One book, any book – ideas to get them reading

Reading for pleasure is one of the single most important activities that can improve children’s lives – boosting self-esteem, bridging the attainment gap, developing critical-thinking skills, a wider vocabulary and spelling (which improves future job prospects), promoting understanding of other cultures and general knowledge, encouraging social skills, and even reducing the risk of depression.

Furthermore, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development recently found that reading enjoyment is more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status, which means it could be an important way to raise educational standards and combat social exclusion.

Reading for pleasure is also, unhappily, a trend that is on the decline. Fewer kids are reading books, magazines and comics outside of school, and more than a fifth never read in their own time.