One in six adults of working age in the UK find reading difficult and may never pick up a book. People's reasons for not reading are varied: some people say they find books intimidating, that they struggle to find the time or that books are difficult or boring.

Quick Reads sets out to challenge these beliefs and to show that books and reading can be for everyone. Each year we commission big name authors to write short books that are specifically designed to be easy to read. They are the same as mainstream books in most respects but are simply shorter and easier to tackle for adults who are less confident in their reading skills. The books are then sold through major retailers and online booksellers, or loaned from libraries.

Quick Reads is making real, lasting changes to people's lives. Since 2006,4.5 million books have been distributed through the initiative, 3 million library loans have been registered and through outreach work hundreds of thousands of new readers each year have been introduced to the joys and benefits of reading. Quick Reads is a unique collaboration and we are very grateful for the support of everyone involved.

2016 titles

This year's Galaxy® Quick Reads 2016 authors and titles, available from Thursday 4 February, are:

The Double Clue: Poirot Short Stories by Agatha Christie (edited by Sophie Hannah and John Curran)
Too Good to be True by Ann Cleeves
A Baby at the Beach Café by Lucy Diamond
The Anniversary: Ten Tempting Stories From Ten Bestselling Authors by Veronica Henry (editor)
On the Rock by Andy McNab
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban (An Abridged Edition) by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

Quick Reads are available from libraries and bookshops across the country.

Ideas for using Quick Reads

• Hold a reading break or start a reading group in your workplace, college, library or local community. You can create a buzz about reading that will encourage even the most reluctant readers to pick up a good book.

• Set up a reading area at your organisation. You can provide a bookcase and a reading area if you have room. Use new books or ask people to donate their books.

• Use Quick Reads as part of Reading Ahead, which challenges people to pick six reads and record their reading in a diary to get a certificate.

• Hold a book swap by encouraging people to bring in books they have read and enjoyed to share with others. You ask people to write reviews or put stickers in the front of the books for people to write comments.

Resources

You can find learning resources for all of the 2016 titles in the resources database.