Children's BookFest expands its mission with launch of BookFest YA to tackle decline in teenage reading
Chichester-based charity Children's BookFest, which brings authors, poets and illustrators into local schools to inspire a love of reading, has launched BookFest YA. This new programme is aimed at 11-17 year olds, extending its work into secondary education to support young people at a critical stage in their reading journey.
Led by author, teacher and facilitator Nicola Garrard, BookFest YA marks a significant new chapter for the charity following its most impactful year to date in 2025, and responds to growing concern over the steep decline in reading for pleasure among teenagers.
Recent research from the National Literacy Trust¹ highlights the scale of the challenge. Reading for pleasure among 11-18 year olds has fallen to its lowest level in two decades, with only around one in three young people engaging in reading in their free time. The drop is particularly stark during early adolescence, with enjoyment falling from nearly half of children aged 8-11 to less than a third among 11-14 year olds. Among teenage boys aged 1416, as few as one in ten now read daily.
Responding to a national challenge with local action
Part funded by Chichester City Council, BookFest YA will offer a series of free, high-quality literary and creative events for secondary schools across the district in June and July 2026, designed to engage students in Key Stage 3 with reading and writing.
The charity sees BookFest YA as a natural and necessary evolution of its work. Penny Tomlinson, Co-Founder of Childrens BookFest, said:
We know from our work in primary schools that the foundations are there, but the picture locally tells us the job is not finished. In Chichester, fewer children are reaching expected standards in key areas like grammar and writing than the national average, and across West Sussex outcomes remain below where we would want them to be.
What is even more concerning is the drop-off that follows. As children move into secondary school, reading for pleasure declines dramatically, particularly for boys. BookFest YA is our response to that. It is about keeping that connection with books and storytelling alive, and making sure reading remains something young people choose, not something they leave behind.
We are incredibly grateful to Chichester City Council for supporting this new programme, which allows us to reach young people at such an important stage and build on the work we have already begun in primary schools.
A new chapter for Childrens BookFest
Since its launch in 2019, Childrens BookFest has delivered inclusive, high-quality literary experiences in primary schools across West Sussex, connecting children directly with authors, illustrators and poets and helping to spark a lifelong interest in reading.
With the launch of BookFest YA, the charity is now addressing the next stage of that journey, supporting young people to rediscover reading on their own terms, at a point where it is most at risk of being lost.
Led by authors, shaped by young people
BookFest YA is led by Nicola Garrard, an author, teacher and facilitator, bringing together creative practice and classroom experience to shape a programme that speaks directly to young people.
Nicola comments:
Teenagers are full of ideas, imagination and creativity, but too often reading becomes something they associate with school rather than something they choose for themselves. BookFest YA is about giving young people the freedom, confidence and inspiration to reconnect with stories in a way that feels relevant to them.
A dynamic programme for young people
BookFest YA will feature a series of opportunities designed to engage young people across the district, including those in school and those educated at home.
The programme introduces a new creative writing competition, now open to young people across the district, giving them the chance to explore their own voice and storytelling potential by imagining the opening chapter of a novel.
Alongside this, a creative writing and publishing masterclass led by Nicola will offer practical insight into YA fiction, writing craft and pathways into the publishing industry.
A new Student Librarians Conference, hosted at the University of Chichester, will bring together young people with school, county and university librarians to share ideas and explore how reading culture can be shaped and led by students themselves.
The programme will also include author visits in secondary schools, alongside targeted outreach across West Sussex, ensuring the initiative is inclusive, accessible and reflective of the diverse ways young people engage with stories today.
Looking ahead
The BookFest YA pilot has already generated interest from partners, including a university and multi-school academy trust, with potential to scale across the South Coast.
The initiative also forms part of Childrens BookFests wider contribution to the National Year of Reading 2026, as the charity continues to expand its reach and respond to the evolving literacy needs of children and young people.
Find out more
Young people, parents, carers and schools can find out more and take part in BookFest YA by visiting: https://www.childrensbookfest.com/bookfest-ya