THURSDAY 3rd FEBRUARY 2022 sees the launch of Miles of Magic: Reading Challenge. Created by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with Bloomsbury Children’s Books, this is a fun and exciting seven week reading for pleasure campaign, helping to bring the magic of reading to life for children, as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, first published in the UK in 1997.
On Thursday 3rd February 2022 at 1030hrs schools across the UK can join the LIVE, lively and creative virtual Miles of Magic launch and Harry Potter Book Night event with Harry Potter illustrator Jonny Duddle (YouTube). Join Jonny for an exclusive live event and hear how he created his iconic cover for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, see Jonny bring your favourite Harry Potter characters to life before your very eyes and draw along to create your very own Hagrid!
Every school in the UK can then start their own magical reading adventure with the Miles of Magic: Reading Challenge accessing beautiful resources to inspire and support schools.
The innovative downloadable Jonny Duddle and Jim Kay illustrated Harry Potter resources include: the class challenge-o-meter wall chart map and a beautiful reading log sheet for each student to chart their own individual magical reading journey, setting out from Privet Drive reading their way to Hogwarts, via some special places along the way! With clear teacher guideline notes and Harry Potter bookmarks incentives, the 7 week Reading Challenge will be a fun reading challenge for classrooms across the UK, finishing on Friday 1st April – when the competition will close for one lucky school to win a Harry Potter trunk filled with books and treats for their school library.
The National Literacy Trust – Miles of Magic celebration also includes Miles of Magic: The Harry Potter Book Relay starting on Thursday 3rd February at The Willow Primary School in Manchester. The Harry Potter Book Relay will see a single copy of the silver anniversary paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone travelling relay style covering Miles of Magic as it journeys to 25 primary schools around the UK between February and June. This unique book will be gathering children and teacher’s illustrations and doodles inside its covers as it travels from school to school; along with special postcards to write their memories of reading Harry Potter, that will then form part of the anniversary celebrations in June. A magical Harry Potter trunk will arrive at each of the 25 primary schools to help them on their way!
Bloomsbury are also donating a further 800 copies of the anniversary edition to 50 schools via the National Literacy Trust’s Young Readers Programme.
Thursday 3rd February, will also be a busy day worldwide with the 25th anniversary themed Magical Journeys Harry Potter Book Night. Bloomsbury have created an exclusive Event Pack (available now to download) bursting with party tips, enchanting games, bewitching activities, food and drink ideas, costumes, quizzes and easy-to-make design ideas to embark on a magical journey of your own! Twinkl is also supporting Harry Potter Book Night with many educational resources.
The new silver anniversary paperback edition of the beloved classic J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, with Jonny Duddle’s cover illustration, is newly emblazoned with lightning strike silver foil livery, refreshed and updated with fun extra content to entertain young readers as they begin their journey through the stories (27/01/22).
Starting 2022’s 25th anniversary year of celebrations in true wizarding style.