150 Phone Box Libraries Get Free Winnie-the-Pooh Books

A total of 150 red phone box libraries across the UK are set to receive free Winnie-the-Pooh books, including AA Milne's classics and a new authorised sequel called A Little Boy and His Bear. The initiative is part of the government's National Year of Reading 2026, which aims to increase reading enjoyment after four years of decline.

The story of Winnie-the-Pooh was first published in 1926 and was illustrated by Ernest Howard Shepard. The setting of the stories was inspired by Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. To launch the campaign, actor and narrator Sally Phillips read to schoolchildren at a phone box library in Chartham, Kent.

The books being donated include the original stories by AA Milne, as well as the new sequel A Little Boy and His Bear. The public can nominate their local red phone box libraries to receive the donated books, with libraries in Derbyshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, and the West Midlands already signed up.

According to Dr Nicole Holt, who runs the phone box library in Chartham, the libraries are 'really good for accessibility' because they are free and available to everyone. This initiative comes after reading enjoyment has risen this year after four years in decline, according to an annual survey from the National Literary Trust.

## Why it matters The National Year of Reading 2026 aims to increase reading enjoyment, and this initiative is a step towards achieving that goal. By providing free books to phone box libraries, the campaign hopes to promote reading and accessibility, making books available to everyone, regardless of their background or location.

## What happens next The public can continue to nominate their local red phone box libraries to receive the donated books. As more libraries sign up, the campaign will help uncover more 'hidden gems' and provide access to free books for communities across the UK.