How to Get Free Kids Books in the Mail

Every parent knows how expensive kids’ books can add up. A single picture book costs £8 to £12. Multiply that by ten books a year, and you’re spending £80-£120 just to keep your child’s bookshelf full. But what if you could get new, high-quality books delivered to your door-for free? It’s not a dream. Across the UK, there are real, working programs that send free children’s books straight to your mailbox. No sign-up fees. No hidden costs. Just books, delivered regularly, for kids from birth to age 11.

Reach Out to Bookstart

Bookstart is the UK’s oldest and most trusted free book program for young children. Run by the Booktrust charity, it’s been giving out free books since 1992. If your child is under 5, you’re likely eligible for at least one free book pack. You’ll get a welcome pack with a board book and a guide for parents, usually sent through your health visitor during the 12-18 month check-up. If you missed it, don’t worry-Bookstart still sends out books on request. Just call Booktrust at 020 7481 2850 or visit their website and fill out the form. They’ll mail you a free book pack within 10-14 days. No proof of income needed. No paperwork. Just your child’s name and your address.

Sign Up for BookTrust’s Bookstart Corner

Booktrust doesn’t stop at age 5. Their Bookstart Corner program sends free books to children aged 3-5 who are not yet in school. It’s designed for families who don’t have easy access to libraries or who need extra support with early reading. The program mails out two books every six months. One is a picture book, the other is a rhyming or storybook that helps build vocabulary. You can register online at booktrust.org.uk/bookstart-corner. You’ll need your child’s date of birth and your postcode. The books are chosen by early years educators and are aligned with the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. You’ll start getting books within six weeks of signing up.

Join the National Literacy Trust’s Book Club

If your child is between 5 and 11, the National Literacy Trust runs a free book club that mails out a new book every month. It’s called Book Club-yes, that’s the actual name. You don’t need to be a member of a library or school to join. All you need is a child aged 5-11 and a UK address. Each book is carefully selected by literacy experts and comes with fun activities, discussion questions, and a parent guide. The books are brand new, hardback editions, often from publishers like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. To sign up, go to literacytrust.org.uk/book-club. Fill out the form with your child’s name, age, and your email. They’ll send you a confirmation letter with a prepaid return envelope. Once you send it back, your first book arrives in 2-3 weeks. You’ll keep getting one every month until your child turns 12.

Check Local Libraries for Book Delivery

Many local libraries in England and Wales now offer free book delivery for families who can’t easily get to the branch. If you live in Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, or other major towns, your library might have a home delivery service. Some even send books specifically for children. Call your local library and ask: “Do you deliver children’s books to homes?” If they say yes, they’ll usually ask for your address and your child’s age. Then they’ll send you a selection of 3-5 books every 4-6 weeks. You keep them for a month and return them in the prepaid envelope they give you. No fines. No late fees. It’s like a library, but the books come to you. Libraries in rural areas often partner with community centres or schools to make this work. Don’t assume your library doesn’t offer it-ask. Many parents don’t know this service exists until they ask.

Look for Free Book Giveaways from Publishers

Major publishers like Oxford University Press, Usborne, and Egmont run occasional free book campaigns. They’re usually tied to literacy events like World Book Day or National Literacy Month. In March 2025, Oxford University Press gave away 50,000 free copies of Oxford Reading Tree books to families across the UK. These were mailed directly to homes. To catch these offers, sign up for newsletters from Booktrust, the National Literacy Trust, and publishers’ parent pages. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram. When a giveaway opens, they’ll post a link. You’ll need to enter your child’s name, age, and your address. Winners are chosen randomly, but the odds are good-many of these campaigns have tens of thousands of entries and hundreds of winners. Even if you don’t win the first time, keep trying. These giveaways happen at least twice a year.

Ask Your Child’s School or Nursery

Many nurseries and primary schools in the UK partner with charities to run book-giving programs. If your child’s nursery has a reading corner, they might be part of the “Books for All” initiative, which gives every child a free book every term. Ask your child’s teacher or nursery manager: “Do you give out free books to take home?” If they say yes, they’ll usually hand you a book at the end of term. If they say no, ask if they’d be willing to sign up. Many schools can apply for free book grants from Booktrust or the National Literacy Trust. All they need is a simple form. You can even help them fill it out. One mum in Bristol helped her daughter’s nursery sign up last year. Now every child in the class gets a free book every three months. It’s not magic-it’s just asking.

What Kind of Books Will You Get?

The books you receive aren’t second-hand or old. They’re brand new, high-quality, and chosen by literacy specialists. You’ll get board books for babies, picture books with rich illustrations for toddlers, early readers with simple text for 5-year-olds, and chapter books with engaging stories for 8-11-year-olds. Many of the books are award winners or have been recommended by the UK’s Reading Agency. You’ll find titles like Dear Zoo, The Gruffalo, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Day the Crayons Quit. Some books even come with audio QR codes you can scan to hear the story read aloud. These aren’t just random donations-they’re curated to match your child’s development stage.

What If You Live in a Rural Area?

Living far from town doesn’t mean you miss out. Bookstart, Booktrust, and the National Literacy Trust all serve rural families. In fact, they prioritise them. If you’re in the Lake District, the Welsh valleys, or the Scottish Highlands, you’re still eligible. Book delivery programs are designed to reach every postcode in the UK. If your local library doesn’t offer delivery, the National Literacy Trust will mail books directly to you. You don’t need a car. You don’t need internet. You just need a mailbox. One dad in Northumberland got 14 free books in 18 months-no trips to the library, no online shopping. Just books showing up at his door.

Can You Get Books for Multiple Children?

Yes. Every child gets their own free book. If you have two kids, sign them both up for Bookstart and Book Club. Each child will receive their own set of books, tailored to their age. Booktrust and the National Literacy Trust don’t limit you to one child per household. You can register all your kids, even if they’re 18 months apart. The books are not shared. Each child gets their own copy. One mum in Leeds signed up her 2-year-old and 6-year-old. She got 12 free books in one year. Her kids now have their own bookshelves-and they love reading them together.

What Happens When Your Child Turns 12?

Once your child turns 12, they’ll stop receiving books from the free programs. But that doesn’t mean the reading stops. Many of these programs offer transition guides to help kids move into teen reading. The National Literacy Trust sends a final book at age 11 with a list of free teen book clubs, library apps, and online reading challenges. You can also sign up for free audiobooks from Libby or BorrowBox through your local library. Some libraries even offer free e-book loans for teens. Keep the habit alive. The books you’ve received so far? Keep them. They’re yours to keep forever.

Next Steps: What to Do Today

Don’t wait. Right now, open your browser and go to booktrust.org.uk. Find the Bookstart and Bookstart Corner pages. Fill out the forms. Then go to literacytrust.org.uk/book-club and sign up your older child. Call your local library and ask about home delivery. Do all three. You could be holding your first free book in under two weeks. Your child’s love of reading doesn’t need to cost a fortune. It just needs a little effort-and a mailbox.