Teachers' Reading Challenge Ambassadors
Introducing our 2026 Author Ambassadors – a passionate group of children’s authors who are helping to champion the Teachers’ Reading Challenge!
With the generous support of HarperCollins, these authors are joining forces with The Reading Agency and The Open University to inspire educators across the UK to explore more children’s literature, deepen their reading for pleasure practice, and discover books that truly unlock the power of reading for young people.
Let’s get acquainted…
Rashmi Sirdeshpande
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is a neurodivergent children’s author and an advocate for underrepresented voices in children’s publishing. A former World Book Day author and BookTrust Writer-in-Residence, Rashmi has won a number of awards, including the Diverse Book Awards (for Dadaji’s Paintbrush, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane) and the Society of Authors Queen’s Knickers Award, which celebrates “outstanding” picture books (for Never Show a T-Rex a Book, illustrated by Diane Ewen). Her factual book Good News (illustrated by Adam Hayes) was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards and her latest, Amazing Asia (illustrated by Jason Lyon) won the Children’s Choice at the School Library Association’s Information Book Awards.
“Being an Author Ambassador for the Teachers’ Reading Challenge means so much to me because it’s a chance to support the incredible teachers, teaching assistants and librarians who are out there finding fresh ways to encourage and engage young readers. Their work makes such a huge difference.”
Adam Stower
Adam Stower is an award-winning illustrator and author who has been drawing pictures and making up stories for as long as he can remember. Adam was born in England but grew up in Switzerland and Germany. After nine years at an ancient boarding school in Norfolk Adam trained at the Norwich School of Art earning a first class Honours Degree in Illustration. He moved south to continue his studies at Brighton University and achieved a Masters degree in Narrative Illustration and Editorial Design. Adam fell in love with the city and lives there still with his wife. Adam has been working as an illustrator for over 25 years and began writing his own books in 2004. His books have achieved acclaim and awards at home and abroad.
“I am proud to be an author ambassador for the Teachers’ Reading Challenge. I am happy to support the effort to champion reading in schools and help children on their journey to a lifelong love of reading for pleasure. It is such a strong foundation for their future development and wellbeing. Reading for pleasure will build their confidence, expand their knowledge and understanding, feed their curiosity and stimulate their imagination.
It is a wonderful thing, and I hope the Teachers’ Reading Challenge will be a positive turning point in the lives of all the children it reaches.”
Samantha Lewis
Samantha left school with the ambition to become a ‘research scientist’ who would one day discover a cure for cancer. Unfortunately, while studying Chemistry at university, what she actually discovered was that she was really bad at working in a lab (dangerously bad). For the sake of everyone’s safety (including her own), she decided to embark on a career telling other people about how amazing science is instead – first, as a secondary school teacher, and now as a science producer and author (TV and radio credits include Einstein and the Bomb for Netflix and Just One Thing for BBC Sounds, and her first two books, published by Farshore, are Elements of the Day and Forces of the Day). Samantha lives in London with her husband and two sons.
“I’m delighted to be an ambassador for the Teacher’s Reading Challenge – and I’m especially excited to champion non-fiction books! There are so many titles that cover a wide variety of topics in new and engaging ways – and I’d love to help teachers, librarians, and education staff explore more of what’s out there. And I hope that together, we can inspire even more children to unlock a lifelong love of reading for pleasure.”
Jack Meggitt-Phillips
Jack Meggitt-Phillips is an author, scriptwriter and presenter whose work has been performed at The Roundhouse and featured on Radio 4. His bestselling debut children’s series The Beast and the Bethany is translated into over 30 languages, and has had a major film deal announced. The series has also won the West Sussex Children’s Book Award, the Alexandra Palace Children’s Book Award, the Stockport Children’s Book Award, the Fantastic Book Award, the Awesome Book Award, and the Channel Island Children’s Book Award.
“I am constantly in awe of the work that teaching staff do to promote reading for pleasure, at a time when there’s so much else competing for children’s attention. I am thrilled to be supporting The Teachers’ Challenge to help share and celebrate the stories that will inspire the next generation of readers.”