As the number of English kids without a book in their home increases, the National Literacy Trust and the Bradford Stories Bus are trying to put this right.
There’s a real problem emerging in England. Many children do not have a book of their own at home. This is a big issue and could leave thousands of children unable to develop the reading habits and skills they are going to need in the future, both for their education and for their own enjoyment.
What’s more, the problem is getting worse. Each year, the National Literacy Trust surveys how many books kids have at home – and each year, the number of bookless homes increases.
The Bradford Stories Bus could offer something of an answer here. This brightly colored vehicle travels from school to school in the West Yorkshire city, making sure all kids can gain access to books, regardless of their background.
The Bradford Stories Bus
The Bradford Stories Bus looks a little out of place. It’s a huge, bright yellow American school bus – the kind you’d see in an American TV show or movie, not on the street of West Yorkshire. And yet, that’s exactly where it is. It travels around the city of Bradford, delivering its precious cargo to schools across the region.
And what is this precious cargo? Well, that would be books – books donated by supporters of the National Literacy Trust’s efforts to get kids reading. While it looks like a mobile library, these book transactions are of the more permanent variety. Kids will be able to choose a book from the collection, take it home, and keep it.
This is very exciting for someone like Novayah, a 10-year-old student at Knowleswood Primary School in the Holme Wood area of the city. “I like to read at home when I go to sleep,” she said, “it makes me relax and I read things about football and how to step out of my comfort zone.”
Her classmate Hubert was similarly impressed, “Honestly, my favorite part is just seeing all the different books,” he said.
Access to Books
In 2023, the National Literacy Trust carried out a survey of English kids and their reading habits. They asked young people aged eight to 18 whether they have their own book at home. Most said yes, but a significant proportion said no. In the Yorkshire and Humber region, which includes Bradford, 8% said no – the third highest figure in the survey.
For children aged five to eight, the number without a book at home was even greater. 20.6% of Yorkshire and Humberside kids did not have their own book – the region was the UK’s second worst in this category.
Move forward a year, and we see the situation hasn’t gotten any better for junior and secondary school-age kids. For eight to 18-year-olds, 10.4% now say they don’t have their own book – a significant increase.
For infant school-age kids, the situation has improved a little. The number of kids without books at home fell to 13.4% last year. While this offers a ray of hope, there is still significant work to do to keep the next generation of English kids connected with the world of books and reading.
Early Encounters with Books
Laura Lee, who works as an English lead at the Primary School in Knowleswood, was full of praise for the project.
“It’s the wow factor of that bus. I saw it and thought our children would absolutely love that,” Laura said.
“The love of books starting early really helps children continue that into adulthood. It’s a skill they can use to learn but it’s also a skill that’s nice to have to relax and enjoy yourself.”
Nabeelah Hafeez, a National Literacy Trust project manager who works aboard the bus, agreed with this.
“What we see is that even the reluctant readers are able to take so much away from this,” Nabeelah said.
“That they are able to go away with a book in their hands and read with their families and have some joy in that is what we love to do; share the joy of reading.”
Changing Habits and New Challenges
A lack of books for kids at home is not just a problem in Northern England, or in England as a whole. In fact, it’s a problem right across the world. Things are changing quickly – technology, and habits. A generation or so ago, parents would have had no choice but to give their children a book to keep them amused, and the resulting reading sessions would foster lifelong habits.
But these days, tablets and smartphones do the job much more quickly. Even if kids do enjoy reading, it’s difficult to compete with the immediate hit of a brightly colored digital screen, and the instant gratification it brings. Of course, adults find themselves distracted by screens too, it’s not just kids.
Not every kid is going to fall in love with reading. That’s just not how the world works. But by making sure that children have access to books, through excellent programs like the Bradford Stories Bus, we can give every young person the chance to nurture positive habits that will last a lifetime.
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Migz
K Lou
K. Lou is a writer born in the U.S. who found her way to Japan through a spiritual calling—or, more precisely, better access to tea. She writes about travel, culture, and the occasional creative piece, inspired by her enduring love of books. This love began in high school when K. Lou carried books around to avoid seeming odd while lost in thought. Once she started reading, she never stopped. With zero regrets, she continues to explore the written word and invites others to join her in celebrating its varied forms.
