Turn pre-orders into a free author visit for a school of your choice
Bookshops can request a free campaign pack for The Bestest Story in the World… Ever! – including posters, bookmarks, flyers and school outreach support from Epic Tales.
The first 100 bookshops to collect 25 or more pre-orders can nominate a local school for a complimentary visit from author and Oxford Owl storyteller Chip Colquhoun.
Why not also arrange a ‘Meet the Author’ event at your bookshop? Subject to availability, Chip will visit your store at no additional cost to help you promote your pre-orders. Tick the option on the form for more details.
Follow this link for full terms & conditions.
What You Receive
1. A3 or A2 Display Poster
A ready-to-use poster to help your customers spot the campaign in store.
2. Promotional Bookmarks
Useful, low-waste handouts for your customers.
3. School and Family Flyers
Clear, simple information explaining to your customers how their pre-orders can help win a school visit.
4. School Outreach Support
We will contact your nearest schools on your behalf, to help encourage their families to your store.
5. Digital Materials
Printable A4 counter posters, plus text and graphics for your customer newsletters.
OPTIONAL: Free 'Meet the Author'
Subject to availability, Chip will visit your store at no additional cost to help you promote your pre-orders.
Request your free campaign pack
Fill in the form below and we’ll send you the campaign materials for The Bestest Story in the World… Ever!
What's in it for your chosen school?
Your chosen school will receive a visit from author Chip Colquhoun, a storyteller with 20 years experience enthralling young audiences – at Glastonbury Festival, at the World Storytelling Festival, and thousands of schools worldwide, to name but a few!
Chip is also an Oxford Owl storyteller, a presenter for BookTrust, and was once on ITV representing the Roald Dahl Story Museum.
His success at inspiring children to read more books has made him a highly sought after teacher trainer, on the preferred supplier list for the Department for Education’s English Hubs – and his book on the subject is endorsed by Prof Teresa Cremin.
During his visit, Chip will explore the themes of The Bestest Story in the World… Ever! with all the learners at your chosen school that he practically can. They will…
- discover how and why we started telling stories
- pick up at least one story to retell themselves
- discover their own storytelling talent
- develop a thirst for more books
What’s more, if your chosen school manages to arrange their visit before the end of the ’25–’26 school year, learners from your chosen school will have the chance to get their artwork printed in the book!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the campaign pack really free?
Yes. There is no cost to receive the campaign materials. We will cover all postage.
Do we have to pay for the school visit?
If your bookshop is one of the first 100 to collect 25 or more pre-orders, you can nominate a local school for a complimentary visit from Chip Colquhoun. Schools in mainland UK will receive the visit entirely free, inclusive or travel and accommodation (if required).
For visits beyond mainland UK – including Northern Ireland, Isle of Wight, and countries beyond the UK – you and/or the school will be asked to cover the cost of flights and/or ferries. If this is impractical, the school will be offered an online visit instead.
Any school may receive an online visit if they prefer, or if that is the only way to ensure they can receive the visit.
Which school can we nominate?
You can nominate any local school of your choice. If you would like help making the connection, Epic Tales will support that outreach.
Can we nominate more than one school?
Yes, subject to availability, but each new nomination will require a further 25 pre-orders.
What if our chosen school doesn't want the visit?
This never happens! However, occasionally a school will struggle to accommodate the visit before the end of the offer period. If this happens, you will be invited to nominate an alternative school.
What happens after we request the pack?
As soon as we receive your request, we’ll contact you by email to let you know that the campaign materials are on their way to you.
Terms & Conditions
This offer is promoted by Epic Storytelling Ltd trading as Epic Tales.
The campaign is open to UK bookshops promoting pre-orders of The Bestest Story in the World… Ever!
Bookshops may request a free campaign pack while stocks are available. Campaign packs include posters, bookmarks, flyers, and digital assets, and Epic Tales will aim to provide outreach to all schools within 10 miles of the bookshop.
The first 100 eligible bookshops to collect 25 or more customer pre-orders for The Bestest Story in the World… Ever! may nominate a local school for a complimentary author-storyteller visit from Chip Colquhoun. Bookshops may nominate a further school for a visit for every additional 25 pre-orders they collect, while stocks last.
Pre-orders must be collected by the participating bookshop. Epic Tales may request reasonable evidence of the number of pre-orders collected before confirming a nominated school visit.
An eligible bookshop is a UK bookshop whose sales are reported to Nielsen BookScan.
School visits are free and in person are subject to scheduling, location, travel practicality, safeguarding requirements, and agreement with the nominated school. Where an in-person visit is not practical, Epic Tales may offer an online visit or discuss alternative arrangements.
The visit must take place at your chosen school between September ’26 and January ’27, or else between April ’27 and July ’27.
The school visit has no cash alternative and cannot be transferred for resale.
Epic Tales reserves the right to decline claims that appear incomplete, inaccurate, duplicated, or inconsistent with the spirit of the campaign.
The campaign may be amended, paused, or withdrawn if circumstances outside Epic Tales’ reasonable control make this necessary.
By requesting a campaign pack, bookshops agree that Epic Tales may contact them about this campaign and related bookshop support.
Ready to turn pre-orders into a school visit?
Request the free campaign pack now, and we’ll help you give families another reason to pre-order through your bookshop.