Feature BookTrust research


Highly 30%


of families are in this category


Engaged These are our most passion- ate and enthusiastic readers (both from a child’s and parent’s perspective). Despite their hectic lives, they proactively make time to read. Their homes are full of books; reading is something everyone in the family enjoys. But not all highly engaged readers are the same. In one segment, we see families where read- ing is just one of many activities that are enjoyed and pursued with enthusiasm, whether that’s sports, arts or


broader education. They want new experiences and challenges. Other families in this category love reading because it’s an important part of family life and a chance to bond. These Happy Habituals prioritise routine, and parents often consult books and blogs to make sure they are doing the “right thing”.


Engaged 25%


of families are in this category


Reading is seen to be important part of life for this demographic, but family time is more likely to be spent in front of a favourite TV programme. This group- ing contains Eager Kids, chil- dren to whom parents read because they are pestered to. These are parents who may not particularly relish the idea of reading, but do it anyway, largely because they associate reading with cuddles, sleepiness and happy children. They’re likely to read the same books over and over, and also more likely to succumb to the lure of the digital device. But this category also contains Goal-focused Strivers, who have a completely different approach to reading; they read with their children not because they enjoy


it, but because they want their children to have the best start in life.


Somewhat 31%


of families are in this category


Engaged Parents and children in this category see the importance of reading, but niggles around reading occasions and digital distrac- tions can obstruct their engage- ment. But again, the picture isn’t one-dimensional. Within this group


we have Entertainment Seekers: typically families that prioritise fun, who will often choose books related to films, TV programmes and games. Parents tend to view books as a great “wind down” activity at the end of the day, but often struggle to actually achieve the desired wind down. Children within this segment have often fully embraced the wonder of technology, and enjoy the stimulation that devices offer. But also within this group are Routine Followers, for whom reading can often feel like another thing on the “to do” list.


Not Yet 14%


of families are in this category


Engaged These families find reading a struggle. What’s interest- ing about this group is that the two segments within it are similar: both share a passion for a small circle of hobbies or activities, and both prefer to stay in familiar surroundings. Neither parents nor children are actively engaged with reading, and these families are also the least likely to engage in cultural or sporting activi- ties as a family. Their children are also the least likely to consider them- selves imaginative


or creative. They struggle to find books that engage them and have a preference towards hearing or seeing stories rather than reading a book.


Diana Gerald left is Book- Trust’s c.e.o. The charity’s director of children’s books, Jill Coleman, will be presenting its research today at 12.25 p.m. during the half-day Nielsen Book UK Children’s Summit in The Club Room. It will also hold a round table event, hosted with The Booseller, at the Publishers Association on 5th June at 2:30pm. For more details on The Bookseller/BookTrust breakfast, contact The Bookseller’s children’s editor Charlotte Eyre (charlotte.eyre@ thebookseller.com)


www.thebookseller.com


health visitors, librarians and others who engage with families—offer guidance on how to approach different atitudes to reading, along with sharing outputs such as segment descriptions and videos. We want to make sure the books we choose for our programmes address the needs and interests of children and families across all segments, or those of a specific segment we are target- ing. And we want to consider the different segments before we design any campaign or programme, to ensure we understand who we are targeting and how we can create messages and resources that resonate with them. For Mark, we want to help him find the joy in read- ing so that he and his children can start to see reading as something they “want” to do, instead of something that they “should” do. For Clare, we want to develop programmes that can build her confidence in reading with her children. For Sarah, we want to keep her read- ing and open up a treasure chest of books to ensure she can always find a wonderful “next” book to read with her kids. Each segment has its challenges, motivations and priorities; it’s our job to make sure we have some-


thing for each of them—whether that’s honing our Bath, Book, Bed campaign for Routine Followers, or continu- ing to target our Bookstart Corner programme for Early Familiarit Seekers. But while we’re commited to doing everything we can, we can’t do it alone. Which is why we are hoping that the book trade will get involved. What can publish- ers and booksellers learn from this research and— perhaps more importantly—what can the industry do to reach some of the more challenging segments? That’s the challenge we are posing, and one which we hope some of you will come together to discuss at a Book- Trust/The Bookseller breakfast later this spring. We want to start by tackling the Somewhat Engaged category, because we think that if we all work together we could achieve something really powerful. But how are they best reached? How can we entice


them to read more? Which kinds of books, and market- ing, might they beter respond to? We have many ques- tions, and we now have some of the answers. We hope to hear some more answers from you. Together, we really might make a difference.


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