Vick Hope, a National Year of Reading 2026 ambassador, has highlighted the transformative power of books for children, drawing on her volunteer work with the Literacy Pirates after-school reading programme. Writing for the publication, she emphasised that reading fosters empathy, confidence, and academic improvement, and called on adults to help children discover the joy of reading.
Reading Habits Show Modest Upturn After Historic Low
New research from the National Literacy Trust reveals a slight recovery in children's reading engagement. The percentage of children who enjoy reading rose from 32.7% to 36.1%, and daily reading habits increased from 18.7% to 20.3%, after hitting a 20-year low in 2025. However, these figures remain significantly lower than a decade ago, when 58.6% enjoyed reading and 32% read daily. Hope attributes the decline to factors such as time pressures, distractions, and social media.
Volunteering Reveals Tangible Benefits
Hope, who volunteers with the Literacy Pirates, described witnessing children who were a year behind their peers make substantial progress. She noted that their confidence grows as they learn to speak up and share opinions about what they read, realising their thoughts are valid. "I've seen children become excited to put their hands up and offer their thoughts on a book — which is something so special to see when children aren't always encouraged to believe that their thoughts on reading and writing are as valid as their teacher's, or anyone else's," she wrote.
Empathy and Solace Through Stories
Hope argued that the most important gain from reading is empathy: "You learn to walk a day in the shoes of someone else." She recalled reading Malorie Blackman's Noughts & Crosses as a child, which helped her understand her parents' interracial relationship and the realities of racism and conflict. She also referenced an interview with children's author Katherine Rundell, who said children's books should address harder subjects to help young readers process and navigate similar experiences in their own lives.
Practical Tips for Encouraging Reading
Hope suggested that parents and carers can start by linking reading to children's existing interests. For example, if a child loves video games, they might read about level design; if they are passionate about football, a matchday programme or player biography could spark interest. She also encouraged volunteering, donating books, or supporting online through the Go All In website.
A Child's Insight on Poetry
Reflecting on a recent volunteer session, Hope shared a poignant moment with a young girl who loved poems. When asked why, the girl replied: "You don't know what they're supposed to mean, so you can work it out yourself." Hope called this "an amazing metaphor for life," explaining that reading gives children permission to formulate their own opinions and question the world. "So often we're told what to think, and we're expected to accept how things are. But really, what books can show us is that we can question everything, and everything is open to interpretation," she wrote.
