BookTrust Christmas Appeal: "When I got it I felt so excited because these are my favourite packages"

With a third of children under five missing out on the magic of being read to, we hear from the children who receive our festive parcels about the joy stories bring them.

A child's drawing of a flower, on the back of a postcard.

A postcard sent to us by one of our young Christmas parcel recipients. 

Here is what some of the children who received parcels in 2024 had to say about their books, in their own words (and spellings!) 

Thank you for all the books you give me! Tom Gates and action dude were my favourites and so was Beast Quest! I hope the other children like the books they received.”

I love the book the mostest. I love the book so so so so much.”

A postcard with a child's handwriting, saying "When I got it I felt so excited because these are my favourite packages" and a drawing of a heart shape.

I loved my underwater book the pictures were so picturequesic! Monsters were scary I never knew that things underwater can cause earthquakes. I am so intreaved by this amazing book (you’re a great ather) I love reading and writing so I might start writing my own books thank you.”

Thank you for the parcel. I loved the look of the poster and bookmark and the book looks Amazing. The parcel was cute too! Thanks again.”

A handwritten message from a child, saying "thankyou for my book I really like it."

Thank you for giving me this book I will love reading The Frozen Worlds. I like seeing what is in it thank you.”

When I received this book I was verry happy thank you very much I rilly enjoyed reeding the facks about the world it is verry interesting I loved the book verry much thank you again.”

A handwritten message from a child saying "Thank you for my parcel I really enjoyed it"
An illustration showing a boy receiving a BookTrust parcel with delight, next to a happy dog

Help more children wake up to the magic of books this Christmas.

This Christmas we will deliver 18,000 book parcels and over a million more in 2026. But we can’t do it without you. Will you help?

Donate now

Illustrations © Maxime Lebrun