Esther Brown, teacher and English lead at Hawes Primary School, suggests carrying out an occasional audit. This involves looking at the reading opportunities that take place in a normal week - if such a thing exists in schools anymore. It’s worth carrying out as an English lead, and particularly valuable when undertaken alongside a handful of children from each class.

I’ve done this a couple of times over the academic year and have always found the results interesting. Most recently, I discussed it with pupils from our three Y5/6 classes to get their views.

First, they were happy that we were reading two books simultaneously as a class, and that there was a link between them. The Final Year, by Matt Goodfellow, is our class novel, and Skellig, by David Almond, is the text we’re studying in English. They talked about connections between the books and speculated about whether the authors had exchanged ideas.

We then looked at some of the wider reading we’d done across the curriculum that week, including the language used by estate agents when writing adverts in English, and a variety of non-fiction texts about big cats in Science. They specifically mentioned that they preferred to read whole books rather than just extracts, as it ‘makes more sense’. This gave a broader picture of how reading threads through our curriculum.

Our daily routines, such as independent reading and Poem of the Day, were also discussed, with some children saying that they enjoy getting out the cushions and beanbags, finding a cosy spot in the classroom to read. Despite the pressures of KS2 assessment, I was particularly pleased that this routine had remained in place.

Once we’d talked about the reading that happens every day, we discussed what else had been going on. Several children had worked on updating the song lyrics folder, which has rapidly become the most popular reading material in class, and another group had updated the pupil recommendations shelf. Some had also been coming in at lunchtime to select books to take down and read in the KS1 playground, as well as to refresh the stock in the KS2 Reading Shed.

As always, one of our weekly assemblies is based around a picturebook. This time, it was My Blood, Your Blood by Laura Henry-Allain MBE, which tells the moving story of a young girl with sickle cell. We also shared it with families in an attempt to raise awareness of the importance of donating blood.

Much of this is child led. In terms of my role as an English lead, I delivered a short training session to our team of Year 5/6 Reading Buddies, where I provided them with a few empathy-based questions they could use with their partners. I organised this term’s rota of staff volunteers to read a story in our after-school library slot. At the start of the year, we were only getting two or three pupils to attend; we’re now getting about twenty. I also sorted out and distributed a generous donation of magazines from a parent, which included back issues of The Phoenix and The Week Junior, both of which are very popular in school, and contacted our local library about a visit from our Year 1 pupils.

What had initially felt like a quiet week turned out to be anything but. Looking back, there was a lot more going on than I realised. However, most of what was happening was driven by the pupils. It was all based around routines that are sustainable, manageable and firmly embedded in the life of the school.

Time is always short in schools but, if you can, do try and spend five minutes thinking about your school’s reading culture at least a couple of times over the academic year. It’s important to reflect on and celebrate the progress made, as well as consider the next steps in a strategic way.

As an aside, I recently read a review copy of the verse novel When the Birds Wake Up by Jessica Mary Ellis (illustrated by Sophie Burrows). It’s incredibly good - perhaps one of the most emotionally powerful children’s books of the past few years.

There are several simple but effective ways to ‘drip feed’ knowledge of children’s books to parents. As a starting point, it is worth asking pupils for potential strategies, as they understand their parents best. For example, this year our Reading Champions came up with the idea of recording a short video where they each talked about a couple of favourite books because ‘my mum watches loads of TikTok’. They included poetry, graphic novels, picturebooks, non-fiction and novels, and showed where the books could be found in the school library. The video was then shared with parents and added to the school’s online platforms. We included links to where the books could be purchased, to make getting hold of a copy as easy as possible. They were also put on display in the reception area at the front of the school, along with a comment on a sticky note from one of the pupils, again to make them easy to track down.

In our Friday celebration assembly, to which parents and carers are invited, we always ensure that we find the time for at least one book recommendation. It is usually from a pupil (who is introduced by our Reading Champions), but sometimes a member of staff discovers a new book that they’re keen to talk about. Importantly, the recommendation is not always from a child who is necessarily a keen reader, as all our pupils need to have the opportunity to contribute.

We regularly share books on our school Facebook page as we know that it is often the first port of call for families. When we learned that The Wild Robot was being made into a film, it seemed like the ideal time to let parents know that we already had several copies in the school library.

Recently, we have started to run an occasional book giveaway, where we promote a book that we know will be popular with pupils, write a short summary of it and then give parents the chance to win a copy by liking and commenting on the post. We have learned that, once they are aware of it, some will pick up a copy of the book from the local library or occasionally buy one - we send a link to local bookshops rather than Amazon. It is a simple and effective way to share recommendations. There is obviously a small cost but if it is only done every few weeks, it should be manageable (although hearing about the desperate state of some school budgets this year, maybe not). There is the enormous added benefit of increasing book ownership among pupils. This is something we know is an increasing issue, not just at our school but across the country. In a 2025 study by the National Literacy Trust, 10% of children did not own a book of their own, with the figure rising to 16% for children receiving free school meals, figures that become bleaker every year. This is a societal issue, rather than a school issue, but if we can help get more books into the hands of our pupils, we have a duty, both professional and moral, to do so.

School WhatsApp groups can sometimes cause huge problems (insert your own horror story here, as I am sure we all have at least one) but they can also have a really positive impact. We set up a Moorlands Reading Group a couple of years ago that is still going strong. We put in place a few ground rules, which were basically around keeping the conversation to books and reading, and we moderate it from our school mobile. Although the group only has about 20 members and most of them are parents who are already quite engaged with their children’s reading, we have had a few people join who want ideas about how they can help their child with their reading. The fact that the majority of the suggestions come from other parents, rather than teachers, makes it more collaborative and less threatening. It is lovely to be able to take a back seat and let them engage with each other, especially when they offer to lend books and organise visits to the local library.

It’s important to remember that almost all parents do want their children to enjoy reading but often lack confidence in their own knowledge of children’s books, which is completely understandable. After all, it might have been twenty years since they read their last children’s story! If schools can make it slightly easier for them, suggesting and guiding them towards books we think their children will enjoy, but also providing valuable opportunities for them to interact with other parents, the potential benefits are immense.

I’m writing this article soon after after the NEU annual conference in Harrogate, where I delivered a lunchtime session on building a classroom reading culture. It was a privilege to be in the company of so many passionate and dedicated educators, and I thoroughly enjoyed every conversation I had. We swapped book recommendations and talked about the numerous challenges that schools are currently facing.

A couple of months ago, I came across a thought-provoking article from Alice Reedy and David Reedy about the different factors that influence children’s book choices. These included familiarity with the text, representation, genre and perception of themselves of readers.

The link to their article is here: https://collins.co.uk/blogs/the-book-squad-blog/what-influences-children-s-choices-when-they-read-for-pleasure

It made me reflect on how the pupils in my class select books. Although we talk regularly about what we’re all reading, we don’t spend as long sharing the reasons behind our choices, and I felt it would be a valuable conversation to have.

I started by explaining a few things I take into consideration when deciding what to read. I talked about how I enjoy the familiarity of reading work from authors I already know and featuring characters I’ve already met. At this point I went off at a slight tangent about how the Jack Reacher series is like a grown-up version of The Famous Five, where the plot in each book is almost interchangeable. Books recommended by friends and colleagues were also high on my list, with some people’s recommendations perhaps carrying more weight, depending on how similar I felt our reading interests were. Other factors such as online reviews, social media and the kind of mood I’m in play a part, and I emphasised that there are often numerous, and simultaneous, considerations affecting my choices.

At this point, I asked the pupils to share in small groups what was important to them when selecting texts, with each group feeding back to the class. It was fascinating to hear what they had to say.

The influence of peers was clearly a major factor. Some children said that if they saw several of their friends reading the same book, it was probably going to be one they’d enjoy. Amulet, the graphic novel series, was referred to repeatedly; there are nine in the series and there have been multiple times over recent years when they’ve all been off the shelves. The influence of individual children was also apparent; “I have a look at what Josh is reading as we like the same things”. The idea of ‘fitting in’ was brought up several times. One child explained that if they read the same books as other pupils, building friendships might be easier.

‘If the characters are like me’ was something else that was mentioned frequently, which reinforces how essential it is for all children to be able to see themselves reflected in what they read. A lot of my pupils enjoy contemporary books set in school (The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, New Kid by Jerry Craft and Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott, for example) where they could be a character in the story. The importance of the blurb, the front cover and ‘flicking through the pages’ also came up. After discussing it further, one pupil said, “I don’t actually choose a book because of just one thing, there’s loads of things I think about.” which a lot of the pupils agreed with.

Taking all this into account, there are several implications for practice. Classroom shelves need to include books by writers that the children are already familiar with and books that are part of a series. Having multiple copies of popular books - a huge financial challenge - is important as it helps build a shared reading community. Genuine representation, with diverse characters, stories and perspectives that reflect the different experiences of individuals and communities, is absolutely essential. Many teachers understand that reading is a social activity which can be enhanced by interactions with others. Independent reading time has increasingly moved away from the ‘everyone sit in silence and read’ model, which was common when I started teaching. Children are encouraged to move around the room, sit with friends and talk about what they’re reading.

It’s impossible for educators to be aware of all the amazing children’s books being published so ‘teachers need support in order to find the time and space to widen their reading repertoires and enrich their knowledge base’ (Cremin et al, Teachers as Readers, 2009). We can, and do, support each other already, but improving teacher knowledge of children’s literature needs to be recognised as a critical part of ongoing professional development.

Finding time to learn about how the children you teach choose their books is definitely worth doing, and something I’ll be prioritising when I meet my new class in September.

At a time when the number of children choosing to read is in decline, they offer an alternative route into reading for pupils and staff. Recent books such as Fia and the Last Snow Deer by Eilish Fisher and The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow are incredibly popular with primary pupils. For secondary readers, Wild East by Ashley Hickson-Lovence and Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann provide thought-provoking, engaging experiences. Verse novels look different on the page, with the text appearing far less intimidating. There’s white space, breathing room, time to think. For many children, the reduced amount of text makes reading feel possible. At last, here’s a book I might be able to finish! A few years ago, I taught a boy who would often give up on books after a couple of chapters. One afternoon, he picked up Zombierella by Joseph Coelho (which had somehow magically appeared at his desk during lunchtime) as it ‘didn’t look too long’. Within a week, he’d finished the book and was asking for the next in the series.

Verse novels are also very powerful when read aloud, which is one of the reasons why we get through so many. The rhythm of the words lends itself to performance and allows teachers to model fluency and expression. My pupils understand why I might pause, emphasise certain words or read at a different volume or tempo. Seeing the text, either in front of them or on the whiteboard, can quickly help build confidence around reading aloud.

The fact that verse novels contain fewer words certainly doesn’t make them easier texts. They can contain a huge range of emotions and demand that readers – or listeners, if you’re sharing one with a class – pause, think and infer. The conversations we had about The Crossover by Kwame Alexander last year were incredibly thoughtful and reflective. One of my pupils even said, after a tragic event towards the end of the book, “There was more to talk about in that poem than some stories have in a whole chapter.” As the year goes on, there’s an increased shared understanding that one line, sometimes even one word, can mean so many different things and regularly provokes passionate debate.

The majority of verse novels are written in the first person, often from perspectives that are underrepresented in children’s books, and encourage reflection. For pupils developing empathy and exploring their own identity, this can help them realise that they’re not alone and that others share similar worries and fears. They are also valuable from a writing perspective, showing pupils that writing doesn’t have to be long to be effective. Precision and word choice matter.

Marie Zarro, English lead at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and a passionate advocate of verse novels, recently said, “Verse novels can make reading feel easy, with the narrative momentum of a novel and the imagery, rhythm, and emotional depth of poetry. Children can have the satisfaction of finishing a whole book whilst still keeping up with the complexities of the plot. It’s a lovely feeling to read a book from cover to cover and to feel the deep emotional journey of a character.”

A healthy reading diet is about balance and, for me, verse novels sit alongside picturebooks, graphic novels and prose texts, each offering something different and unique. It’s worth trying to find at least one verse novel to share with your class next year. They really come alive when they’re heard and offer children something different and exciting, a new way to think about the impact of a story and the power of words.

As a slight aside, a few months ago, Marie and I decided to set up a pupil-judged verse novel award, with both primary and secondary categories. We were very fortunate to receive sponsorship from both The Literacy Tree and Badger Learning. The interest from schools was overwhelming, with almost 150 applying to take part in the judging process. We’ve currently shortlisted the books which will be sent to schools in September, with the winning books being announced at an online awards ceremony

The headline for this piececomes from my favourite TV show, Firefly. The full quote is ‘No power in the ‘verse can stop me’, which doesn’t quite work. But I was determined to try and squeeze it in.

Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked with schools to build reading cultures where reading is celebrated and valued by children, staff and families. I’ve written numerous articles about the importance of Reading for Pleasure and delivered sessions at conferences and for many of the English Hubs.

It’s something that I’m passionate about and something I believe in. The recent report from the House of Commons Education Select Committee has made a number of recommendations that mean the work schools do to make reading a central part of school life will become even more important over the next few years.

I’ll still continue to share lots of free ideas, articles and resources, as I always have done. Alongside this, from August, I’m going to start sending a monthly Reading for Pleasure toolkit to subscribers, sharing practical ideas and strategies that schools can use. It will include:

• one Reading for Pleasure audit – for example, Time to Read

• one staff meeting idea

• one research summary

• one classroom idea

• one book list – for example, Verse Novels for KS2

• one parent resource

• links to useful articles and resources

My hope is that each email will give you something to think about, something to discuss with colleagues and, most importantly, something to take away and use in your own school. I’m aiming to keep it simple, practical and affordable, at £5 a month.

If nothing else, it will give me another deadline to worry about.

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