For many children, the biggest barrier to reading for pleasure is not a lack of ability - it is the feeling that books simply aren’t 'for them'. That is where celebrity readers can make a remarkable difference. When children see someone they admire curled up with a book, recommending a favourite story or talking enthusiastically about reading, books suddenly become part of the world they want to belong to.

Few examples are more powerful than British footballer Marcus Rashford. His own reading journey is particularly inspiring: he has explained that he did not read his first book until he was 17, but that once he began reading it 'completely changed' his outlook and mentality. His Marcus Rashford Book Club, created to get books to children who need them most, has distributed more than 100,000 free books. His message is simple: reading can open doors.

Stormzy is another hugely influential British role model. He has spoken about reading throughout his childhood and describes books as helping to shape him. His favourite childhood series is Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses, which he calls his “favourite books of all time”. Through #Merky Books and his support for The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads campaign, he continues to champion literacy. In 2026 he called reading a “superpower”.

Across the Atlantic, Taylor Swift offers another compelling example. The singer is known for weaving literary references into her songwriting and has talked about her love of history and reading. Her reading has included To Kill a Mockingbird, Normal People and Rebecca, the latter inspiring her song “tolerate it”. For young fans, discovering that a global pop superstar reads the books behind some of her favourite songs can make literature feel exciting and relevant.

Emma Watson, beloved by generations of Harry Potter fans, has taken this even further. Her feminist book club, Our Shared Shelf, encouraged hundreds of thousands of readers to discover and discuss books together. She has described reading as a major part of her personal learning and shared reading lists with millions of followers.

Then there is Dua Lipa, whose Service95 Book Club has turned the singer’s love of reading into a global online community. “I absolutely love reading,” she has said, adding that books are “really important” to her.

Celebrity readers cannot replace parents, teachers or libraries - but they can provide something incredibly valuable: permission. Permission to be curious, to escape into another world, to talk about stories and, most importantly, to see reading as something cool. When a child’s hero reaches for a book, that child may be encouraged to reach for one too.

‍