Building a ‘global reading village’: practical strategies for the National Year of Reading 2026

In the UK publishing world, talk about declining reading for pleasure has become a familiar refrain. But with the launch of the National Year of Reading 2026, the sector finds itself at a pivotal moment with a real chance to change the conversation and put reading back at the heart of children’s lives.

At our recent BookMachine Campus panel, experts came together to problem solve. Laura Summers (BookMachine), Emma Pritchard (World Book Day), Emily Guille-Marrett (Pickatale), Matthew Apsley (headteacher at Henry Cavendish Primary, Lambeth) and Sanjee De Silva (Sweet Cherry Publishing) joined forces to explore how publishers and schools can pool their influence and expertise to tackle a steep decline in reading for pleasure.

“Reading is at the core of everything that we do, but there is a thought sometimes that reading in schools is all about filling in your reading diary. And I think sometimes we need to get away from that, because what we need to do is to help children realise that reading is fun, reading is cool, reading is inspiring, reading takes you on a journey, it takes you on an adventure.” 

Matthew Apsley, Headteacher, Henry Cavendish School

Close the school-awareness gap

The scale of the reading challenge becomes glaringly clear in the classroom. Although Matthew had heard about the National Year of Reading, his wider teaching team had not. That lack of awareness illustrates just how much work lies ahead.

Emma emphasised that building national awareness is not something one organisation can achieve alone. It requires a movement for the whole industry where we all come together. Sanjee describes that shared responsibility as building a “global reading village” – a community of publishers, retailers, teachers, librarians and parents, all connected by the same mission.

Create resources that resonate

To support schools short on time and stretched by budgets, practical, ready-to-use resources are critical:

• Pre-prepared digital content that schools can deploy straight away, so teachers don’t have to build everything from scratch.
• Regular author assemblies — live or recorded — that help build a continuous connection between children and writers, creating an online relationship.
• Child-to-child recommendation systems, such as the “Book Flicks” display at Matthew’s school, where students post book suggestions they’re excited about.
• A central hub for resources, plus staff training materials (for example, presentation decks for staff meetings) to help embed these initiatives across a school.

“One of the main things I try and convince parents to do is read in front of your child, make it a shared experience, and  picture books are a really good way of making sure that the whole family is involved … my gateway to getting to kids reading is actually the parents.”

Sanjee De Silva, Publisher, Sweet Cherry Publishing

Make all reading count

Push back on narrow definitions of reading. All formats matter and we should challenge traditional biases. As Sanjee said “He only reads graphic novels… that counts!” 

Strategies for widening access and fostering choice include:

• Age neutrality: World Book Day avoids “ageing” its books, ensuring older children with lower reading confidence still feel free to choose what they love.
• All formats welcome: Audiobooks can play a vital role. Campaign messaging reinforces that audio is reading. Technology helps too. AI tools that let parents share stories in their native language, create cross-cultural bonds between school and home.
• Passion hooks: Romanticising niche interests makes reading irresistible. Emily describes a ten-year-old who discovered books via fly fishing; Emma recounts a child’s joy at reading AutoCar magazine with his dad.
• Reframing time: Parents and teachers often say they’re too busy, but carving out just ten to fifteen minutes each day has a huge impact. Reading opportunities already exist in everyday life, in the car or in the kitchen, and there is an opportunity to rethink them.

Drive long-term momentum

Backed by Government support and partnerships with organisations like the Premier League and Greggs, the National Year of Reading 2026 feels powerful, timely and vital. But the real charge comes now: it’s up to every professional in publishing and education to lean in, to contribute, and to build something that lasts that is anchored in a shared love of reading and how it can transform lives. 

Join us on Campus

This recording of the online event “Get Ready for the National Year of Reading 2026” is available to view on BookMachine Campus Community. If you’re not already a member, hear the full conversation, and connect with publishing professionals across the UK and beyond, by joining today. Membership details at bookmachine.org/campus/.