are suffering from a chronic lack of investment – 53% of teachers say they don’t have a library in their school.
We created Puffin World of Stories in partnership with our friends at the UK’s leading literacy charity, the National Literacy Trust, in 2018.
Puffin World of Stories aims to address some of the key challenges facing reading for pleasure in schools where budget constraints often mean investing in school libraries and librarians and buying new books is not an option.
Research shows that reading for pleasure improves children’s ability to read, write and progress at school, as well as having a positive impact on their mental wellbeing.
We piloted the programme with 58 primary schools, supporting them to transform their libraries and reading spaces into hubs of creativity and imagination. We’re excited to expand Puffin World of Stories to 80 more schools from September 2019.
Love of reading is one of the reasons I went into teaching . . . this has motivated me and reminded me of what’s important.
Participating teacher
What does Puffin World of Stories offer?
Each participating school receives for free:
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300 brand new books from Puffin
From much-loved classics like Roald Dahl and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, to new voices
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Bespoke training
For participants, delivered by the National Literacy Trust
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Audiobook downloads
Introducing schools to the power of audiobooks to reach children who struggle to read
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Colourful resources
To bring reading spaces in schools to life, including posters, bookmarks and bunting
Puffin World of Stories has made more of a difference than I could ever have imagined.
Our Library Coordinator is constantly coming to me with new ideas and has already put many of them in place. There is a long queue outside the library most lunchtimes, with children waiting to borrow or swap their choice of the fantastic books we have been given, and the student librarians are enjoying running the system.
I am so grateful that we were chosen to take part.
Teacher at participating Essex school
Where are our schools?
All our participating schools are state schools based in clusters local to Puffin’s London offices and warehouse in Essex, as well as in Tyne & Wear and Middlesbrough in the North East - one of the most vulnerable regions to literacy problems in England.
To make sure we’re targeting our support where it’s needed most, all schools taking part have a higher than average percentage of pupils receiving free school meals - which we use as a proxy for disadvantage.
Results so far
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Now the library is creative and full of adventure!
Pupil at participating London school
Introducing one of our Puffin World of Stories Ambassadors
Reading for pleasure is the most important gift you can give children. In our schools we teach children to read, but we also need to bring to life the joy of books.