For the last fifteen years I have asked teachers, TAs and librarians if they would be kind enough to nominate a child they think would benefit from the gift of a book for Christmas.
My family and I would like to do the same for Christmas 2026.
The Christmas Books
Each book will be personally dedicated, signed, gift-wrapped and will come with a Christmas card from me. The Christmas card will have this year’s exclusive illustration taking inspiration from my latest book If the Invader Comes by the wonderful Yorkshire artist James Innerdale.
I will send a personal Christmas card to each nominee and a poster pack for each school regardless of whether or not their application is successful.
The Children
Our idea is to work with schools and libraries to help us gift books to fifty children. Short applications are invited from teachers, TAs and librarians, nominating children as follows:
- who have had a difficult year at school or home in the hope that a book would be a boost for them
- who do not have any books at home
- who one special book might help engage them with a lifetime of reading for pleasure.
Applying teachers, TAs and librarians are also asked to select which of my books for children they feel is most appropriate.
Their Privacy
All nominations will be kept in confidence and it is up to you exactly how privately you wish to give the books over.
You will be under no obligation to disclose to the child why they are receiving the book or to present it to them publicly.
The nomination process for applying adults
If you’d like to nominate a child, please email the following information as follows to admin@tompalmer.co.uk by Sunday 22nd November 2026:
- the child’s name (this will not be published and will be kept in full confidence)
- a short paragraph explaining why you are nominating that child (this will not be published and will be kept in full confidence)
- your choice of book for them from one of my books listed at https://tompalmer.co.uk/about-tom/books-for-children/.
- your name and school address (where I will send the book)
We will respond ASAP to all applications as soon as we can on receipt. My family and I will choose the recipients and notify all applying teachers, TAs and librarians of the outcome by the end of November and we aim to have the books dispatched to schools in the first week of December 2026.
I am sorry, we cannot promise to send a book to every child nominated. We have set an upper limit of 50. But I will send a personal Christmas card to each nominee and a poster pack for each school regardless of whether or not their application is successful.
(For more information about special offer schools book packs, FREE signed bookplates and signed books to purchase as gifts see here. )
Email me here for more information or use my contact form here to ask me a question.
Thank you.
