U.S. Book Show Panel Addresses Decline in Youth Reading Habits
At the U.S. Book Show, a panel titled 'Raising Readers' discussed the decline in pleasure reading among young people. Moderated by Aidan Flax-Clark, the panel included Lori Benton, Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Emily Kirkpatrick, and Megan Tingley. They highlighted alarming statistics from the 2023 National Report Card, showing only 14% of students read for fun, a decline from previous years. The panelists attributed this trend to factors such as the pandemic, remote learning challenges, and the rise of digital distractions. The Raising Readers campaign, initiated by Hachette Book Group, aims to promote lifelong reading habits through various initiatives, including author visits and the distribution of Little Free Libraries. 
