This Christmas, every Year 6 child in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and every P6 child in Scotland, will receive a special edition of Katherine Rundell’s best selling children's novel Impossible Creatures. The initiative, called The Queen’s Christmas Present, is being delivered in conjunction with the National Literacy Trust and publisher Bloomsbury as part of the National Year of Reading 2026. More than 800,000 children are expected to receive the book, complete with a royal stamp and a personal message from the Queen.

The idea has an obvious appeal. At a time when children’s enjoyment of reading drops sharply as they move towards secondary school, putting an exciting, substantial novel directly into their hands could make a genuine difference. Impossible Creatures is a fast-paced fantasy filled with dragons, unicorns and other mythical creatures. Its imaginative world offers escapism while encouraging curiosity and discussion. Rundell has also waived her royalties, while Bloomsbury is supplying the books on a not-for-profit basis, strengthening the initiative’s charitable credentials.

There is, however, a debate raging within the children’s books industry around the question of whetheri Impossible Creatures is actually the right book for every Year 6 child?

The argument in its favour is straightforward. A shared novel can create a rare sense of national community. Children moving into Year 7 could arrive at secondary school with a story they all know, providing an instant subject for conversation. It also avoids the problem of children who have limited access to books being left out. As Rundell herself argues, a common story could become a shared experience and even a foundation for new friendships. Rundell is a popular author among Primary School children and titles like Rooftoppers, The Explorer and The Wolf Wilder make popular class reads and are often tied in to national curriculum topics by class teachers.

Critical voices however have been questioning whether giving everyone the same book conflicts with the very idea of encouraging reading for pleasure. Former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen, for example, welcomed free books for children but questioned why there should be only one title. The concern is that a child who dislikes fantasy, struggles with the book’s length or simply cannot connect with Rundell’s style might conclude that reading is not for them.

There is also an educational argument against a one-size-fits-all approach. Year 6 contains enormously varied readers. Some children will devour Impossible Creatures; others may need simpler texts, audiobooks or different genres. The organisers have recognised this by providing the audiobook free and exploring additional accessibility options, but some say this doesn't go far enough in terms of finding reads that are accessible to all Year 6 children

Ultimately, the initiative’s success may depend less on whether Impossible Creatures is the perfect book for every child and more on what happens afterwards. If other publisher's grab the baton from Bloomsbury, making this a rolling initiative and it becomes a gateway to a wider choice of books, the Queen’s present could be a remarkable gift.

The best Christmas present after all is discovering the book that makes you want to read.

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