Reading For Fun Is Plummeting
Growing up, my mother took me to our local library at least twice a month. I recall reading the Hardy Boys, the Mad Scientists Club, choose-your-own-adventure books, Dr. Seuss, Willard Price, Jack London, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Douglas Adams, and anything related to Nikola Tesla.
As I became an adult, I gravitated towards authors like Tom Clancy, Alex Berenson, Ken Follett, Neal Stephenson, and Homer Hickam. It seems like a normal reading environment for someone my age, but what about today’s kids? I was reading Slashdot and came across this:
https://www.sciencealert.com/reading-...
It seems that things have changed. No kid wants to read the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew when they could be watching a fast-paced TikTok dance routine. And if, for some reason, a kid was interested in Nikola Tesla, they would select the most popular influencer’s take on this historical figure. The result is “accurate,” easy, and straightforward. Books? Those silly things are a massive waste of precious time.
What does this mean for me? (an up-and-coming author) I have known for years that hundreds of new books are released every day, but the number of readers is shrinking. There is no escaping the fact that all present and past authors face a bleak future where books are declining in popularity. Bummer.
What about society? Unfortunately, the non-reading trend is depriving our youth. There are many fantastic stories in print, and much to learn. Yet, short attention spans are the new reality, and it is only getting worse.
The result is low English test scores and a lack of creative storytelling in children. As a writer, I understand how difficult it is to craft a story and present it in written form. Gaining this foundation begins with reading many books.
What about stories on television, in movies, and on other video platforms? There are indeed many great stories outside of print, but they are not as in-depth. For example, in one of my books, I spent an entire chapter on FBI characters planning a raid on a compound. There were twists, dead ends, false hope, inspiration, intense personal interaction, and finally, detailed organization. Yet, if this fantastic book, Cable Ties, were made into a movie, um… Two minutes of screen time would be all that would be required.
I have seen this decline by observing the dumbed-down entertainment targeting kids. How? I enjoy animated movies like Shrek, and they often play on the young audience television channel, Nickelodeon. The network has commercials on its live-action shows. The premise, story, and acting are over-the-top awful. Yet, kids obviously like that kind of entertainment; otherwise, Nickelodeon would not make money from advertisers. Tragic.
Is there anything that can be done to revive the enjoyment of reading? There are some considerable hurdles to overcome. Schools no longer encourage reading, and low test scores may prompt a change in reading attitudes. “Hey, let’s bring back reading. That might help.”
Another is that publishers and online retailers do not actively seek out children. I cannot recall having seen an advertisement for a young adult book since the 1980s. There is a lot of money to be made there, and they might eventually see this opportunity.
Finally, hope. Books like White Fang are timeless and will remain so. Perhaps kids will get bored with low-quality entertainment, and reading for fun will make a comeback. Why, just yesterday, I saw somebody wearing bell-bottom jeans. So, anything is possible.
You’re the best -Bill
September 17, 2025
As I became an adult, I gravitated towards authors like Tom Clancy, Alex Berenson, Ken Follett, Neal Stephenson, and Homer Hickam. It seems like a normal reading environment for someone my age, but what about today’s kids? I was reading Slashdot and came across this:
https://www.sciencealert.com/reading-...
It seems that things have changed. No kid wants to read the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew when they could be watching a fast-paced TikTok dance routine. And if, for some reason, a kid was interested in Nikola Tesla, they would select the most popular influencer’s take on this historical figure. The result is “accurate,” easy, and straightforward. Books? Those silly things are a massive waste of precious time.
What does this mean for me? (an up-and-coming author) I have known for years that hundreds of new books are released every day, but the number of readers is shrinking. There is no escaping the fact that all present and past authors face a bleak future where books are declining in popularity. Bummer.
What about society? Unfortunately, the non-reading trend is depriving our youth. There are many fantastic stories in print, and much to learn. Yet, short attention spans are the new reality, and it is only getting worse.
The result is low English test scores and a lack of creative storytelling in children. As a writer, I understand how difficult it is to craft a story and present it in written form. Gaining this foundation begins with reading many books.
What about stories on television, in movies, and on other video platforms? There are indeed many great stories outside of print, but they are not as in-depth. For example, in one of my books, I spent an entire chapter on FBI characters planning a raid on a compound. There were twists, dead ends, false hope, inspiration, intense personal interaction, and finally, detailed organization. Yet, if this fantastic book, Cable Ties, were made into a movie, um… Two minutes of screen time would be all that would be required.
I have seen this decline by observing the dumbed-down entertainment targeting kids. How? I enjoy animated movies like Shrek, and they often play on the young audience television channel, Nickelodeon. The network has commercials on its live-action shows. The premise, story, and acting are over-the-top awful. Yet, kids obviously like that kind of entertainment; otherwise, Nickelodeon would not make money from advertisers. Tragic.
Is there anything that can be done to revive the enjoyment of reading? There are some considerable hurdles to overcome. Schools no longer encourage reading, and low test scores may prompt a change in reading attitudes. “Hey, let’s bring back reading. That might help.”
Another is that publishers and online retailers do not actively seek out children. I cannot recall having seen an advertisement for a young adult book since the 1980s. There is a lot of money to be made there, and they might eventually see this opportunity.
Finally, hope. Books like White Fang are timeless and will remain so. Perhaps kids will get bored with low-quality entertainment, and reading for fun will make a comeback. Why, just yesterday, I saw somebody wearing bell-bottom jeans. So, anything is possible.
You’re the best -Bill
September 17, 2025
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