The latest research from HarperCollins reveals that parents are losing the love of reading aloud. Data also indicates that almost one in three (29%) children aged 5–13 think reading is "more a subject to learn than a fun thing to do", up from 25% in 2022. This growing association of reading with pressure rather than pleasure is contributing to disengagement.
More than one in five boys (22%) aged 0-2 are rarely or never read to. Only 29% of boys in this age group are read to daily, compared to 44% of girls, underscoring early disparities in exposure to books. The crisis in boys reading for pleasure continues from infancy to adolescence, as only 12% of 12–13-year-old boys read for fun.
This is no doubt contributing to challenges faced by teachers when trying to encourage positive reading habits and a culture of reading in school.
However, a compelling new study shows that social book clubs and groups have a positive impact on engagement with reading, as well as providing boys with space to express emotions.
Social Reading Spaces
A new study, “Social Reading Spaces”, by HarperCollins UK in collaboration with the School Library Association, conducted over ten weeks between October 2024 and February 2025, trialled an innovative new approach to book clubs. 17 school libraries across the UK, from the Shetlands to Torquay, ran social book clubs with no expectation or pressure to read, instead fostering conversations and book talk in a relaxed and pressure-free setting.
The clubs targeted reluctant readers aged 12-13, Year 8, as 65% of boys and 48% of girls in this age group “don’t really enjoy reading books”. During adolescence, friendships and peer relationships become increasingly important, and resisting and rebelling when there is lack of choice and autonomy is prevalent. In the school setting this can lead to decreased engagement and negativity. The hypothesis was that by removing the expectation to read, children would relax and engage in a social and supportive setting.
Headlines:
Of the over 400 children who took part,
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84% said it was a worthwhile experience;
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60% said they were more interested in books and reading after the study;
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And in some schools, reading age increased by up to 1 year and 3 months.
Beyond reading ability, the book clubs also gave readers a safe space, creating social connection and space to express emotions. One boy said, “you can - like - express your emotions and your feelings here” and another boy said, “it's just a fun way of communicating and getting to read more books and become friends at the same time.”
Read the full research study here.
Children’s Reading Habits 2025
New research to understand children’s increasing disengagement with reading from HarperCollins indicates that only 32% of 5–10-year-olds frequently choose to read for enjoyment, down from 55% in 2012.
Despite reading aloud to children being a proven way to boost their enjoyment of reading, the number of parents reading aloud to children is at an all-time low.
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Fewer than half (41%) of 0–4-year-olds are read to frequently, a steep decline from 64% in 2012.
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Boys and girls are also treated differently, with only 29% of 0–2-year-old boys read to ‘every day/nearly every day’, compared to 44% of girls in the same age group.
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Only 36% of 5-7s and 22% of 8–10-year-olds are read to regularly at home.
The new data also revealed that many parents don’t find enjoyment in reading to their children, with only 40% of parents saying it is “fun for me”. Parents face increasing pressures, with 34% of parents of 0-13s wishing they had more time to read to their children.
Attitudes towards reading are changing, with parents increasingly aligning their children’s reading with schoolwork rather than something fun to enjoy.
When children are read to frequently, they very quickly come to love it and become motivated to read themselves. Research indicates that children who are read to daily are almost three times as likely to choose to read independently compared to children who are only read to weekly at home. It’s never too late to start, or resume, reading with children.
Read the full report here.
Methodology
NielsenIQ BookData’s 2024 Understanding the Children’s Book Consumer survey was undertaken in December 2024 with a nationally representative sample size, comprising 1,596 parents of children 0-13, and 420 14-17-year-olds. As part of this new research, HarperCollins Children’s Books and Farshore commissioned their own proprietary questions, providing unique insights into reading for pleasure.