British icon calls reading a ‘superpower’ as he supports national campaign tackling the UK’s reading crisis. (Image credit: Adama Jalloh)
Stormzy has thrown his support behind The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads, the flagship UK-wide initiative designed to engage adults who don’t yet see themselves as readers. Almost half of adults in the UK say they are not readers*, and in 2026 – the National Year of Reading – Quick Reads celebrates its 20th anniversary with its most ambitious programme to date.
Quick Reads are short, accessible books written by bestselling authors and created specifically for non-readers, lapsed readers, people with short attention spans, and neurodivergent readers. The programme has grown into a national reading movement centred around World Book Night on 23 April, when thousands of Quick Read titles are gifted to libraries, prisons, community groups, charities, and foodbanks across the UK.
Derek Owusu (Image copyright Josima Senior)
Among the six new Quick Reads titles for 2026 is Hunger Pains by Derek Owusu, published by #Merky Books, Stormzy’s imprint at Penguin Random House. Stormzy said: “Reading helped me when I was young and it still does today. Books have the power to carry you through life. So I’m really proud that Derek Owusu, one of our incredible #Merky Books authors, is taking part in The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads. His words will reach the people who need them most. I encourage anyone who doesn’t usually read to pick up a Quick Read – because reading really is a superpower.”
Known for his creative and cultural impact as well as his commitment to social change, Stormzy has long used his platform to tackle inequality and champion access to the arts. In 2020, he founded the #Merky Foundation, pledging £10 million over 10 years to support racial equality and justice reform.
Stormzy added: “Music and books are both about finding your voice. We are all made of stories – they define who we are – and that’s why #Merky Books exists: to make sure every voice has a platform.”
Award-winning writer and poet Derek Owusu said: “Having never read a book until the age of 24, I wish I had come across Quick Reads sooner. They’re accessible, affordable, and gentle in their approach, allowing new or lapsed readers to find their way into the pleasure and fulfilment of reading fiction and non-fiction. I’m excited to be part of their legacy and to add my voice to something that helps people feel confident enough to pick up a book and look forward to spending time with it.”
All Quick Reads titles go through a rigorous accessibility review process, including testing for readability, concentration, and suitability for adults rebuilding reading confidence. To mark the 20th anniversary of Quick Reads, The Reading Agency has unveiled ambitious expansion plans for 2026. For the first time, the charity will:
- Launch Quick Reads as audiobooks for the first time
- Announce a major new partnership and special Quick Read title on World Book Night
- Gift half a million Quick Reads books to prisons across the UK
Research from The Reading Agency shows that regular reading can transform lives, improving wellbeing, social mobility, and long-term life chances.Karen Napier, CEO of The Reading Agency, said: “Quick Reads are a proven, high-impact way to reach adults who don’t yet see themselves as readers. During the National Year of Reading and on World Book Night, we want to show that reading is for everyone – and that a single book can be the start of a lifelong habit.”
Since its launch in 2006, Quick Reads has:
- Distributed over 5 million books
- Worked with more than 30 publishers
- Generated over 6 million library loans
The other 2026 Quick Reads titles span thrillers, romance, and contemporary fiction, with books by Rachel Hore, Leye Adenle, Rosie Goodwin, Louise Jensen, and Carmel Harrington.
Quick Reads can be ordered from The Reading Agency