UK Report Finds Boys Aged 11-14 Read Mostly Primary-Level Books

An annual review of reading habits found that boys aged 11 to 14 in the UK and Ireland continue to select books written for primary-school pupils. The What Kids Are Reading report tracked 23 million books read by nearly 1.1 million children during the 2024-25 school year.

Eight of the ten most-read titles among boys in Years 7 to 9 came from a single series written for readers aged eight and above.

Girls in the same age group selected young-adult fiction. Their top titles included series centered on contemporary teen characters and mystery plots. The same pattern appeared at the primary level, where the same series accounted for nine of the ten most-read books among boys in Years 3 to 6.

A head of research at the organization that produced the study said engagement matters more than volume alone. She added that popular series can attract reluctant readers but that schools should help pupils move toward more demanding texts. National data cited in the report show that by ages 14 to 16, fewer than 10 percent of boys read daily compared with 18 percent of girls.

A survey of more than 1,000 teachers found that 28 percent of secondary schools set aside at least 15 minutes daily for reading, compared with 62 percent of primary schools. The Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust have identified teenage boys as the group needing the most support under their current reading campaign.