Download the Executive Summary
Explore the key findings in this pdf summary of the 2025 What Kids Are Reading report.
The largest study of book-reading habits and behaviours in the UK and Ireland:
Explore the report
How Kids Are Reading
Executive Summary
Explore our executive summary for the key findings of this year’s report.
Implementation Quality & Effectiveness
Learn how engagement and comprehension drive student achievement.
Children & Young People's Reading
By Christina Clark (Director of Research) and Irene Picton (Research Manager) at the National Literacy Trust.
What Kids Are Reading
Books Read Most Often
Explore the books students are reading most often.
Popularity of Authors
See which authors have topped the reading charts this academic year.
Most Read Non-fiction Books by Year
View the most read non-fiction books by year
Regional Variations
Explore the regional variations of reading habits for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Overall Summary
Data Tables
View and explore the data behind the report and build your own custom tables.
Further Reading
From the pitch to the page
Dan Freedman, bestselling author of Jamie Johnson and Unstoppable, shows how football stories are turning reluctant readers into book lovers.
Accelerated Reader and Redhill Academy Trust’s reading revolution
How Redhill Academy Trust is bucking the decline in reading for pleasure by using student data and Accelerated Reader to drive success across its schools.
Unlocking literacy: making materials more accessible and boosting writing skills in the classroom
Matt Beighton, children’s author and educator, shares insights and tips to help improve pupil writing skills by providing access to the right texts.
About the Authors
Keith Topping
Keith Topping is a Professor of Educational and Social Research at the University of Dundee and Professor of Education at RUDN University, Moscow, and conducts research worldwide. He has over 460 published works (books, chapters, peer-reviewed journal papers and distance learning packages), with translations into 19 languages. Before entering higher education, he worked for several local education authorities, social services and health care. Keith’s primary research focus is Peer Learning (including peer tutoring, cooperative learning, and peer assessment) in core skills and across subject boundaries in all sectors and contexts of education/lifelong learning. He also has an interest in computer-aided assessment. Further details are available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_James_Topping.
Dr Christina Clark & Irene Picton
Dr Christina Clark is the Director of Research, and Irene Picton is the Research Manager at the National Literacy Trust https://literacytrust.org.uk/about-us/staff.