Pottermore Donates “Philosopher’s Stone” ebooks for Charity

London Evening Standard, and Barns and Noble’s Nook, teamed up with Pottermore to donate 1,000 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ebooks to Beanstalk. Beanstalk is a “National Literacy Charity and Partner of the Get Reading Festival“. Stephen Fry, who narrates the British Harry Potter audio books, will also be attending this charity event. Fry will read segments of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to children at this event. He will be reading from one of the 1,000 HD Nook Tablets that Barns and Noble has donated along side the 1,000 Harry Potter ebooks. The Wall Street Journal reports:

London Evening Standard and NOOK have built on last week’s announcement by revealing further additions to the exciting line-up for the free literary Get Reading festival for children on the 13(th) July, which is part of the London Evening Standard and NOOK’s pioneering partnership to support child literacy.

Stephen Fry reads Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on a NOOK(R) HD+ tablet. Pottermore is donating 1,000 free eBook copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to be used on the 1,000 eReaders that NOOK has already donated to the Beanstalk literacy charity as part of the Get Reading campaign.

To announce the latest additions, Stephen Fry visited the Jubilee School in Tulse Hill to participate in a reading of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with the pupils. The Jubilee School is just one of the schools that has benefitted first-hand from the Mayor’s Fund for London investment in the London Evening Standard’s Get London Reading Campaign.

Alongside Stephen Fry’s reading, Pottermore will be donating 1,000 free eBook copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to Beanstalk, a national literacy charity and partner of the Evening Standard and NOOK Get Reading festival. Pottermore offers unique ways to experience more from the world of Harry Potter including an entirely free interactive website — Pottermore.com — and the Pottermore Shop, which is the exclusive home of the Harry Potter eBooks and digital audio books. The eBook copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be loaded onto the 1,000 eReaders that NOOK has already donated to Beanstalk, who recruit, vet, train and support reading volunteers in schools.

Stephen Fry, actor, author and Get Reading ambassador said: “I loved books when I was young and passionately believe that reading is one of the most important life gifts you can give a child. I am so pleased to be able to support the marvellous Get Reading event that London Evening Standard is organising in partnership with NOOK, and hope the immensely talented acts that have been announced so far will inspire children to develop their reading skills and learn to love reading as much as I do.”

Jim Hilt, Managing Director, Barnes & Noble said: “As the excitement builds ahead of the Get Reading festival, we continue to see phenomenal support from authors and UK celebrities, including Stephen Fry, who all share NOOK’s passion for advancing the cause of literacy. In addition, UK publishers have shown their support by donating top children’s eBooks to the Beanstalk charity for use on the donated NOOKs, including the latest generous donation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone from Pottermore.”

Charlie Redmayne, CEO, Pottermore said: “Pottermore is delighted to support the Get Reading initiative, including the work that Beanstalk is doing to improve literacy across the UK. We hope that the Beanstalk volunteers and their mentors enjoy reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and immersing themselves in the world of Harry Potter.”