Extensive research proves that children who read for pleasure will gain advantages that last their whole lives.
Reading for pleasure is more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status, says the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Reading for Change, Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The National Literacy Trust cites overwhelming evidence that literacy has a significant relationship with a person’s happiness and success. A deep engagement with storytelling and great literature link directly to emotional development in primary children, according to The Rose Review, 2008 Independent Review of the Primary School Curriculum.
There is a strong association between the amount of reading for pleasure children reported and their reading achievement, reports the Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study (PIRLS) (National Foundation for Educational Research, 2006, Twist et al. National Report for England)
But the academic benefits of a strong leisure reading habit are not confined to improved reading ability. Leisure reading makes students more articulate, develops higher order reasoning, and promotes critical thinking, says the National Endowment for the Arts in “To read or not to read”, 2007.
Click here for our list of suggested books for reading for pleasure
100 Books to Read Before You Leave Year 6
Pioneer Federation’s List of Suggested Books for Reading for Pleasure