Our Story
Headline: Born from a Love of Stories
Subheadline: Every child deserves to meet an author and discover the magic behind books.
BookTastic began in 2013 as a small family book festival in Bedford. The team were struck by the disconnect: publishers understood the transformative power of author visits, but most schools—especially those serving disadvantaged communities—couldn’t afford them. Author visits were becoming the privilege of affluent schools. They witnessed firsthand how meeting an author changed children’s relationship with reading. Suddenly books weren’t mysterious objects – they were created by real, accessible people. They believed author encounters shouldn’t be a luxury reserved for the few.
BookTastic was developed on the principle that every child, regardless of postcode or family income, deserved to experience the thrill of meeting a storyteller, asking an illustrator how they draw, and discovering the magic that exists in stories.
Over the next few years the team trialled various models to make inspirational book festivals accessible for everyone, regardless of background. Over ten years later, we’ve delivered live authors events to over 200 schools, brought authors to tens of thousands of children, and proven that high-quality book festivals create lasting literacy impact when delivered with care, coordination, and commitment to access.
But our work isn’t finished. Hundreds of thousands of children haven’t yet been handed the key to unlocking a love of reading for pleasure. We are working hard to expand our network of partners, reaching children wherever a love of reading can prove transformative.
Our Team
Headline: Driven by Passion for Stories and Equity
Leadership Team: Link to website: https://www.booktastic.org.uk/booktastic-people/
Our Approach
Headline: Evidence-Based Festivals, Joyful Experiences
Our Theory of Change:
The Challenge: Author encounters are powerful literacy interventions, but access is deeply unequal. Affluent schools regularly host authors; disadvantaged schools rarely can. This “inspiration gap” compounds other literacy inequalities, limiting horizons for children who would benefit most.
Our Intervention: BookTastic delivers free, high-quality book festivals combining:
- Professional Author Visits: Multiple author and illustrator encounters, carefully matched to pupils’ ages, interests, and reading levels
- Coordinated Festival Experience: Week-long celebration creating buzz, shared excitement, and reading as a social, joyful activity
- Educational Framing: Author sessions designed to inspire creativity, and model writerly thinking
- Sustainable Model: Partnership approach enabling rapid scaling while maintaining quality
How Change Happens:
Immediate Effects:
- Pupils experience awe, inspiration, and personal connection with authors
- Reading becomes exciting, social, and aspirational
- Children see books as created by accessible, real people
- Stories feel possible for every child, not just “talented” ones
Medium-Term Outcomes:
- Reading attitudes become significantly more positive
- Book selection broadens; pupils try new genres and authors
- Writing quality improves through observed storytelling techniques
- Teacher practice shifts toward reading for pleasure approaches
- School reading culture strengthens and becomes visible
Long-Term Impact:
- Sustained increase in reading engagement and library use
- Improved literacy attainment, particularly for disadvantaged pupils
- More pupils aspire to creative futures; writing careers seem attainable
- Whole-school culture shifts: reading becomes collective identity
- Educational inequality narrows through equitable inspiration
What Makes BookTastic Effective:
Quality Over Quantity: We curate outstanding authors, brief them thoroughly, and ensure excellent session delivery. Every encounter must be memorable.
Festival Format: Week-long immersion creates cultural momentum. Reading becomes the talk of the whole school.
Equity-Centered: Free to all schools. No child excluded. Priority to high-deprivation areas. Diverse author selection reflecting all children’s identities.
Coordinated Delivery: MAT partnerships create economies of scale, logistical efficiency, and shared cultural experiences across communities.
Evidence-Led: Continuous evaluation informs author selection, session design, and partnership support to maximize impact.
Partners & Supporters
Headline: Grateful for Incredible Partnerships
Funding Partners: [Logo grid including:]
- Arts Council England
- National Lottery Community Fund
- Harpur Trust
- Barrow Rising
- BEA
- The Gale Trust
- Multiple family trusts supporting literacy
Publishing Partners: [Logo grid including:]
- Major children’s publishers (providing author access and discounted books)
- Independent publishers championing diverse voices
Educational Partners:
- National Literacy Trust
- Book Trust
Author Community: [Picture grid including:]
- Axel Scheffler
- Cressida Cowell
- Philip Pullman
- Chris Riddell
- Patrice Lawrence
- David Litchfield
Recognition:
- Arts Council
- Sky News
- Radio 4
- The Independent
- SE Top 100
- National Literacy Trust Vision for Literacy Signatory