APPG Publishing meeting: Harper Collins UK Report The Crisis in Children’s Reading

The APPG on Publishing of which I am Co-Chair held a meeting on 8 July 2026 to disseminate the findings of the Harper Collins UK report.  The secretariat to the APPG, the Publishers Association arranged for Alison David, Consumer Insight Director, HCCB and Farshore, Sam Eadrley, Sales and Marketing Director, Collins and Jemma Offley, Strategy and Public Affairs Manager, Harper Collins to present their findings. 

As part of the Year of Reading, there is a general encouragement to help children read for pleasure. The report set out the barriers and the solutions:

Barriers:                           Solutions:

Reading feels like work:     Remove pressure

Book discovery is hear:      Provide a wide choice

Screens win:                     Allow free choice

Infrequently read to:         Read to children, frequently and through out childhood.

Storytime in School:  Harper Collins also worked with 20 primary schools, 86 teachers 3,000 children ( 7-10) in Spring term 2023.

Teachers reported a positive impact: Enjoyment, confidence as readers, concentration, increased voluntary reading, reading a wider range of books, happiness and wellbeing. the average reading age gain was 12 months. 

The photo shows Sir Julian Lewis MP. There were other attendees included Chris Evans and Lord Mendoza who all took part in the discussion which included and possible debate at the end of the Year of Reading. 

https://www.publishers.org.uk