22nd December 2025
As part of Worldreader’s ‘Get Kenya Reading Initiative’, an exclusive tea party event was hosted in Nairobi to honour the children who stepped into the wizarding world with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
In the past few months, we have been working closely with Worldreader to encourage children in Kenya to read more. In summer, we made Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone available on the BookSmart app in support of their remarkable ‘Get Kenya Reading’ initiative. This collaboration supports Worldreader’s ambitious five-year commitment to get one million families reading in Kenya by 2030.
Since July, we’ve been thrilled to see a heartening number of families immerse themselves in the wizarding world and take on the ‘Harry Potter Reading Challenge’ – a challenge to encourage children to read Philosopher’s Stone for just 10 minutes each day. To honour and celebrate their dedication, a special tea party event was held in Nairobi’s Imaara Mall on 6th December. Families in Kenya who had begun or completed the book were invited to come along, play games, eat delicious treats, and celebrate their accomplishment together in a fun atmosphere. Thanks to a very generous donation from Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), children who had finished the book and completed the challenge were rewarded with their own physical copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, a personalised bookplate, and a Reading Heroes certificate.
Peggy Mwende, a tea party attendee said:
“My daughter used to spend all her time running around, but now she chooses to read. BookSmart has completely transformed her routine. The activities in each book motivate her, especially the points she earns after completing them. She loves trying to improve her score and imagines how many points other children might have, which keeps her reading even more. The Harry Potter Reading Challenge has been especially amazing for my children. They couldn’t wait for the Tea Party and insisted we attend, even though it was our first time at Imaara Mall. This challenge has inspired them deeply, and I’m grateful for how much it has encouraged their love for reading.”
It’s been truly amazing to see the enjoyment Harry Potter has brought to families in Kenya and we’re proud to have worked with Worldreader to make both the challenge and event possible. Although the first of the challenges is over, the magic continues; Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be available on BookSmart until June 2026, and a personalised copy of the book made available to any children eager to embark on their own magical adventure.
