Parents are children's first teachers. Long before a child sets foot in a classroom, it’s at home that their language takes shape, their curiosity begins to grow, and their imagination starts to stretch.
For me, that imagination was sparked by books. When I was young, my grandad gave me book after book to read – from the days when he would bounce me on his knee, right up to my final year of university.
Books can be the fuel that powers children's development, and so often the only tool a parent needs to become a teacher. That’s why yesterday I announced a National Year of Reading in 2026 – a mission not just for schools and libraries, but for all of us, and part of our Plan for Change. Because if we want children to love books, we need to show them that we love books, too.
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.
So, for all of us, that means making time for reading – even just 10 minutes a day – and doing it where our children can see us: in our homes, on the sofa, on the bus. Our habits are contagious. Let them see us captivated by a story, so they’ll want to discover the magic for themselves.
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 Hercule 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.
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, 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.
But I know not every family finds reading easy. Not every home is filled with books. Not every parent feels confident reading aloud. Time is tight – money even more so.
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.
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.
So let’s start today. Let’s make reading visible again. Let’s talk to our children about what we’re reading. Let’s make reading something we do together – not something we tell them to do alone.
The National Year of Reading is a call to action – but more than that, it’s an invitation: to rediscover the joy of stories, to connect with our children, to lead by example.
Because in the end, children learn to love books not because they’re told to – but because they see the people they love reading them.
Bridget Phillipson is the secretary of state for education and minister for women and equalities
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson: my favourite books
As a child:
