Why Reading is Essential to your Child
…and some great new publications
We’ve all heard that reading is key to a child’s educational success.
But how else does reading help my child grow?
1. It helps your child develop a moral compass- a sense of wisdom & justice.
Many of the best children’s books deal with moral dilemmas, with the struggle between good and evil, and now that the world’s on fire in so many ways, our children have an urgent need to envisage different, better worlds. It’s hugely empowering for them to see a child like them at the centre of the battle against wrongdoing; a child who has agency and makes heroic choices.
2. Imagination and focus
Stories require sustained attention and imagination, unlike the shallow attention demanded by social media or television. Close observation and slow, considered thinking, necessary to reading, are also key in developing deeper, analytical thinking in your child.
How do I make my child into a passionate reader?
1. Read together- if your child is still little then read to her every single night, making this the best part of your day; hot chocolate, closeness and a magical stepping into another world together.
2. Once he is older, you could both read the same book in parallel and share ideas, book-club style: Why is X such a terrifying character? Why on earth did Y make such a huge mistake? What would you have done?
This talk is not just about the story- it’s about unravelling ideas and ways of being in the world.
3. Make regular trips to the school library together and, if you can afford to, to bookshops.
Why does reading matter so much right now?
Reading is under fire. Statistically, fewer children than ever say they enjoy reading.
One million children in the UK do not have a single book. Figures are thought to be similar across Europe.
Many schools don’t have a library. Yet one quarter of all 3-4 year olds in the UK have a smartphone of their own.
It’s a child’s birth right to be part of our oldest art form: storytelling.
Now more than ever, stories might be the perfect antidote to our world of chaos, half-truths and very few answers.
What are some great new books for my child?
Here are some links to newly published books that would make great gifts, at Christmas or any time.
13- 16 year olds (young adult fiction)
• Christmas books for 3-11 year olds
Audrey Reeder, December 2025
