School children from Argyle Primary School in Camden enjoyed a 'somewhere special to read’ session at St. Pancras International’s book-themed Christmas tree on Friday 1 December. 

The children were joined by Coram Beanstalk’s volunteer reading helpers and were able to listen to some of the audiobooks in the reading nooks at the bottom of the Hatchards book-themed Christmas tree.

The St. Pancras International’s festive book-themed tree centrepiece has been created in partnership with Hatchards, the oldest bookseller in the UK. The 12-metre-tall tree features a winding staircase and 270 shelves adorned with over 3,800 hand-painted books, including timeless classics like Charles Dickens' ‘A Christmas Carol’ and C.S. Lewis' ‘The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe’. Within the tree there are eight nooks where visitors can listen to excerpts from audiobooks including 'The Snowman' and 'The boy, the fox, the mole and the horse'.

The extraordinary festive display not only celebrates literature but also encourages a deeper connection with the joy of reading. This aligns with the mission of Coram Beanstalk which aims to build children’s confidence and ability by growing a love of reading.

“This year’s St. Pancras International Christmas Tree is an ode to the wealth of literature that transports us to exciting and novel worlds. From real-life travel experiences to the fantastical lands of our imagination, we’re so glad that Coram Beanstalk’s visitors have felt the magic."

Wendy Spinks, Commercial Director at St. Pancras and HS1 Ltd

The event also gave the children the opportunity to enjoy reading some festive books, which were kindly gifted to them by the St Pancras branch of Hatchards, and enjoyed sweet treats kindly donated by Pret a Manger.