Young boys in the UK ‘stick’ to reading classics as girls’ tastes grow | Books

Teenage boys are “sticking” to primary school books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, while girls their age are moving on to more books, according to new research.

Among the 11- to 14-year-old boys surveyed, eight of the 10 most-read books were from Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Girls Reading spread across a wide range of authors and genres including Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.

The results, published in What Kids Are Reading annual report and education technology company Renaissance, will show how the choices of boys and girls “differentiate” by stage 3.

The report analyzed more than 23m reading quizzes completed by around 1.1 million children in schools across the UK and Ireland in the year 2024-2025.

Researchers point out that this model shows significant differences in out-of-school statistics. The past National Literacy Trust survey found that by the age of 14 to 16, less than 10% of boys read every day during their free time compared to 18% of girls.

The amount of time devoted to schooling usually drops significantly after primary education. A Renaissance study found that only 28% of high school students set aside 15 minutes a day for reading, compared to 62% of elementary school students.

Bernadetta Brzyska, director of research at Renaissance, said: “Children read best when they read what they like… This does not contradict popular stories.

The report also found that students showed greater comprehension when reading self-selected books, scoring an average of 92% for their favorite topics compared to 76% for all books.

Martin Galway, head of technical education and partnerships at National Literacy Trust, said: “The amount of disparity we see in secondary schools, particularly in young men, clearly calls for action.” Many young people get ‘stuck’ or stop reading altogether, often because they have yet to find relevant, accessible or inspiring books.”

The same applies during pregnancy the government’s National Year of Reading campaign, which said young men are one of the groups that need help later reading enjoyment among children dropped significantly last year.

Books most read for ages 7 to 9: boys

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway
3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer
8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth
9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown
10. The Hunger Games

Books most read for 7 to 9 year olds: girls

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
2. The Hunger Games
3. Heartstopper Volume 1
4. The Best Girls’ Book on Murder
5. The Most Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks
6. Heartstopper Volume 2
7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
8. Lottie Brooks’ Biggest Relationship Breakdown
9. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
10. Lottie Brooks’ Most Dangerous School Trip