U.S. 13-Year-Olds Reading for Fun Daily Falls to 14% as 9-Year-Old Rate Slips to 37%
Updated
Updated · The Conversation · Jul 7
U.S. 13-Year-Olds Reading for Fun Daily Falls to 14% as 9-Year-Old Rate Slips to 37%
3 articles · Updated · The Conversation · Jul 7
Summary
Just 14% of U.S. 13-year-olds and 37% of 9-year-olds said they read for fun almost every day in 2025, extending a long decline in recreational reading.
Education data show the slide has persisted for years: daily reading-for-fun among 13-year-olds fell from 27% in 2012 to 14% in 2023, while the 9-year-old rate dropped from 53% to 39% by 2022.
Researchers tie that decline to stagnant reading performance, arguing that pleasure reading builds vocabulary, fluency, focus and verbal development through far greater exposure to words outside schoolwork.
Schools' stronger focus on evidence-based reading instruction, especially phonics, has improved foundational skills but may have reduced time for independent or purely enjoyable reading.
The broader warning is that less recreational reading can also weaken empathy-building and make children more likely to see reading as a task rather than a lifelong habit.
Can schools revive reading for pleasure while pressured by curriculum demands and standardized testing?
As children abandon books for screens, are we creating a future empathy and attention crisis?
Are digital stories and games replacing books as the new training ground for young minds?
The Decline of Reading for Pleasure: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions for a Global Literacy Crisis
Overview
The report highlights a worrying decline in reading for enjoyment, especially among younger generations. Drawing on a large-scale survey by the National Literacy Trust, it shows that many children now struggle to focus on books for extended periods, which affects their academic performance. This lack of sustained reading time leads to lower scores on important assessments and signals broader challenges for literacy. The findings have prompted warnings from literacy organizations, emphasizing the urgent need to address these issues to support children's learning and future success.