More than 800,000 copies of Katherine Rundell's bestselling book Impossible Creatures will be distributed to every Year 6 student in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and P6 in Scotland, as part of The Queen's Christmas Present initiative. The announcement coincides with the end of the government's National Year of Reading.
Queen Camilla's Birthday Announcement
Queen Camilla announced the initiative on her birthday, Friday. The National Literacy Trust (NLT) is working with the queen to deliver the books through schools, libraries, hospitals, care settings, refuges and food banks. In total, more than 800,000 books will be given out.
Declining Reading Enjoyment
Research by the NLT shows that reading enjoyment among children declines more steeply between primary and secondary school than at any other point. In its 2026 survey of 125,375 children in the UK, enjoyment of reading in free time dropped by 30% between ages 8 to 11 (47.7%) and 11 to 14 (33.2%).
Special Edition Details
The special edition features a stamp on the cover and a note from the queen inside. The message reads: “Impossible Creatures, by one of my favourite writers, is a brilliant fantasy that will introduce you to a host of mythical friends and terrifying enemies … and I hope that you will love it as much as I do.”
Author's Response
Katherine Rundell said the book is being “given at the best possible time. This generation of brilliant kids face extraordinary challenges ahead. Books, if we ensure they have access to them, will be their strongest and sharpest tools with which to build a future.”
