Tackling life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading

Applications for organisations to receive books on World Book Night are open until 28 January. We have over 80,000 books available for organisations to give to people who don’t regularly read for pleasure or have access to books of their own, and we’re very excited to work with you to help inspire more people to become readers. 

Why is reading for pleasure important? 

Regularly reading for pleasure has a huge number of benefits:

• Adults who read for just 30 minutes a week are 20% more likely to report greater life satisfaction
• 19% of readers say that reading stops them from feeling lonely
• Reading for pleasure enhances empathy, understanding of the self, and the ability to understand one’s own and others’ identities
• Regular readers for pleasure report fewer feelings of stress and depression than non-readers, and stronger feelings of relaxation from reading than from watching television or engaging with technology intensive activities

By encouraging more people to read, you’ll have a direct impact in making a difference to people’s lives through the proven power of reading. Find out more about the benefits of reading for pleasure.

Click here to submit your application

The World Book Night booklist is selected through careful discussions with publishers and with input from volunteers to choose the books that will inspire and encourage new readers. The list features fiction and non-fiction for adults and young people, recommended for ages 16+. 

The Reading Agency’s 2022 Quick Reads series features on this year’s list, perfect for adults who are new to reading, short on time or want to explore new authors or genres. They’re also perfect for less confident readers, edited by a literacy expert to ensure the books are accessible and engaging. 

Four audiobooks feature on the list, which will be available for the public to download for free later in the year. Watch this space to find out more!

You can sample many of the books on the list thanks to a book wall created by Nielsen Book. 

To buy your own copies of the books, head to our Bookshop.org affiliate shop or Hive to support The Reading Agency and independent bookshops at no additional cost.