Why we need to get children and teenagers reading for pleasure again

Written by Flora (15 year old work experience student).

Reading for pleasure isn’t just about getting good grades or doing homework, it’s about escaping into another world, understanding other people’s lives, and giving our minds a break from all the scrolling we do every day. But more and more young people are drifting away from books, and that’s a real problem. Social media is always just a tap away, and attention spans are getting shorter, so now reading is seen as “boring”. And that needs to change.

Honestly, I don’t really read for fun anymore. When I was younger, I loved it, reading was exciting and enjoyable. But now school has made it feel like work. We’re often made to read books that don’t relate to our lives, and instead of enjoying the story, we’re stressed about memorising quotes and writing essays.

After a long day of lessons, homework and trying to keep up with friends or socials, it’s just easier to watch YouTube or scroll TikTok than to pick up a book. But reading is important - not just for fun, but for education too. Studies show that reading is linked to stronger writing skills, better wellbeing and confidence, and even higher future earnings. It helps our minds and our moods, yet it’s still disappearing from our daily lives.

One reason is that it’s hard to find books that actually interest us. We need stories that talk about real issues, different cultures and what it’s like to be a teenager today. Maybe if reading felt more social, more of us would do it. Things like reading challenges, book swaps or TikTok reviews could help make it feel fun again.

I was shocked to find out that people who are strong readers and writers in primary school go on to earn around £65,000 more in their lifetimes. That really motivated me to try reading for pleasure again. It also made me realise how serious this decline in reading is for people my age and younger.

It would really help if more celebrities and influencers talked about the books they’re reading. Marcus Rashford has done a lot to promote children’s books, and Emma Watson has her own book club. If someone I looked up to said, “This book changed how I see the world”, I’d be more likely to read it.

Brands could help too. For example, TGJones (formally WHSmith) already do stuff with authors and public figures, and even places like Lush could get involved, imagine a bath bomb and book set for self-care!

In the end, reading for pleasure helps us slow down, imagine new things and understand the world better. It builds empathy, confidence and creativity all things we really need right now. If influencers, celebrities, schools, brands, and even our friends all worked together to bring reading back into our lives, I think the younger generations would fall in love with books again. We just need the right stories and the right people to remind us how powerful reading can be.