Reading enriches lives and provides opportunities for people to have an equal future where they can thrive. At Pan Macmillan, our ambition is to reach as many children and adults as possible with the books we publish. We want to employ our knowledge, resources and skills to practically support and better the life chances of children and adults. As a global publishing company, we work to build awareness of the life-changing power of reading and listening, investing in all current and future readers.   

We are proud of our longstanding partnership with Book Aid International.

We have been working together for over 20 years and last year alone, we donated over 75,000 books to the charity, which the Book Aid International team has gone on to share in 26 countries, where they support schools, libraries, universities, refugee camps, prisons and hospitals. 

Book Aid International does vital work in reaching communities around the world where they offer children and adults access to books that would not usually be available to them.    

When Book Aid International and People’s Postcode Lottery approached us about featuring The Snail and the Whale in this very special film highlighting the power of books for children, we were delighted to be involved.  

The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is a picture book story that is loved around the world. Telling the tale of an adventurous snail who hitches a ride on the back of a humpback whale to explore the world, the story is one of discovery and friendship.  

It is twenty years since we published this book at Macmillan Children’s Books and the power of this book, alongside Accra celebrating being the UNESCO World Book Capital in 2023, made this the perfect combination of story and place. We are really delighted to know that young readers in Ghana are enjoying their books in this special film that shows first hand how the books have been received:

It is fantastic to hear from the children, teachers and community leaders in this film. In addition to the schools shown here, copies of The Snail and the Whale are also present on the Ghana Library Authority’s mobile library, travelling from school to school, and also in the Street Children Empowerment Foundation library helping some of Accra’s most vulnerable children.  

These positive changes are only possible through collaboration. We provided the books, players of People’s Postcode Lottery provided the funds and Book Aid international worked with its Ghanaian partners to make sure the books got to where they’re needed most. Now, they’re having a direct and positive impact on children and families.  

We look forward to strengthening our work with Book Aid International in the years to come – and hope that other publishers can also donate, so that children around the world, who often have no access to books at all, can grow up to be curious learners and confident readers.