National Year of Reading 2026 Campaign Launches to Tackle Reading Crisis
In a significant move to address a growing literacy crisis, the government has officially launched the National Year of Reading 2026. This flagship initiative, spearheaded by the Department for Education, kicked off with a high-profile event at London's Emirates Stadium last week. The campaign comes alongside a £27.5 million funding package for libraries announced by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, marking the latest in a series of government efforts to promote reading across the nation.
Alarming Decline in Reading Enjoyment
The campaign follows concerning research from the National Literacy Trust (NLT), which reveals that reading enjoyment among children and young people has plummeted to its lowest recorded level. The study found that only one in three individuals aged eight to eighteen now report enjoying reading "very much" or "quite a lot." This stark statistic has prompted urgent action from policymakers and literacy advocates alike.
Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the NLT, which is assisting the government with the campaign delivery, highlighted the challenges facing reading in today's digital age. "Reading doesn't seem to offer the immediate social rewards that motivate us today," Douglas explained. "It's seen as slow, solitary, and studious in a world that values speed, status, and spectacle."
Star-Studded Support and Broader Initiatives
The Year of Reading campaign has enlisted a roster of high-profile ambassadors, including celebrated author and former children's laureate Malorie Blackman. Blackman, best known for her Noughts & Crosses series, passionately advocates for making reading as natural as breathing. "Reading is so important for understanding the world around you," she emphasised. "It's very easy to become laser-focused on just your own experiences, but reading gives you a way of expanding your horizons, learning about other people and other ways of thinking and feeling and doing. We're in danger of losing that ability to connect and communicate."
Blackman credits her own local library with sparking her lifelong love of reading. "I used to live in my local library. I didn't actually go into a bookshop until I was 14, because I couldn't afford the books," she recalled. "Having a public library within walking distance, and the revelation that I could read any and all of the books, made me who I am."
This marks the third National Year of Reading campaign, following previous iterations in 1998 and 2008. However, organisers stress that this edition will focus on all forms of reading material, recognising the diverse ways people engage with text in the digital era. "I think reading has got a reputation for being this overly worthy, solitary activity, and it so isn't," Blackman noted. "There are so many types of reading you can do. There's nothing wrong with, for example, reading graphic novels or comic books."
Comprehensive Strategy and Partnership Approach
The year-long campaign aims to collaborate with schools, communities, libraries, and early years settings to boost reading for pleasure, with the ultimate goal of giving children the best possible start in life. The Department for Education is encouraging parents to lead by example in their reading habits and to read regularly with their children.
Julie Hayward, Director of Partnerships for BookTrust, one of the campaign partners, stressed the importance of early shared reading experiences. "Shared reading in the very early years is the most impactful way to build a lifelong love for reading," Hayward stated. She acknowledged that access to reading remains unequal, with some parents facing barriers such as negative educational experiences or low confidence in their own literacy levels.
The campaign's approach focuses on making reading appealing rather than presenting it as a duty. "We shouldn't be judgmental or preachy. It should be fun and joyful," Hayward added. Douglas reinforced this perspective, noting that the 2026 campaign "focuses on appeal, not duty, and highlights the immediate rewards of reading, making it feel relevant, exciting and rewarding right now, not just in the future."
Broader Context and Complementary Initiatives
The National Year of Reading forms part of a broader landscape of reading-focused initiatives. In September, Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged that every state primary school in England would have a library by the end of the current parliament. An inquiry into reading for pleasure was launched in late November, while non-government schemes continue to develop.
Among these is the newly established Children's Booker Prize, launched in October, with its first winner to be announced in early 2027. The prize will award £50,000 for the best fiction for readers aged eight to twelve, judged by a mixed panel of adults and children. The Booker Prize Foundation will also distribute 30,000 copies of shortlisted and winning books to children annually.
While welcoming increased attention for children's literature, some industry voices express cautious optimism. Steven Pryse, co-owner of the independent children's bookshop Pickled Pepper Books in north London, remains sceptical about the prize's impact. "The children's book award scene is crowded, and I'm not convinced the Children's Booker will make much of a difference," he commented. "There is a fear as well that the prize might pick up on literary books rather than stuff that is more accessible, which, for me, might be a bit of a danger, with things becoming a little hierarchical."
Research Insights and Inclusive Approaches
Academic research offers valuable insights into effective reading promotion strategies. Sabine Little, a senior language education lecturer at the University of Sheffield, has found that multilingual children typically spend more time reading for pleasure than their monolingual peers and engage with a wider variety of texts and formats.
Little explains that multilingual children often think about reading's importance in broader ways. When asked to list three important things they had read, these children rarely mentioned books solely for their plot or as favourites. Instead, their choices reflected personal connections – such as the first book read in a new country or a book that introduced them to a new hobby.
One child even cited racehorse listings in Hungarian, which they read with their grandmother during visits to Hungary. Little believes educators and parents can learn from how multilingual children forge connections to reading material and apply similar approaches with monolingual children. Validating reading material that holds personal significance in diverse ways could help create a more inclusive and engaging reading culture.
Practical Strategies for Encouraging Reading
Campaign supporters offer several practical tips for encouraging children to read:
- Make it fun: Steven Pryse suggests reading everyday texts together, such as advertisements or recipes, emphasising that reading doesn't always have to mean books.
- Create a relaxed environment: Sabine Little advises parents not to panic during periods when children read less, as pressure can create negative associations with reading.
- Share stories early: Julie Hayward recommends sharing stories from the early years to prevent reading becoming solely associated with homework.
- Read yourself: Let children see adults reading, whether magazines, newspapers, or childhood classics shared together.
- Let them read what they want: Sarah Satha of Inclusive Books for Children encourages allowing children to gravitate towards books that capture their interest, even if they seem lightweight, while supplementing with award shortlists.
As the National Year of Reading 2026 gathers momentum, its success will depend on sustained collaboration between government, educators, parents, and literacy organisations. With reading enjoyment at record lows among young people, the campaign represents a crucial opportunity to reignite passion for literature and ensure that future generations develop the literacy skills essential for personal and societal flourishing.
