Quick Reads

Quick Reads

Photo of five teenagers sat on a sofa reading various copies of Quick Reads books

What are Quick Reads?

Discover the joy of reading with Quick Reads. Short books and great stories by bestselling authors!  
 
Quick Reads provide a route into reading that prioritises great story telling and adult-focused content while ensuring the books are written in an accessible and easy to read style. The books are written by some of the most popular authors in the UK – including Andy McNab, Jojo Moyes, Anne Cleeves, Ian Rankin and Benjamin Zephaniah – so they can be a brilliant entry point to new genres, authors as well as the spark to reignite or build up the joy of reading.  


 

The Quick Reads programme has collaborated with over 30 publishers to produce a total of 135 titles since 2006 with over 5 million copies distributed and over 6 million library loans. Many are still available to borrow from your public library or buy from The Reading Agency’s bookshop.

We work with public libraries, prisons, colleges, hospitals and adult learning organisations to ensure these books are accessed by those who may find reading difficult as they are a perfect entry point to reading for pleasure. 

In 2025, Quick Reads is sponsored by Penguin Random House and Hachette with additional funding support from The Foyle Foundation.

Photograph of two older Asian women sat at a table reading Quick Reads books.

This year’s titles – Out Now


Photo of an older man sat at the back of a lorry reading a book.

Get Involved

  • Buy the books through Bookshop.org, Waterstones, or borrow them from your local library. The titles are available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!  
  • Libraries can order Quick Reads from your usual library supplier such as Askews or Gardners and the Ebook and audiobooks from Overdrive or BorrowBox.  
  • You can access accompanying learning resources, book group discussion guides and promotional materials on our resources database.
  • Quick Reads are perfect for supporting the Reading Ahead programme either as reading material or to use as rewards and incentives.  

Quick Reads are an extremely valuable tool for boosting reading skills, confidence and engagement in learning. They can act as an entry point to different authors’ work in diverse genres, and have led to thousands of adults reading, completing and enjoying a book for the first time.

Our long-term goal is to build a nation of readers by getting Quick Reads into every home in the UK!  

Three icons of people. One of the icons is white, the other two are navy.

1 in 3 adults in the UK do not regularly read for pleasure.

A line illustration of a head with a scribble inside.

Non-readers are 28% more likely to report feelings of depression.

Quick Reads 2024 are out now!

Photo of a hand pulling a book from a book shelf.

How To Get into Reading

If you’re someone who has always wanted to get into reading but didn’t know where to start, you’re in the right place! Read our tips to unlock the joy of reading.

The Reading Agency

Join our mailing list

Get our newsletters to stay up to date with programme news, resources, news and more.

Back to Top