Many children in England do not enjoy writing in their spare time (only one in four), as articulated by the National Literacy Trust. In 2025, almost a third of 11-year-olds left primary school unable to write at the expected level. Having been measured for the past 15 years, these figures suggest that young people are becoming less engaged in writing for enjoyment. Alongside this, only a third of 8 to 18-year-olds reported that they enjoy reading in their free time.

Adventure stories often get children interested in reading and writing, boosting literacy and enjoyment from books. The Author of Tomorrow award gets young people writing. To enter, they submit a short piece of adventure writing. 90 entries are commended and given feedback; an additional 10 writers work with an editor. Their stories are then published in an online library. From the shortlist, our young judging panel select three winners, who receive a prize and book tokens for their school.