UK teenage boys are falling behind their female peers when it comes to reading, with many still hooked on primary school staples like the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' series. In contrast, girls aged 11-14 are devouring more diverse and complex literature, including young adult bestsellers like 'Heartstopper', 'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder', and 'The Hunger Games'.
The findings come from the annual 'What Kids Are Reading' report by education tech firm Renaissance, which analysed over 23 million reading quizzes completed by almost 1.1 million UK and Irish schoolchildren in the 2024-25 academic year. Researchers suggest that this pattern mirrors broader trends outside of school, where previous studies have shown fewer than 10% of boys aged 14-16 read daily in their spare time, compared to 18% of girls.
Bernadetta Brzyska, Renaissance's head of research, welcomed the role of popular series in attracting reluctant readers but expressed concern that pupils are not being 'steered towards new authors and harder books' as they grow older. She pointed out that schools need to provide more opportunities for children to explore diverse reading materials.
The report also highlighted a worrying decline in dedicated reading time within secondary schools, with only 28% allocating at least 15 minutes per day – down from 62% in primary schools. This reduction could limit pupils' chances of developing complex reading skills and exploring new books.
Interestingly, researchers found that children performed better when reading self-selected books, achieving an average comprehension score of 92%, compared to 76% across all books. Martin Galway, head of professional learning at the National Literacy Trust, described this growing gap as a 'clear call to action', emphasizing the need for schools and educators to provide relevant and inspiring reading materials for teenage boys.
Galway added that many young people disengage from reading because they haven't found books that resonate with them. The findings suggest that it's time for schools to rethink their approach to reading development, prioritising diversity and inclusivity in the texts they choose.