Behind the scenes: How BookTrust’s Letterbox Club books are chosen

At BookTrust, we understand how the right book can help reading feel relevant and fun for a child. This is why our Letterbox Club parcels are specially designed to support children in contact with the social care system and from vulnerable family backgrounds to enjoy reading. They are carefully curated, including books chosen by expert panels made up of people who understand the needs of these particular children.

Panellists include virtual school headteachers, foster carers, care-experienced young people, SENCOs, and others who support children from vulnerable family backgrounds – and who incorporate Letterbox Club into their day-to-day interactions with children and families.

Leanne Bishop, Virtual School Head for Wiltshire Virtual School and 2025 Letterbox Club panellist, says: ​“Because of the different experiences we each bring to the panel, we are able to look at each book from different angles to make sure it’s right for the young people we work with.”

Caroline Hill-Trevor, BookTrust’s Head of Book Selection and Purchasing, says: ​“The selection panels are an essential part of the process. Even though we hold the panels every year, we learn something new every time.

“Discussing the books with people who have varied expertise and different opinions on the books themselves results in books being selected that BookTrust has confidence in, and that we know children will enjoy.”

Each year, 650 books are divided up and sent out to 20 Letterbox Club panellists ahead of the panels – that’s 10,000 pages to read through!

“I spend about 15 hours looking through the books before the panel,” says Leanne Bishop. ​“I’m looking for positive representation, and I’m also considering children’s sensory needs.”

BookTrust then hosts more than 12 hours of Letterbox Club book selection panels, where panellists meet to share their opinions and decide on 86 final books that will go into this year’s Letterbox Club parcels.

Katie Tilley, Early Years and Primary Consultant for Lambeth Virtual School and 2025 Letterbox Club panellist, adds: ​“As a teacher, I’ve got a view about what makes a good story and what doesn’t,” she says. ​“I go with my gut straight away. Am I interested? The books have to be of good quality, too. We’re saying to that child: ​‘We value you.’”

Other things this year’s panellists said that they were looking for included dyslexia-friendly presentation, age-appropriateness, a good range of books (i.e. a mixture of graphic novels as well as chapter books) and books that are free from potential triggers for children with experience of the social care system. As one panellist said: ​“A child needs to be able to look at these books and feel safe and comfortable.”

Once the final books have been selected by the panel, they are combined with maths games, stationery and letters written by authors and illustrators, then packed up into the brightly coloured Letterbox Club parcels – ready for schools and local authorities to receive. The parcels are then delivered directly to children at their school, home or their place of care. In BookTrust’s recent impact report about the programme, 96% of children told us they like or love Letterbox Club, and 72% now read more often on their own after receiving the parcels.

*Liv, a foster carer, says: ​“The Letterbox Club books started arriving when *Reggie came into our care. It really helps that feeling of belonging in a new home. It’s such a nice gift, and a way to make reading feel exciting.

“The variety of the books is great, and the handwritten notes from the authors are really special. It makes children feel like: ​‘Oh my gosh, someone sat down and thought about me!’”

Katie Tilley, adds: ​“Letterbox Club supports the idea that reading can be educational and nurturing at the same time. We’ve purchased the programme every year since we started – and we’re not going to stop.”