I interviewed for a podcast this week, I found myself unusually hesitant about commenting on the UK book market. Yes, print book sales are currently subdued, but in the accelerating spaces of audiobook, e-book and exports, there remains much to be cheered about. Yet, this week’s National Literacy Trust (NLT) report into children’s reading habits is a doozy, but BookTok shows that a new generation has already been onboarded to the pleasures and sweet pains of reading.

It is the NLT report where we must begin. The poll of 114,970 children and young people from across the UK shows that fewer than a third (32%) of those surveyed said they enjoyed reading “very much” or “quite a lot” in 2025. Compared to 2005, this marks a 36% drop in reading enjoyment. Back in 2005, 51% answered affirmatively, with the drop-off particularly marked among boys aged over eight.

What might bring children back into the fold, the report adds, would be finding books that match their interests, having the freedom to make their own choices, book covers, recommendations and easy access via a bookshop, library or online. The NLT says that “re-engagement is possible”, especially if we personalise reading opportunities around interests, allow autonomy in choice, and better link reading to other media children and young people already recognise as part of their cultural life. It points to song lyrics and news articles as examples of habits publishers could build on.

The book market makes for slightly better reading. It is more or less flat year on year, according to data provided by NielsenIQ  BookScan’s Total Consumer Market, with sales for the period up to June at £680.9m – up 0.5% against the same period last year – but with 74 million having been sold, down by one million books. In short, price rises and the mix of bestselling titles – from Onyx Storm to Sunrise on the Reaping – are keeping the print-book market’s head above water, but at the expense of volume.

BookTok shows that a new generation has already been onboarded to the pleasures and sweet pains of reading

And yet, if there is gloom around, it can be difficult to feel it – and no doubt publishers’ summer parties will be packed over the next couple of months, as we all enjoy our continuing survival. This week, some 900 guests will attend the popular Women’s Prize for Fiction and Non-Fiction party; last week, Hay reported 200,000 tickets sold, a rise of 8%, leading to 52,000 books sold at its bookshop, also up, by 10%. Next week, the Booksellers Association-run Independent Bookshop Week, at which 739 indies will participate, has more than 100 events slated.

We are also not short of big rights deals to report on either: perhaps one the biggest of the year being Cornerstone’s acquisition of LJ Ross’ publishing for what must be an eye-watering figure. In fact our busy news team has reported on 65 rights deals over these past 10 days – 
obviously just the tip of the rights-berg.

The release of the 10-strong shortlist for the YA Book Prize, the 100-or so submissions we received for the New Adult Book Prize, and the vocal support for the British Audio Awards – The Speakies – launched by The Bookseller and our sister publication The Stage, all reveal the health of these sectors.

Meanwhile, this week’s Beijing International Book Fair Preview highlights a growing export market returning to form, while the Northern Powerhouse Focus demonstrates the breadth and range of the publishing in just one region outside London with above par sales to boot.

I do not dismiss the reading crisis lightly. It is real, and a coming storm of which I expect we are just beginning to feel the first chills; but we are well-placed to meet this one head on.