Scholastic 2008 Kids and Family Reading Report

The report is here.

A finding that I found interesting is, 'Most kids say there are not enough really good books for boys/girls their age, and they say
finding books they like is one of the key reasons they do not read for fun more frequently.'

Along with, 'Kids like choosing their own books — 89% say their favorite books are the ones they
picked out themselves.'

This highlights the key part of my new job description, and of all librarians. Children need the opportunity to find a book they like, but they need support and guidance to do it. Displays, promotions and recommendations is the way to do this.

My dissertation for my teaching degree was about getting children to enjoy reading. One of my main findings is that children like reading in groups (either all around one book, or by discussing afterwards) and that they like to talk about what they read. This led to a controversial approach in my guided reading sessions - I didn't require them to be silent. I hope to continue this approach in my library.