In a bold move to address the declining reading enjoyment among children and young people, the British government has launched the National Year of Reading 2026, a £27.5 million initiative aimed at reigniting a passion for books across the country.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Department for Education, comes on the heels of a concerning report by the National Literacy Trust, which found that just one in three eight to 18-year-olds now enjoy reading “very much” or “quite a lot”. Determined to turn the tide, the government has partnered with a star-studded lineup of ambassadors, including acclaimed author Malorie Blackman, to inspire a new generation of readers.
“It’s about making reading seem as natural and everyday as breathing,” says Blackman, the former Children’s Laureate. “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.”
The year-long campaign will see a multifaceted approach, working with schools, communities, libraries, and early years settings to boost reading for pleasure. Alongside this, the government has announced plans to ensure every state primary school in England has a library by the end of this parliament, and has launched an inquiry into reading for enjoyment.
Recognising the diverse reading habits of today’s youth, the campaign will focus on all forms of reading material, from graphic novels to car magazines. “There are so many types of reading you can do,” Blackman emphasises. “If you’re into cars or motorbikes or whatever it might be – whatever hobby or pastime – you can get more out of it if you read about it.”
The campaign’s emphasis on enjoyment over duty is a strategic shift, aiming to make reading feel “relevant, exciting and rewarding right now, not just in the future,” according to Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literacy Trust.
However, some experts caution against an overly narrow focus on pleasure. Sabine Little, a senior language education lecturer at the University of Sheffield, has found that multilingual children often forge connections to books in ways that go beyond plot or personal preferences, such as the first book read in a new country or the one that introduced them to a new hobby.
The launch of the Children’s Booker Prize, a new £50,000 award for the best fiction for readers aged 8 to 12, is seen as a positive step in broadening the literary landscape. But some, like Steven Pryce, co-owner of the independent children’s bookshop Pickled Pepper Books, remain sceptical about its impact, fearing it might prioritise “literary books” over more accessible ones.
Nonetheless, the National Year of Reading 2026 and the Children’s Booker Prize share a common goal: to inspire children to discover the joy of reading, no matter their interests or backgrounds. As Blackman eloquently puts it, “Whatever you’re into, there are books out there for you. When people say to me that they don’t like reading, I always say to them: you just haven’t found the right book yet.”
