Fewer kids than ever are reading for fun—nearly a third never do. YPulse recently reported on the news that some kids aren’t being assigned full-length novels in school. But outside classrooms, regularly collected data shows that in 2012, 27% of 13-year-olds read for fun daily, but this dropped to 14% by 2023—both a significant drop from 35% in 1984. This contributes to rising concerns about students’ critical reading skills. Although there isn’t a clear explanation for this decline, factors like increased device usage and cuts to library funding are often cited. And reversing this trend may seem challenging given the alternatives available to kids today, but experts suggest that viewing reading as a way to explore personal interests could can encourage a renewed love for reading. (Vox)
📊 YPulse data: 34% of 13-17-year-olds have read a book in the last month
