Exclusive: listen to Olivia Colman reading Matt Haig’s The Truth Pixie

Posted by: Sarah Biddlecombe
Published: 11 months ago

Stylist can exclusively reveal that Olivia Colman has created a special edition audiobook of The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig. Read on to listen to an extract, right here…

There’s nothing we love more than when two of our heroes come together, especially when they do it all in aid of charity.

And today, stylist.co.uk can exclusively reveal that Olivia Colman has joined forces with Matt Haig to release a special edition of his bestselling book, The Truth Pixie. Colman has narrated a new audiobook of the bestseller, which has already sold over 50,000 copies to date since being published back in October.

Even better, both Colman and Haig will be donating all proceeds from the sale of the new book to children’s charity, Unicef UK, of which Colman is an ambassador.

Colman first read The Truth Pixie while filming on the set of The Crown, and was so moved by the story that it made her cry.

The book follows the story of what happens when the Truth Pixie, who can only speak the truth, meets a little girl who is going through a tough time in her life. The Truth Pixie helps the little girl accept that life will have sad times as well as happy times, helping her to cope with what is happening in her life.

The book deals with difficult issues in a way that makes them easy for children to understand, and was written by Haig in response to repeated requests that he write a mental health book for children; he likens it to being ‘Reasons To Stay Alive, For Children’. His original memoir, Reasons To Stay Alive, detailed his breakdown in his twenties and how he subsequently learned to manage his mental health, and went on to win a slew of awards after it was published in 2015. It also stayed in the top 10 book charts for 49 weeks and has inspired millions of people around the world.

Speaking to stylist.co.uk about the new special edition of The Truth Pixie, Haig says: “There is no greater joy as a writer than getting to hear someone as supernaturally talented as Olivia read your own words.”

And while the story is a children’s book, it can also be enjoyed by adults. “The Truth Pixie is a story I wrote to help kids get through tricky moments of childhood, and adults who are feeling a bit down to help reconnect to their inner child,” Haig adds.

“With Olivia on board it adds that extra magic. My kids loved it when she did the voice of the Pixie.’

You can listen to an exclusive clip of Olivia Colman reading The Truth Pixie below, and order your copy through Audible from tomorrow, 4 December. (Can’t see the audio file? Click here to listen)

This very special edition of Matt Haig’s bestselling children’s story The Truth Pixie, read by Olivia Colman will be available exclusively with Audible from Tuesday 4 December. For every copy sold of this exclusive edition, Canongate will donate 50p in aid of Unicef UK.

Images: Getty