[insert location] celebrates World Book Night 2015
as [insert no. of volunteers] passionate book lovers get
ready to share their love of reading
Over [no. of books] to be gifted to people across [location] on 23rd April
On 23rd April 2015, UNESCO international day of the book and Shakespeare’s birthday, 250,000
books of 20 specially printed World Book Night titles will be given by a network of volunteer
reading enthusiasts and institutions around the UK focusing on reaching the 35% of the
population who, for whatever reason, don’t read for pleasure. Since it began in 2011, World
Book Night has created an extraordinary group of 56,000 volunteers, giving books away to over
2.25 million people.
Over [no. of volunteers] passionate book lovers from [location] have successfully applied to be
World Book Night volunteers this year, having chosen one of the 20 World Book Night 2015
titles to share with people in their community who don’t normally read for pleasure or own
books. Over [no. of institutions] institutions in the area will also be taking part, including
hospitals, prisons, care-homes and homeless shelters.
This year’s list sees a sensational and diverse line up designed to bring reading and books into
people’s lives. It covers a range of genres including crime, poetry, non-fiction, Quick Reads,
fantasy and sci-fi, historical and contemporary fiction, and fiction in translation. Appearing on the
list are bestselling favourites from the leading lights of the literary scene, including Lynda La Plante’s
Prime Suspect, David Almond’s Skellig, Roddy Doyle’s Quick Read Dead Man Talking, Rachel
Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Moaning of Life by Karl Pilkington.
As well as the World Book Night volunteers, people will also be encouraged to give their
favourite book to someone in their community and special events will take place at libraries,
community centres, prisons, hospitals and schools around the UK on 23 rd April, in this mass
celebration of books and reading.
[insert details of local events]
[name of giver] from [location] said in [his/her] volunteer application:
[quote from giver]
[name of giver] from [location] said in [his/her] volunteer application:
[quote from giver]
The 20 titles for 2015 are:
1. After the Fall by Charity Norman (Allen and Unwin)
2. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M. C. Beaton (Constable, Little, Brown)
3. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (HarperCollins)
4. Chickenfeed by Minette Walters (Quick Read) (Pan Macmillan)
5. Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts by Mary Gibson (Head of Zeus)
6. Dead Man Talking by Roddy Doyle (Quick Read) (Vintage, Penguin Random House)
7. Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden (Pan Macmillan)
8. Essential Poems from the Staying Alive Trilogy, Neil Astley (ed.) (Bloodaxe)
9. Honour by Elif Shafak (Penguin General, Penguin Random House)
10. My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher (Orion / Hachette Children’s)
11. Prime Suspect by Lynda La Plante (Simon & Schuster)
12. Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle (Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House)
13. Skellig by David Almond (Hachette Children’s)
14. Spring Tide by Cilla and Rolf Börjlind (Hesperus)
15. Street Cat Bob by James Bowen (Quick Read) (Hodder)
16. The Martian by Andy Weir (Ebury, Penguin Random House)
17. The Moaning of Life by Karl Pilkington (Canongate)
18. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (Transworld, Penguin Random
House)
19. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Two Roads, John Murray)
20. When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman (Headline)
Get Involved
The giver application process is now closed, but you can take part in World Book Night by
following us on Twitter (@worldbooknight), liking us on Facebook, or following all the news on
www.worldbooknight.org. Full details of countrywide events will be available here.
The Authors
Many of the title authors are lending their support to the campaign, and may be available for
interview. Please send all interview requests to Annabel Robinson at FMcM on
annabelr@fmcm.co.uk or call 0207 4057422.
About World Book Night
World Book Night began in 2011 as a unique collaboration between publishers, booksellers,
librarians, writers and individual members of the public – all of whom are committed to sharing
their love of books and reading with the wider world, improving literacy levels and changing
lives through the giving away of specially printed books. In the UK, over half of adults of working
age have literacy levels below the level of a good GCSE, whilst 16% are at or below that of an 11
year old. Research has proved that sparking a desire to read can have profound effects on
literacy, not to mention employability, social interaction, happiness and well-being.
For all media enquiries please contact Jess Barratt, Harriet Palmann or Annabel
Robinson at FMcM jessb@fmcm.co.uk / harrietp@fmcm.co.uk / annabelr@fmcm.co.uk
Tel: 020 7405 7422
Notes to Editors
The Reading Agency now runs World Book Night as one of its programmes. The charity was a
founding partner of World Book Night and took on full running of the programme in 2013. In
2014, 250,000 books were printed and given away to the 35% of the population who do not
read for World Book Night, with the support of publishers. The Reading Agency is the UK’s
leading independent charity whose pioneering work brings the joy of reading to the widest
possible audiences across the UK, in partnership with the public library service. The charity’s
mission is to create and deliver innovative reading opportunities inspiring more people to read
more; encouraging them to share their enjoyment of reading with others and celebrating the
difference that reading makes to all our lives. The Reading Agency is funded by the Arts
Council. www.readingagency.org.uk
ABOUT WORLD BOOK NIGHT PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS

Quick Reads: the charity was founded in 2006 in response to the substantial literacy issues in the UK
and the lack of resources for the 12 million adults in the UK who find reading difficult and may never
pick up a book. Each year they commission big name authors to write short, accessible books to
literacy guidelines. The books are written in clear language and are full of the storylines, drama and
emotional punch that would be found in the author’s other books.

Yodel: Yodel is the distribution partner for World Book Night 2015. Yodel is the UK's leading
independent parcel carrier, offering the widest range of service options. The company handles over
155 million parcels every year and has a relationship with 85 per cent of the UK's top retailers. Yodel
is headquartered in Hatfield and has over 60 locations across the UK, including three central sorts and
over 50 service centres. Yodel offers a range of services to meet the needs of its clients and their
customers:

Yodel Home and Yodel Business - two van-based networks with service centre based drivers

Yodel Neighbourhood - a neighbourhood courier service offering extended delivery hours

Yodel World - international service

YodelDirect – Yodel’s door-to-door consumer parcel service, ideal for online marketplace
sellers and SMEs. It is the current sponsor of the Tour of Britain YodelDirect sprints jersey.

CollectPlus – Yodel's joint venture with PayPoint, which allows consumers to collect, return
and send parcels from their local convenience store, newsagent or petrol station. The
service currently has over 260 retail clients and is available in over 5,500 locations across the
UK

Arrow XL – Through its sister company Yodel also offers a two man service for white goods
and large items up to 120kg
In addition:

Booker Prize Foundation: The Booker Prize Foundation is a registered charity (no 1090049) which,
since 2002, has been responsible for the award of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, one of the UK’s
oldest and most respected literary prizes. The prize was first awarded in 1969. It was known as the
Booker Prize until 2001 and has been sponsored by the Man Group since 2002. For a full history of the
prize visit www.themanbookerprize.com

Jerwood Charitable Foundation: Jerwood Charitable Foundation is dedicated to imaginative and
responsible revenue funding of the arts, supporting emerging artists to develop and grow at
important stages in their careers. The aim of its funding is to allow artists and arts organisations to
thrive; to continue to develop their skills, imagination and creativity with integrity. It works with
artists across art forms, from dance and theatre to literature, music and the visual arts.
www.jerwoodcharitablefoundation.org

Forward Arts: Love poetry? Join the Forward Arts Foundation, a charity that celebrates excellence in
poetry and brings it to the widest possible audience, through National Poetry Day, the Forward Prizes
for Poetry and the Forward Book of Poetry, an indispensable annual anthology of the year’s best
poems.