Photograph of a school girl smiling and balancing stack of books on her head in a library

On Thursday 8 October, the National Literacy Trust and British Council aimed to set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most people reading online in 12 hours.   

As part of the National Year of Reading, the call is simple: whatever you’re into, take 10 to read into it. Whether it's a book, comic, magazine, or a match report, reading for just 10 minutes supports wellbeing and can open new worlds. 

This year, in partnership with the British Council, Take 10 became a global initiative. By drawing from the British Council's global network of education and cultural partners in 85 countries and territories, this record attempt connected students, teachers, families and communities.  

Readers everywhere were invited to take part in this collective ‘time out’ that transcends borders. 

Following the event, evidence will be submitted to Guinness World Records for verification. Once reviewed and officially approved, Guinness World Records will confirm whether a new record has been set. We aim to inform participants about whether we have been successful before 9 November 2026.

FAQs

Take 10 to Read is an annual campaign from the National Literacy Trust to promote the wellbeing benefits of reading. Now in its fifth year, Take 10 to Read highlights the wellbeing benefits of reading and encourages people of all ages to take just 10 minutes to read on and around World Mental Health Day. 

Anyone can take part, including:

  • Schools
  • Families
  • Community groups
  • Libraries
  • Workplaces
  • Individuals at home

People from anywhere in the world are welcome to join; the sessions were run over 12 hours to allow for participation from different time zones.

The event will include four exciting sessions with world-renowned authors and influencers, each designed to engage and inspire different age groups. Each pre-recorded webinar lasts no more than an hour and includes a dedicated ten-minute reading session, during which participants will read together. This forms part of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt. 

Sessions will be repeated at different times throughout the day to make participation as accessible as possible for a global audience:

Age group Time What's happening?
5-8 years 9am, 1pm, 5pm (BST) A reading of Super Uma by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, followed by a draw-along activity with illustrator Nakul P.
8-12 years 10am, 2pm, 6pm (BST) Frank Cottrell-Boyce will read from The Blockbusters! and explore themes including cinema and culture.
12-16 years 11am, 3pm, 7pm (BST)

Nathanael Lessore will discuss topics linked to What Happens Online, including digital identity, confidence, family and school life.

Please note that this event includes embarrassing anecdotes relating to bodily functions and toileting accidents. Some viewers may find these references unsuitable or uncomfortable.
16+ 12pm, 4pm, 8pm (BST) Coco Omer and Zubs, alongside reading ambassadors, will discuss their connection with reading and what it means for their wellbeing.

You only needed to take part in one session to be part of the record attempt.

To meet GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS requirements and qualify for a participation certificate, participants must join the Zoom webinar and complete a pop-up form.

This form asked:

  • Name
  • Country or nation you are joining from
  • Whether you are joining from a school, home or another setting
  • The number of people participating with you
  • What you are choosing to read.

Yes, we will provide a link to the recording and this will be hosted on YouTube. However, the recording link will not be shared until Friday 9 October. To set the Guinness World Records title, we want to ensure that as many people as possible join us live during the webinar! We cannot include participants watching the recording on YouTube.

Please refer to the FAQs found on the National Literacy trust website here.

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