Trying to get to the bottom of the mysteries by some of Britain’s greatest detective fiction writers helped foster Bridget Phillipson’s love for reading, she has revealed.
Writing for The Independent, the education secretary told how she could not get enough of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes books or the mysteries in Agatha Christie’s Hercules Poirot.
It comes as Ms Phillipson announced that next year will be the National Year of Reading in the UK to encourage a love of books among children.
“Reading doesn’t have to be serious, it just has to be real. When I wasn't engrossed in Sherlock Holmes, I was gripped by Hercules Poirot. I didn’t think of those books as 'good for me', I just couldn’t wait to find out who did it. That’s the point. Reading should be joyful,” she writes.
“Some books have stayed with me throughout my life. As a young adult, Wuthering Heights showed me that literature could be wild, passionate, and unsettling, while Zadie Smith’s Swing Time reminds me how identity and friendship can be both complicated and compelling.”
Now, like many parents, she is rediscovering her love for reading with her children, inbetween ministerial boxes.
She writes: “As a parent, I get to rediscover the joy of reading all over again with my own children. We’ve laughed together over The Gruffalo and been swept up in the adventures of Tracy Beaker. Those shared stories become part of our family language, a reference point, a comfort, a spark for conversation.”
Apart from the enjoyment and cultural benefits of reading, Ms Phillipson is also all too aware that forming it as a habit can have a huge impact on the life expectations of children when the grow up.
“Children who read regularly do better in school, have broader vocabularies, and even experience improved mental health and wellbeing. And yet, in recent years, the number of children reading for pleasure has fallen. In fact, only one in three children say they enjoy reading.
“It's a decline that rings alarm bells loud and clear. And it's on every one of us to help turn it around – government, schools and parents alike. And as both the Secretary of State for Education and a parent of two young children, I know I have the responsibility to lead by example.”
But she noted that if “children are to love books we need to show them we love books too.”
There are concerns that book reading is going out of fashion because of the rise of electronic alternatives with phones and tablets.
But Ms Phillipson said: “In an age of distractions, where screen time is rising and attention spans are shrinking, we need to make a conscious choice. The truth is, children still love stories, that hasn’t changed. But we must make space for those stories to be heard.”
She added: “The National Year of Reading is about support, and opportunities. We’re working with the National Literacy Trust to help schools, libraries and community groups get more reading into daily life.
“Reading is the key that unlocks every subject. You can’t excel in science, history, or even maths without the ability to read and understand complex ideas. But even more than that, reading builds empathy. It allows children to step into someone else’s shoes, to understand different experiences, and to imagine different futures.”
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