Our fifth annual multi-author Summer Party event, this year sponsored by BookKind, took place on Thursday 25 June 2026 with around 135 schools and almost 14,000 students registering to watch.
This jam-packed, fun-filled event is a fantastic way for us to celebrate all things reading, and to thank schools for their amazing support by reading and raising through Readathon®.
Cherry Land, Acting CEO Read for Good, says: “The Read for Good Summer Party is a vibrant celebration of our mission – giving children the freedom to explore, the confidence to choose their own stories, and the joy of knowing that all reading is good reading! By showcasing such a brilliant variety of authors and illustrators, we hope to inspire every child to find the spark that begins their own life-long reading journey.”
Our Summer Party is made possible by some incredible authors, illustrators and publishers who align with our mission to get more children reading for pleasure. They each share their joy and enthusiasm for books and storytelling to help children read what they love, and love what they read!
- Cool off with Hannah Gold and she shares some of her book inspiration, and meet her new kitten!
- Did you know beards are great bookmarks? A. F. Harrold delights with other fun facts, dinosaurs and cats… and a bit about poems!
- Ramzee shares his love of reading and admits he didn’t do very well in school but is now doing his dream job as an author and illustrator.
- Learn about some Epic Fibs and Epic Fails from Athena Kugblenu, who is actually smarter than Einstein!
- Draw your own Adventuremouse with the brilliant author and illustrator, Sarah McIntyre.
“[The] children loved the different authors and book types… [and] said they wanted to read the books after the event. Teachers thought it was brilliant too!”
Teacher, Three Trees CoE Junior Academy
Through generous publisher donations, we were also able to send 10 prize-draw winning schools a fabulous bundle of books by our Summer Party guests.
Our huge thanks go to the authors, illustrators and publishers who supported this year’s brilliant event:
Hannah Gold (HarperCollins)
Athena Kugblenu (Hachette)
Ramzee (Hachette)
AF Harrold (Bloomsbury)
Sarah McIntyre (David Fickling Books)
“The amazing thing about books is that they can take you on these incredible adventures and allow you to step into the shoes of people and places you might never get to go yourself. Keep reading – you are roar-some!”
Hannah Gold, Author
“Reading helps you understand the world, teaches you new things and boosts your focus and imagination, helping you to level up and unlock new skills for life.”
Ramzee, Author and Illustrator
We continue to be impressed and humbled by the thousands of school pupils who support our fundraising through Readathon each year. Through their work, we are able to share the joy of books and stories with children in hospitals and schools across the UK.
And calling all schools! Get reading and raising by ordering your FREE Readathon kit for 26/27 and keep the reading buzz going. Plus, you can join our amazing virtual event, in partnership with Walker Books, with the brilliant Michael Rosen on Thursday 12 November.
“Reading allows you to take time for yourself… and others, as you get to learn about other humans and even other worlds… and you get to read whatever you like!”
Athena Kugblenu, Author
Check out these resources from our party guests:
History’s Most Epic Fibs by Athena Kugblenu
Adventuremice by Sarah McIntyre
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