“Every purchase, every listen, every share helps us extend our work from young readers in Delhi to Indigenous communities in Australia, from literacy programs in Ghana, Lebanon, and Syria to aspiring writers in over thirty countries.”
Our founder and chair, Caroline Jane Knight, the last of Jane Austen's nieces to grow up at Chawton House, introduces four new books and collectibles you can purchase to support our literacy work worldwide.
As we step into 2026, I'm thrilled to share the fruits of more than a year's extraordinary collective effort by our volunteers, ambassadors, and supporters. These four new releases represent the culmination of countless hours of dedication from teams around the world—and they're all designed to generate lasting support for our literacy mission.
2025 was a transformational year for the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. We gained international media coverage, launched the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation North American Friends during my East Coast speaking tour, and significantly expanded our reach. But perhaps most importantly, we shifted our development focus from creating more fundraising events to creating more lasting resources—books, audiobooks, and collectibles that will continue generating support for children and adults who need literacy help, year after year.
I want to personally thank every single volunteer who made these releases possible. From the volunteer teams who managed our annual writing competition, to world-renowned narrator Alison Larkin who brought our winning stories to life, to the thirty contributors who created our historic commemorative edition of Pride & Prejudice and commemorative bookplate, to the talented Austenesque authors who donated their stories to To Mark the Occasion, to the project managers, designers, editors, administrators, and artists who worked tirelessly behind the scenes—each person gave their time, talent, and expertise to create something meaningful in Jane's name. Your dedication to this vision has been extraordinary, and I'm deeply grateful.
Every purchase, every listen, every share helps us extend our work from Indigenous communities in Australia to young readers in Delhi, from literacy programs in Ghana, Lebanon, and Syria to aspiring writers in over thirty countries who enter our free annual competition….and beyond.
As we begin this new year, I invite you to explore what we've created together and to be part of the ongoing story of connecting people through literacy in Jane Austen's name.
100% of proceeds from all four releases benefit the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation.
Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Winning Stories 2025 Audiobook
Our annual free writing competition celebrates the transformative power of stories, and this year's theme, "The Power of Reading," inspired entries from over thirty countries. After our panel of volunteer judges, led by Jane MacKenzie, narrowed submissions to a longlist of twelve exceptional stories, a second panel of distinguished judges—including Susannah Harker (Jane Bennet in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice), Helena Kelly (author of Jane Austen, The Secret Radical), and myself—selected our three winning stories.
The public then voted to determine our 2025 first-place winner: Story Time by Lisette Abrahams, alongside finalists The Book Armoury by Janine Harris and Wandering Off by Jo Bardsley.
These three remarkable stories have now been brought to life by actor, comedian, author and multi-award-winning narrator Alison Larkin, whose voice has made her the world's top-selling Austen audiobook narrator. The audiobook is available now on Spotify—free to listen with a Spotify account or for a small one-time charge for those without subscriptions.
Congratulations to Lisette, Janine, and Jo for their beautiful stories celebrating literacy's power to transform lives.
Pride & Prejudice Commemorative Edition
We're proud to present a historic edition of Pride & Prejudice—the first publication of a Jane Austen novel since 1833 to feature an introduction by a family member, created to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth.
This special edition brings together Jane's timeless story with reflections on her enduring impact. As the last of Jane's nieces to grow up at Chawton House on the ancestral estate where Jane herself lived and wrote, I've contributed an introduction exploring Jane's legacy and extraordinary reach, a quarter of a millennia after her birth. The book also features personal reflections from other members of Jane's family (my family), Foundation ambassadors, and supporters on how Jane's work continues to inspire readers across the globe more than two centuries after publication.
The edition showcases beautiful artwork specially commissioned for this project, with illustrations by Caroline Siassios and a stunning cover by Julia Grantham and Lena Tarnovski. We've used the text from the celebrated 1894 Peacock Edition, creating a volume that honours both Jane's original work and her continuing influence.
Available as hardback, paperback, and ebook, this commemorative edition allows you to experience Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy's timeless romance while supporting literacy programs worldwide. These editions also make meaningful gifts for the Austen lovers in your life.
Please note: We're working with Amazon to correct the listing our hardback, paperback, and ebook on the same page. In the meantime, please use the link below.
Jane Austen 250 Commemorative Bookplate
Our newest collectable bookplate features the same beautiful artwork we commissioned for our historic edition of Pride and Prejudice, commemorating the 250th anniversary of Jane's birth.
Created by artist Lena Tarnovski in collaboration with long-time volunteer and Foundation Ambassador Julia Grantham, this is our thirteenth collectable bookplate. Julia, who has managed our Collectable Bookplate Program almost since its inception, worked with Lena to produce this design based on artwork inspired by a page from Julia's book Mr. Darcy's Guide to Pemberley.
As always, each bookplate is personalized with your name, or a friend's, written in Jane Austen's handwriting—a meaningful way to mark the special books in your library.
The bookplate tradition holds special meaning for me. Growing up at Chawton House, our family library contained over 3,000 books compiled across generations. The individual bookplate designs—some elaborate, others plain—revealed the personalities of my ancestors in ways their portraits never could, as did their choice of books. We hope our Bookplate Program helps resurrect this meaningful custom. Why not use your bookplate for future generations to discover who you are and what you loved?
We also offer many other designs in our Silhouette Collection and Artists Collection.
To Mark the Occasion: Birthday Tales for Jane Austen's 250th
Celebrate 250 years of Jane Austen with this thoughtful collection of birthday tales inspired by her unforgettable characters.
Ten talented Austenesque authors have generously donated their work to create this anthology, reimagining the lives—and celebrations—of Jane's most beloved characters. Join birthday festivities for Pride and Prejudice favourites including Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet Darcy, Mr. Bingley, Charlotte Lucas Collins, Kitty Bennet, and Georgiana Darcy. Celebrate Captain Wentworth's long-awaited occasion after Persuasion, attend Mary Crawford's debut from Mansfield Park, and experience two funerals and a birthday at Northanger Abbey.
Each story sparkles with wit, warmth, and a few surprises in the spirit of dear Jane. Brimming with humour, romance, and a keen understanding of the human heart, To Mark the Occasion is an enthusiastic tribute to Austen's enduring genius—and a joyful reminder that every year (and every story) is worth celebrating.
I've contributed a foreword reflecting on birthday celebrations at Chawton House, Jane's own modest birthdays marked with the gift of books, and how literacy was the pathway to her independence and voice. The anthology features stories by Melissa Anne, Christina Boyd, P.O. Dixon, Cathleen Earle, Harry Frost, Susan Kaye, Melanie Rachel, Denise Stout, and Bethany R. Tolson, with editing by Zarilda Belle Frost.
Supporting Literacy in Jane's Name
Each of these releases represents more than entertainment or commemoration—they're tools for change. When you purchase our commemorative Pride & Prejudice, download our audiobook, add a bookplate to your collection, or enjoy birthday tales with beloved characters, you're directly supporting literacy programs that transform lives.
Your support helps Indigenous children in Australia access digital libraries where Pride and Prejudice has become their most downloaded book. It funds reading programs for young children in Delhi's most impoverished areas. It provides resources for literacy projects in Ghana, Lebanon, Syria, Timor, UK and US. It enables our free international writing competition that inspires aspiring writers worldwide and the resources we provide for schools.
This is how we honour Jane's legacy—by ensuring that more people can experience the transformative power of reading and writing that Jane herself cherished and championed.
Thank you for being part of this mission. Together, we're connecting people through literacy, in honour of Jane.
Caroline
Caroline Jane Knight
Founder & Chair, Jane Austen Literacy Foundation
