Once a nightly ritual filled with laughter, silly voices, and page-turning adventures, reading aloud to kids is quietly slipping away—and with it, the love of reading itself. A new study from HarperCollins UK reveals a troubling trend: fewer parents find joy in reading to their children, and more kids are beginning to see reading as schoolwork rather than fun.
The research paints a sobering picture. Just 40% of parents of children ages 0–13 say reading aloud is “fun for me,” and Gen Z parents—those who grew up with smartphones and tablets—are more likely to view books as just another subject to learn. The result? Nearly one in three kids ages 5–13 now say reading is more of a chore than a choice.
But in Scioto County, there’s a bright spot—and it starts at the library.
📖 Local Programs That Keep the Pages Turning
The Scioto County Public Library System offers a variety of book groups and events designed to rekindle the joy of reading—for both kids and adults.
👩💼 For Adults:
- Fiction Readers Book Group – First Fridays at 4:00 p.m. (Portsmouth Library, online option available)
- A Novel Idea Book Group – Second-to-last Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. (Coffee at the Lofts, Portsmouth)
- Romantasy Book Club – First Mondays at 5:30 p.m. (Lucasville Library)
For lovers of fantasy and romance, ages 18+—no registration needed!
🧒 For Kids:
- Sunset Stories – First Mondays at New Boston Library
A cozy evening storytime with songs, crafts, and play as the sun goes down.
- “Giraffes Can’t Dance” Puppet Party – Tuesday, May 6 at 4 p.m. (Lucasville Library)
A lively story session where kids build their own dancing giraffe puppets and groove to kid-friendly tunes.
And that’s just the beginning—dozens of reading events are updated regularly on the library’s online calendar, offering everything from preschool storytimes to themed book clubs.
📊 Why This Matters
According to the study, children who are read to daily are three times more likely to read on their own for fun. Yet, the number of young children being read to has sharply dropped—from 64% in 2012 to just 41% today.
Boys are especially at risk. Only 29% of boys aged 0–2 are read to daily, and by age 12–13, just 12% of boys read for fun. Encouragingly, new initiatives—like “Social Reading Spaces,” relaxed book clubs with no pressure to read—show that when reading becomes social and stress-free, kids start engaging again.
🗣 “You Can Express Your Feelings Here”
In the study’s book club trial, over 400 students participated in no-pressure reading groups. A whopping 84% said the experience was worthwhile, and 60% felt more interested in reading afterward. Boys who took part even saw their reading levels soar—improving more than double the typical rate for their age group.
As one boy said, “It’s just a fun way of communicating and getting to read more books and become friends at the same time.”
💡 The Takeaway
Reading doesn’t have to feel like homework—and it’s never too late to make it magical again. Whether it’s through a puppet party, a romantasy discussion, or a sunset storytime, the Scioto County Library is keeping the joy alive—one book at a time.
Visit sciotolibrary.org/events to see what’s happening next—and bring the joy of reading back to your home.
