GO ALL IN: A Brilliant National Year of Reading 2026
We’ve got some brilliant news to share about 2026, and it involves getting the whole nation reading again. The Department for Education and National Literacy Trust have teamed up to launch the National Year of Reading 2026, a campaign designed to get the nation reading again. With the tagline GO ALL IN, it’s all about connecting reading to the things we already love.
The statistics make for uncomfortable reading. Just one in three young people aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time. That’s the lowest it’s been in a generation. More than a quarter of children are leaving primary school without meeting expected reading standards. But this is the good news: children who are proficient readers in primary school earn an average of £65,000 more over their lifetime. Reading isn’t just about doing well at school, it strengthens writing, boosts wellbeing and confidence, and helps develop empathy. Key life skills for children to thrive.
What we love about the National Year of Reading 2026 is that it’s not asking us to turn our lives upside down. The campaign’s message is straightforward: “if you’re into it, read into it.” Your child loves football? There are books for that. Obsessed with gaming, fashion, or dinosaurs? There are brilliant books waiting to feed those interests. Suddenly, reading becomes less about what we think children should do and more about deepening the passions they already have.
At Pop-Up Bookshop, we’ve always believed in the power of the right book at the right time. Through our school book fairs and Reading Ambassador programmes, we see it happen all the time…that moment when a child discovers a story that just clicks. The National Year of Reading 2026 will give all of us a chance to make this happen more often. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it well: “It’s time for all of us to play our part, put our phones down and pick up a book.” And we are definitely on board with that!
Supporting Secondary School Libraries
As part of the National Year of Reading initiative, the government has announced that every secondary school in England will receive £1,400 to purchase new library books. This £5 million investment recognises how crucial well-stocked libraries are in keeping older pupils engaged with reading. At Pop-Up Bookshop, we’re delighted to support secondary schools in making the most of this funding. We’re happy to provide quotes and offer our educator discount for bulk supply, helping schools stretch their budgets further and build libraries that really excites and interests their students.
Exciting Developments Ahead
We’ve also got some incredibly exciting business developments in the pipeline that directly support the National Year of Reading 2026. While we can’t reveal all the details just yet, we’re working on initiatives that will make it even easier for schools, families and communities to access brilliant books and foster a real love of reading. Watch this space, announcements are coming soon, and we think you’re going to love what we have planned!!
If you’d like to find out more about the National Year of Reading visit the Go All In website.
Read on below for our Top Three Tips for reading at home that will help you all become happy little bookworms!
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Our Top Three Tips for Reading at Home
- Make it a daily habit, even if it’s just for 10 minutes
It doesn’t need to be long. Before bed, after breakfast, during a quiet afternoon, find a slot and stick with it. Those 10 minutes really do add up and before you know it, reading becomes part of the day rather than something you have to remember to squeeze in. - Lead by example and read together
Children pick up on what we do far more than what we say. If they see you scrolling through your phone constantly but never picking up a book, well, that speaks volumes. Let them catch you reading for pleasure. Better still, read together! You can even take turns reading aloud or simply sit side by side with your own books. - Connect books to their passions
This is the GO ALL IN approach in action. If your child is mad about something, help them find books about it. Football stories, recipe books for budding bakers, even graphic novels about their favourite game. Because when reading connects to what they already care about, it stops feeling like a task and becomes an adventure.
Ready to GO ALL IN with your family’s reading journey? Have a browse through the Shop and find books that will genuinely connect with your child’s interests.
We’ve got everything from picture books through to young adult fiction, and there’s bound to be something that sparks their imaginations. So Go All In, get ready for National Year of Reading 2026 and together we can get our children reading again.
