Isabelle Osborne
To mark World Book Day 2022, which was on Thursday 3rd March, Isabelle Osborne reflects on the importance of nurturing a love of reading for pleasure across all generations, and where to start if you are looking for a book.
In April 1995, UNESCO created World Book Day, a celebration of reading that fosters conversations around books and promotes a love of reading for pleasure. 1997 marked the first World Book Day in the UK and Ireland. 25 years later, more than 100 countries around the world marked World Book Day on March 3rd 2022.
World Book Day aims to ‘[change] lives through a love of books and shared reading’ in the hope that children from all backgrounds will develop ‘a life-long habit of reading for pleasure’ and benefit from ‘the improved life chances this brings them.’
World Book Day 2022
Research from the National Literacy Trust on the impact of World Book Day on the reading lives of children in the UK 2019-2021 shows that World Book Day is a ‘much-anticipated’ day.
Each year, the charity creates engaging, creative opportunities to encourage the sharing of stories amongst children and young people. Their ‘fun resources’ include colouring sheets and reading-themed craft activities such as make-your-own bunting, book jacket design, and costume making.
“Children and young people can also receive a book token and choose a book from the World Book Day selection.”
The ‘Author & Illustrator Academy’ hosts tutorials with authors such as Michael Morpurgo and illustrators including Rikin Parekh.
A range of free audiobooks and videos on the World Book Day YouTube channel are also available, and a variety of events with literary icons including Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell and Sophie McKenzie have streamed this week. Children and young people can also receive a book token and choose a book from the World Book Day selection.
Research from the National Literacy Trust on how World Book Day impacts the reading lives of children in the UK (2019-2021) shows that World Book Day is a ‘much-anticipated’ day of the year. It encourages many children to venture ‘beyond usual reading choices’ for many children, and also provokes discussions that deepen ‘children’s engagement with reading’.
The importance of reading for pleasure and barriers to literacy
World Book Day sparks a larger conversation into why reading is important to people of all ages. Reading is a foundational skill that we exercise in every aspect of our lives, from reading a newspaper to filling out important documents. Reading for pleasure is connected to nurturing our reading skills; it increases our reading attainment and writing ability, and has an impact on the breadth of our vocabulary and general knowledge.
It has been identified as offering a better understanding of other cultures and a ‘greater insight into human nature and decision-making’. Reading for pleasure is also linked to social mobility, as it boosts academic performance and lifetime earning potential. It also brings so much joy to one’s life. Books are an escapism, opening a door to a different world beyond anything you may have experienced before and helping us grow and develop new ideas. The best stories often stay with you forever.
“In their 2021 impact report, World Book Day revealed that fewer than 1 in 2 children and young people aged 9 to 18 say they enjoy reading either ‘very much’ or ‘quite a lot’.”
Enjoyment itself is a fundamental factor in regard to the impact reading has on a young person. Children who enjoy reading are three times more likely to read above the level expected for their age and have good mental wellbeing than children who do not enjoy reading.
However, whilst reading for pleasure is ‘the single biggest indicator of a child’s success’, it has seen a decline. In their 2021 impact report, World Book Day revealed that fewer than 1 in 2 children and young people aged 9 to 18 say they enjoy reading either ‘very much’ or ‘quite a lot’.
A decline in reading for pleasure is not only seen amongst young people. Speaking on Steven Bartlett’s podcast Diary Of A CEO, writer and journalist Johann Hari revealed that a startling ‘57% of Americans now never read a book in any given year’. Now, more than ever, World Book Day is crucial for maintaining momentum with reading for pleasure.
A conversation around the importance of reading also sparks a discussion of the issues that continue to perpetuate low and decreasing literacy rates, in the UK and globally. The Doorstep Library states that, for ‘various reasons’, ‘children coming from disadvantaged areas are less likely to have books, less likely to read with their parents and less likely to read for pleasure’.
For almost 3 in 10 primary school-aged children who are eligible for free school meals, the book they chose with their World Book Day token in 2020 was the first book of their own.
Such reaffirms the importance of establishing an agenda that ensures literacy development and a love of reading is an accessible experience for children of all backgrounds and experiences, so young people both in the UK and across the world are empowered to become readers.
“Reading for pleasure is something that shapes many lives; as we look beyond World Book Day 2022, let it be the thing that shapes all lives.”
In answer to the question ‘What would the world look like, 25 years from now, if more of today’s children had access to books, could see themselves in books and were reading for pleasure?’, leading figures across literary organisations and charities highlight the importance of providing equal opportunities for children to grow a love for reading.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said ‘[the] world would be a better and more equal place. Books are the essential tool for engineering change.’ Greater access to books is what Katie Bareham, CEO of The Doorstep Library, hopes will ‘bridge the gap between children living in areas of deprivation and their more affluent counterparts.’
Perminder Mann, CEO of Bonnier Books UK, captures how reading for pleasure ‘has the power to bring communities together, empower individuals and create greater equality of opportunity for children everywhere.’
Organisations across the country are contributing to World Book Day’s efforts to nurture reading for pleasure for all children. The National Literacy Trust host an award-winning Young Readers Programme that supports children in disadvantaged areas with their reading. Partnering with the Morrisons Foundation in 2021, the Trust also donated 5,000 books to school libraries in England, Scotland and Wales for over 130,000 primary school children.
The importance of reading for pleasure has also been recognised at the UK Government level. Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledges that reading is important for ‘shaping children and young people’s futures’, whilst Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi MP is ‘determined to meet [their] ambitious target for 90 per cent of children leaving primary school at the expected standards in reading and writing by 2030’.
Reading for pleasure is something that shapes many lives; as we look beyond World Book Day 2022, let it be the thing that shapes all lives.
Reflecting on World Book Day 2022: Nurture Your Inner Bookworm
Why not start a new reading resolution? Whether you are interested in fiction or non-fiction, here are two suggestions to start your journey with…
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
A haunting, gripping novel about a young woman who marries the captivating, mysterious and recently widowed Maxim de Winter. After becoming the new Mrs de Winter, our protagonist cannot shake the feeling that Rebecca, Maxim’s first wife, lingers in the halls of Manderley.
Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books – Cathy Rentzenbrink
This delightful book is more than just a memoir. Rentzenbrink takes us through her life as it has been influenced and shaped by the books she has read, both as a child and an adult. You will walk away with many recommendations to discover and, hopefully, be inspired by Rentzenbrink’s deep passion for books.
You could also support your local library and independent bookstores, and search for your next read in the wide selection of books on sale in charity shops and on second-hand book websites.
Featured image courtesy of Andrew Ebrahim on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.
Isabelle Osborne
Isabelle Osborne is currently reading English at University College London. She is an active member of the UCL student journalist community, and has experience in marketing and communications, blogging, copywriting and content creation and radio broadcasting.