Are childrens books important?

Are childrens books important?

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Children’s books are important because reading to children is important.

Most us us know this because we were all children once (and our parents read to us). The following should be a great motivation for all aspiring Children’s book authors!

Studies on early childhood education consistently reveal that children who have access to age-appropriate books and regular reading time perform better across all areas of learning.

Interestingly, the pandemic reshaped how families approach reading. With schools closed and parents spending more time at home, many discovered the value of reading together — and the data proves it.

According to Publisher’s Weekly, two of the top-selling books of the year were Big Preschool Workbook (790,000 copies sold) and My First Learn-to-Write Workbook (703,000 copies). These figures highlight how many families embraced at-home learning and literacy-focused activities.

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The Benefits of Reading to Children Early

Introducing books early — even before a child can read — builds crucial language and literacy skills. Parents who make reading a regular part of daily life tend to raise children who not only perform better academically but also develop a genuine love of learning.

Reading aloud also promotes curiosity. A single interesting fact or story can spark questions that lead to deeper exploration — an important part of developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

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How Reading Shapes Early Literacy Development

Hearing stories read aloud helps children:

  • Strengthen vocabulary and word recognition

  • Improve comprehension skills

  • Develop better listening and focus

  • Connect spoken language to written words

Long-term research on reading to children shows that early exposure to books builds confidence and fosters lifelong reading habits. Kids who are read to regularly are more likely to achieve higher literacy levels and meet educational goals throughout school.

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Key Reading Statistics for Parents

These recent numbers illustrate how powerful shared reading can be:

  • 89% of kids aged 6–17 say their favorite books are those they choose themselves.

  • 72% of children aged 6–11 think reading aloud with a parent is fun.

  • 31% of kids aged 6–11 who are read to regularly say it made them love reading.

  • 82% of kids are encouraged by their parents to read for fun.

  • 67% of children say their teachers also motivate them to read for enjoyment.

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Final Thoughts: Building a Lifelong Love of Reading

Reading to your child isn’t just about improving literacy — it’s about connection, curiosity, and creating a love for stories that lasts a lifetime. Whether it’s a bedtime story, a picture book, or a chapter read aloud, every page helps your child grow into a confident, capable learner.

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In just a quick 8,000 words, this little book will equip you with the knowledge you need to successfully publish your book.

The Little Book of Big Publishing tips goes into the essentials of self-publishing a book, outlining the business and financial side of publishing, legal issues, design, editing, sales and marketing. There's even a section on how to identify a vanity-publishing scam.

The Sharpe Report – 31 October 2025

The Sharpe Report – 31 October 2025

Welcome to The Sharpe Report

Everything Books and Publishing Australia

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Good afternoon everyone 😄
 
  • There was a strange glitch that happened within the last week that appeared on Goodreads. Several books (including Ali Hazelwood’s new book titled Mate) were showing the cover of Eric Trumps’ memoir with a message in the blurb area of the platform that was a bit of a rant on how Goodreads removed negative reviews of his book. People are arguing that this is a form of censorship regarding a political person of power.
  • The Australian Society of Authors has announced that Ann-Marie Priest is the 2025 winner of the Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship. You can read more here about the winner and the prize.
  • The First Nation’s Literary Festival Blak and Bright has been moved to 3-6 Sept 2026. It was a strategic and curational decision.
  • The publishing industry has had a positive reaction to the news that the Australian Government has ruled out on relaxing copyright rules for generative AI training. This is a big win for the creative industry.
  • The literary journal ‘Southerly’ has returned after a hiatus of 3 years! For more information see here.
  • The NSW State Library has announced their 2026 fellowships. The fellowships cover a wide range of original research topics. For more information see here.
  • Darren Rix and Craig Cormick have won the ACT Book of the Year award for their book Warra Warra Wai.
  • UWA Publishing has announced their shortlist for their Spiers Prize. This prize is a national unpublished children’s fiction manuscript prize. Winners are offered a publishing contract with UWAP and a cash prize.
  • The nominees for the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award have been announced. This is awarded annually to a person/organisation for their contribution to children’s and young adult literature.

 

Books in the Media

National

 

ACT

 

NSW

 

QLD + SA

 

TAS

 

VIC

 

Information gathered from Books+Publishing, X

 

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Interested in publishing your book but unsure where to start or what is even involved? Tell us about your project and we will post you a copy of our:

 

The Little Book of
Big Publishing Tips.

 

In just a quick 8,000 words, this little book will equip you with the knowledge you need to successfully publish your book.

The Little Book of Big Publishing tips goes into the essentials of self-publishing a book, outlining the business and financial side of publishing, legal issues, design, editing, sales and marketing. There's even a section on how to identify a vanity-publishing scam.

The Sharpe Report – 31 October 2025

The Sharpe Report – 24 October 2025

Welcome to The Sharpe Report

Everything Books and Publishing Australia

clock - estimated reading time  Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Good afternoon everyone 😄
 
  • The Australian Library and Information Association has announced Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller as the National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS)

book for 2026. More information about the NSS can be found via their website.

  • Melbourne Books as warned authors of a  new scam publisher trying to convince authors that they are the same company. A business running under a similar name (Melbourne Book Publisher/Melbourne Book Publishing) and impersonating the original.
  • Create NSW has announced a new strategy: Stories Matter: A Writing and Literature Strategy for NSW to support writers and readers across the state and nationally. For more information on this you can see here.
  • The ABC Radio National Top 100 Books of the 21str Century has been released.
  • The top 10 are:
  1. Boy Swallows Universe / Trent Dalton
  2. The Book Thief / Mark Zusak
  3. A Gentleman in Moscow / Amor Towles
  4. All The Light We Cannot See / Anthony Doerr
  5. Lessons in Chemistry / Bonnie Garmus
  6. Burial Rites / Hannah Kent
  7. The Dictionary of Lost Words / Pip Williams
  8. Demon Copperhead / Barabara Kingsolver
  9. A Little Life / Hanya Yanagihara
  10. Wolf Hall / Hilary Mantel

 

Books in the Media

National

 

ACT

 

NSW + VIC

 

TAS

 

 

*All information obtained from Books+Publishing as well as the official websites linked.

 

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Interested in publishing your book but unsure where to start or what is even involved? Tell us about your project and we will post you a copy of our:

 

The Little Book of
Big Publishing Tips.

 

In just a quick 8,000 words, this little book will equip you with the knowledge you need to successfully publish your book.

The Little Book of Big Publishing tips goes into the essentials of self-publishing a book, outlining the business and financial side of publishing, legal issues, design, editing, sales and marketing. There's even a section on how to identify a vanity-publishing scam.