Introducing the Children and young people’s reading in Ireland report 2025
Are Irish children and young people reading? If so, are they reading for pleasure? Our latest research report indicates more work required to support children and young people’s reading habits.
Today (07.07.25) we have published a new research report which provides a detailed insight into children’s and teenagers’ reading in the Republic of Ireland. The Children and young people’s reading in Ireland report reveals the most popular genres of books children and teens are reading, whether they are reading, how many books they own at home, factors that influence how adults choose books for children and more. The report is based on data collected by Ipsos B&A in December 2024 in a nationally representative online omnibus survey.
Respondents were first asked how many children up to eighteen years they have, and then asked the questions separately for each child with findings separated into three categories: aged under 4, aged 5–12, and aged 13–18.
Akin to recent research from the UK’s National Literacy Trust, the captured data uncovers a worrying pattern of plummeting rates in reading enjoyment and book ownership in children and young people.
Our key findings
More than 1 in 5 Irish children under the age of four are not being read to
According to this study, 22% of respondents with children under four years old do not read for joy, which we can interpret as not being read to. The benefits of reading are myriad, especially for babies. There is a clear need for greater awareness in families that there are significant benefits to reading from the start of a child’s life. Evidence shows that reading with 1–2-year-olds has long term benefits on academic achievement in reading and maths at 8–11 years.
24% of Irish teenagers (13–18) and 19% of boys across all age categories are not reading for pleasure
While a mere 5% of children aged 5–12 were reported not to read for pleasure, the rates of reading for pleasure are lowest in Irish teenagers and particularly pronounced in boys. Across age categories,respondents to this survey said that 19% of their male children did not read for pleasure, compared to only 12% of girls – a worrying trend that we see internationally. The decline in reading beyond the primary school years is concerning and is also in keeping with national and international trends as young people’s lives become increasingly busy and they often reach for screens instead of stories.
The average child owns 20 books, a drop from 30 books as recorded in 2023
Across all age groups, on average children own 20 books, with the average being higher among those aged 5–12 years (who own 25 on average) and girls of any age (who own 22 on average). A previous survey undertaken in early 2023, with a comparable sample of parents, indicated a significantly higher level of book ownership with children across all age groups owning an average of 30 books. These findings indicate a significantly lower number than expected. Research shows that children and young people who have books of their own are more likely to enjoy reading, to read more frequently and to read above the expected level for their age.
21% of parents believe that the most important factor when choosing a book for their child is that it will teach them something
While many adults predominantly focus on reading for enjoyment themselves, when it comes to their children, parents/carers continue to prioritise children reading for learning rather than for pleasure. The benefits of reading for pleasure are wide-ranging, including increased happiness, positive mental wellbeing, academic success and fewer socio-emotional difficulties. These figures indicate that adults must change their didactic view of books and reading to support our future generations of readers, writers and creatives.
Speaking on this latest research, Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland explains:
‘This latest research is essential evidence for us that underpins our organisation’s strategy and our work towards our vision: every child a reader. While we continue to encourage reading through the primary school years, we must share a strong message that a child is never too young to be read to, and that there are myriad benefits associated with early reading in the first three years of life that can extend far beyond childhood.
We must also examine carefully the gender disparities when it comes to children’s reading: why, in Ireland and around the world, do we see such marked differences between boys’ and girls’ reading and how can we bridge this divide by supporting all children to read for joy? Finally, amidst growing concerns about the potentially harmful effects of unsupervised smartphone use from an early age, we must stress the relevance, joy and importance of reading for teenagers and young adults.’
