Beyond the page: Bath’s Children’s Literature Festival

In a digital age, helping children fall in love with books could be less about switching off screens and more about making stories part of everyday life. Samantha Coleman discovers how.

From bedtime stories read by celebrities on TV to recommendations shared on BookTok, the way children and young people are discovering books is changing. Yet research from the National Literacy Trust shows only one in three eight- to 18-year-olds now enjoys reading in their free time, despite its proven benefits for literacy, wellbeing and confidence.

As the UK marks the National Year of Reading 2026 – a year-long campaign designed to inspire more people to make reading a regular part of their lives – the question is a timely one: with screens competing for children’s attention, how do we nurture a lifelong love of reading?

Many parents and educators are discovering that the answer may not be about prising them away from screens. Instead it may be more about weaving stories into the fabric of everyday life, showing children that they can be relevant, shared, exciting and every bit as social and connected to the world around them as everything else competing for their attention.

And in Bath, inspiration is everywhere.

In a city rich with history, culture and creativity, every street, building and park can become a treasure hunt for stories and can offer opportunities for children to see that reading can be a way of understanding the world around them.

Spotting blue plaques, absorbing information boards, following trail leaflets around historic buildings or discovering the inspiration behind local landmarks makes reading feel alive and encourages children to see it as a tool for exploration rather than something confined to a classroom.

Visiting the Victoria Art Gallery or the Holburne Museum can spark an interest in stories about the lives of famous artists. A walk around the Royal Crescent might prompt questions about the people who lived there centuries ago, or joining a ghost tour adds a little mystery and imagination to the streets children already know – and enough excitement to send everyone home wanting to find out more.

Our reaction as writers, parents, carers and teachers should ideally be to find ways to make the ‘reading situation’ as attractive as possible.

None of this feels like “reading practice” – but perhaps that’s the point.

It’s something that The Roman Baths do particularly well thanks to their family audio guide read by renowned children’s author, Michael Rosen. As children explore the site, the ancient world is brought to life through the magic of storytelling, and fiction and reality begin to overlap in exciting ways to keep young explorers hooked.

For Rosen, that sense of bringing reading to life is crucial.

“I can fully understand what people mean when they say that it’s hard to convince children to read books, when there’s so much fun to be gained by watching shows online or on TV or playing computer games,” he says.

“I’ve said before that our reaction as writers, parents, carers and teachers should ideally be to find ways to make the ‘reading situation’ as attractive as possible. That might mean the kinds of things already happening – like the book festivals and events that I’m very much part of. I’m talking about anything that can make reading ‘alive’. But also, as parents and carers, it might be thinking about how we can make books and reading part of our lives. If we go on a visit or to see a show, what books and reading might support those visits and shows? Biographies? Non-fiction? Fiction set in the time or place of the show?”

There’s certainly something to be said for making reading a social, shared experience rather than a solitary one. Across the country this is supported by charities such as BookTrust and Coram Beanstalk, as well as bookshops, libraries, theatres and festivals that create opportunities for children to encounter stories with other people – and meet the people who created them.

Waterstones and independent bookshops like Mr B’s and Toppings offer regular author events and storytelling sessions where children can meet writers and illustrators, ask questions and discover new books alongside other young readers. For a child who has lost their way with reading, a conversation with one of their knowledgeable booksellers can also make all the difference – they often know exactly which title will capture the imagination of a dinosaur enthusiast, an aspiring detective or a child fascinated by space. There are the children’s book subscriptions too, which can build excitement for their next read: a new title arriving through the letterbox is like a little present to look forward to.

And this Christmas, that excitement will be shared on a nationwide scale. As part of the National Year of Reading 2026, The Queen has announced that every Year 6 and P6 child across the UK will receive a free special edition of Katherine Rundell’s award-winning fantasy novel Impossible Creatures. The Queen’s Christmas Present, delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust and publisher Bloomsbury, aims to inspire a shared love of reading at a pivotal age, with books distributed through schools and libraries and supported by free resources and activities.

Libraries offer another route in. These vibrant community spaces do far more than lend books. Many host baby rhyme times, story sessions, craft activities and clubs for families that are accessible to all. And the freedom to browse and borrow without having to buy a book gives families the chance to experiment with unfamiliar authors, genres and subjects. The annual Summer Reading Challenge adds another incentive during the school holidays – encouraging children to read and celebrating their progress along the way. It allows children to choose books based on curiosity rather than curriculum, and that freedom matters.
Then there are the moments when books step completely off the page.

The Bath Children’s Literature Festival brings a varied programme of events to the city, celebrating all that is wonderful about books, with something to capture almost every child’s imagination. Meeting authors, illustrators and storytellers in person can make the people behind children’s favourite books feel much more tangible and exciting, while hearing a story brought to life can send young readers back to the page with renewed curiosity and hunger for more. With the addition of crafts and activities, it helps bring the world of a book off the page with a sense of fun and enjoyment.

To meet someone that has created that place you visit in your imagination is about as close to magic as you can get.

Theatre, too, offers a similar invitation. Children’s productions and family performances at the egg, The Rondo and The Mission Theatre bring books vividly to life, allowing young audiences to experience stories in new ways. A play based on a favourite book can encourage reluctant readers to revisit the original, while seeing live storytelling reminds children that books are experiences rather than static words on a page.

The small moments also matter – reading a recipe, joke book or football match programme; sharing a chapter before bedtime, listening to an audiobook in the car. Together, they can shape how children think about reading, helping them to notice the stories in the places they live, to ask questions, to follow their curiosity and discover books that connect with the things they already love.

This year’s festival runs: 25 September – 4 October.

Visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk