Passengers across Greater Manchester found 8,000 free books waiting for them on trams and at bus interchanges on Friday 9 October, the day before World Mental Health Day.

The giveaway was run by Read Manchester and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), with Greater Manchester Libraries, as part of Read Manchester's "Take 10 to Read" campaign. According to I Love MCR and the Oldham Evening Chronicle, 6,000 books were placed on tram seats at depots before the first journeys of the day, and Greater Manchester Libraries handed out a further 2,000 at bus interchanges across the city region.

The BBC reported that passengers could either take a book away or leave it for someone else. Titles included The Beano, The Gruffalo, Marcus Rashford's You Are a Champion and novels by John Grisham and Michael Connelly.

What is Take 10 to Read? The National Literacy Trust says the campaign was first developed by Read Manchester in 2018 and is now promoted across the UK. It encourages people to read for 10 minutes at 10am on 10 October for World Mental Health Day, and this year it sits within the National Year of Reading 2026. The charity stresses that you do not have to read a book: it suggests football match analysis, an interview, DIY tips or even recipes.

Councillor Shazia Butt, Manchester City Council's executive member for libraries, said, as reported by the BBC, that reading "even just for 10 minutes a day" is something research shows "can make a positive difference to how people feel". Jill Connolly of the National Literacy Trust said reading "can help you relax, boost your mood and connect with others".

Fran Wilkinson, TfGM's customer and growth director, said in comments reported by I Love MCR that a book can give someone "the chance to switch off".

The charity's own research on children and young people's reading in 2026 found that almost two-thirds of 8 to 18-year-olds who enjoy reading said they do it because it relaxes them, and more than half said it helps them feel better when they are stressed.

Read Manchester is a partnership between Manchester City Council and the National Literacy Trust. According to the council, as reported by I Love MCR, it has given away more than half a million books over ten years.

If you missed the giveaway, the Take 10 to Read idea works any day: ten minutes with something you enjoy.

Sources: BBC News (Stewart Whittingham, 9 October 2026); Transport for Greater Manchester press release, 9 October 2026; National Literacy Trust (Take 10 to Read); I Love MCR (9 October 2026); Oldham Evening Chronicle; About Manchester (Nigel Barlow, 9 October 2026). This article was produced with the help of AI tools and checked by an editor against the sources above.