National year of reading ANNOUNCES Roald Dahl’s Matilda as an
AMBASSADOR to GO ALL IN with a summer of stories campaign
The National Year of Reading is joining forces with Roald Dahl’s Matilda, the ultimate super-reader, announcing her as an ambassador to inspire children to be bold, brave and a little bit mischievous with a Summer of Stories campaign throughout August 2026.
Matilda is one of the most iconic characters in children’s literature. She has helped inspire countless generations worldwide to engage with reading, and demonstrates the transformative power reading has on impacting future life outcomes. Continuing to inspire reading for pleasure among young people is one of the National Year of Reading’s core aims, and Matilda is a character who can connect with all generations. She is instantly recognisable to parents who grew up with the story, and an inspiring role model for their children.
Led by the Department for Education in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust and nine leading literacy charities, the National Year of Reading is the biggest initiative in a generation designed to inspire everyone to discover a joy of reading and embed it into their everyday lives.
The Roald Dahl Story Company’s Summer of Stories initiative with Matilda and her much loved character friends (Lavender, Bruce and Amanda) will bring the joy of reading to life through a high-energy, digital-first suite of activities, challenges and reading recommendations hosted on the Matilda Hub:
roalddahl.com/matildasummerofstories
Parents and care-givers will be able to discover free reading quests and downloadable activity sheets online, including book recommendations, outdoor challenges and creative drama games – supported by a creator led social campaign and activity happening throughout August on the Roald Dahl Instagram and Facebook channels and beyond.
Matilda’s friends will share their own unique passions through a variety of reading touchpoints allowing kids to “Go All In” and ensuring an all-inclusive experience where every child can feel seen:
- Matilda is the ultimate super-reader who leads with bravery and a touch of magic. Her reading interests include a little bit of EVERYTHING, from funny books to epic quests and fantasy
- Bruce will show everyone that determination can conquer all. His reading interests include: cooking, adventure stories and challenges.
- Lavender is a loyal best friend with a mischievous streak and a big heart. Her reading interests include: nature, pranks, tricks and science.
- Amanda is resilient and bold, standing tall even in the face of the Trunchbull. Her reading interests include: sports, adventures and performing
2026 marks an unprecedented milestone year for Matilda, celebrating 15 years of The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda the Musical in the West End with a year-long UK and Ireland tour; the 30th anniversary of the Matilda movie, celebrated with a Matilda in Concert event live at the Royal Albert Hall with Danny DeVito; and new publishing from Puffin, a short story collection of ten brand new stories inspired by Roald Dahl’s incredible characters, The Terrible Miss Trunchbull and Other Tales of Tricks and Villainy, featuring contributions from a star-studded cast of authors including Sara Pascoe, Kevin and Katie Tsang, Rosie Jones and Sharna Jackson.
David Hayman, Director of the National Year of Reading, said: “Matilda is one of the most recognisable and beloved characters in children’s literature, making her the perfect ambassador for the National Year of Reading. At the heart of her story is a love of reading and the confidence, curiosity and opportunity that it inspires in her. Having a role model like Matilda reminds children that reading can open up new worlds, spark imaginations and help them go deeper on the things that they love. We hope Matilda and her friends will help bring children and adults together through a shared love of stories, reminding us that reading is a gift for a lifetime.”
Harriet Murphy, Director of Publishing at the Roald Dahl Story Company, said: “We are very proud that Matilda is becoming an ambassador for the National Year of Reading. We want every child to discover the power of reading and find out more about the things they love. Partnering with the National Year of Reading felt obvious to us – Matilda shows children that with the right story in their hands they really can do anything.”
About the National Year of Reading 2026 | The National Year of Reading is the biggest campaign in a generation designed to inspire everyone to discover a passion for reading and embed it into our everyday lives.
A Department for Education initiative supported by the National Literacy Trust, the National Year of Reading is delivered by nine leading literacy sector charities, and supported by funders, sponsors and pledge partners. This unique collaboration brings national scale and local expertise, connecting education, culture and communities across the UK.
The campaign asks the nation to Go All In on their passions and interests for 2026 and discover how reading in any format can unlock the things they already love – be that music, football, baking, family- time, sci-fi, or…anything. Put simply: if you’re into it, read into it.
The National Year of Reading is fuelled by organisations who believe in the power of reading and are committed to investing in the solutions to create change. The National Year of Reading aims to sign- up 100,000 volunteers, get one million more people actively using libraries, and encourage millions more to read regularly.
