Reading and stories

Find reading recommendations, start sharing books and find out more about our reading programmes.

Reading and story sharing

Book of the Month
Win a copy of Dark Crescent by Lyndsey Croal
Scotland's Stories: Friendship
Read stories of friendship written by the public
How a Scotland's Stories submission inspired a fundraiser
Read about Porridge for Tea
Readers of Scotland
Sign up to take part in our research project aimed at exploring readers' experiences
The benefits of reading in older adulthood
New research explores how reading fiction can support the wellbeing of older adults
Reading with dyslexia
Marianne Doherty shares her personal insights, tips and book recommendations
How to run a book club
Our team of book lovers share their top tips for starting a book group
How to start reading – and find it easy!
Tips from our research team on kickstarting your reading!
My life as a reader
We want to hear the story of how you became a reader for our new campaign
Find your next book
Browse by age and genre to get some reading inspiration
Reading is Caring
Using shared reading to support people living with dementia and their carers.
Digital Storytelling
Digital storytelling is a simple, honest and powerful way for people to share stories.
Which children's book character are you?
Play our game to find out which childhood book character you are
Reading map of Scotland
What was Scotland reading this Book Week Scotland?
Book Week Scotland
An annual celebration of books and reading
Libraries
Find our programmes in libraries, as well as support and resources for library professionals.

Our programmes and resources aim to grow a love of reading in school and at home

Authors Live on demand: Jamie Smart
Watch the creator of Bunny vs Monkey show us how to bring his characters to life
Bookbug Story Library
Our films of families enjoying books together show there's no right or wrong way to share books with your child
All reading is good reading: Books with short chapters
Discover why books with short chapters can be a great form of reading
Bookbug Book of the Month
Win a copy of The Dangerous Pet Lover's Guide to Dragons by Lindsay Hirst and Alice McKinley
Bookzilla Book of the Month
Win a copy of Nate Yu's Blast From the Past by Maisie Chan
Home activities hub
Fun ideas and activities to keep kids busy at home
Why is reading especially important for teens?
Discover the impact of teen reading beyond academic achievement
Encouraging children and teens reading
Tips for parents and carers to help encourage a lifelong love of reading
Bookbug
Bookbug gifts book bags to every child in Scotland and we run free song and rhymes sessions across the country
Bookzilla app
Download our free reading app for young people
Reading Schools
An accreditation programme for schools that are committed to building a culture of reading
Read, Write, Count
A national campaign to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of Scotland’s children
Sensory Storytelling
Brings the magic of books and sensory storytelling to children and families in Scotland
Book lists by age
Browse our book lists for children and teens and filter by age group

How books and reading can change lives and communities

Our research
We aim to empower everyone in Scotland to reach their true potential through reading and writing
Books for all
For many children in Scotland, the only books they have are the ones given by our programmes
Beyond books
School libraries as sources of safety, inclusivity, and wellbeing
Diversity in reading
Promoting BPOC representation and diversity in children's books
Why libraries are important: The social impact of funding cuts
A bheil Gàidhlig agad? The growth of Gaelic
Research shows that there is an ever-increasing interest in the language
Access to the Arts: Prioritising Inklusion
People with disabilities in the arts are facing increasing barriers to access
The impact of book gifting in Scotland
Investigating over a decade of book gifting by Scottish Book Trust
How reading for pleasure can tackle poverty
Reading for pleasure is the most important indicator of a child's future success
How reading improves mental health and wellbeing
Reading as a leisure activity can support and improve mental health
Why read to babies and young children?
This first step in building a love of reading helps develop early communication and language skills
Reading in Scotland: reading over lockdown
How lockdown changed the reading habits of people in Scotland
Why share songs and rhymes
Singing and joining in with rhymes is great fun for children and benefits their development
Promoting BPOC representation and diversity in publishing