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 The Old Haunts by Allan Radcliffe
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
Scotland's Stories
Our annual writing project encourages all types of people to share their experiences
Book Week Scotland
An annual celebration of books and reading
Reading map of Scotland
What was Scotland reading this Book Week Scotland?
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
Libraries
Find our programmes in libraries, as well as support and resources for library professionals.
Hospital visits
Bringing author events to children in hospitals through the Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour

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

Bookbug Story Library
Our films of families enjoying books together show there's no right or wrong way to share books with your child
Bookbug Book of the Month
Win a copy of Vlad the Fabulous Vampire by Flavia Z Drago
Bookzilla Book of the Month
Win Spectacular Scottish Women by Louise Baillie and illustrated by Eilidh Muldoon
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
The Bookbug Picture Book Prize
Explore this year's shortlist and find out the winner
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
First Minister's Reading Challenge
Aims to help children and young people between the ages of 5 and 18 develop a lasting love of reading
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
Why libraries are important: The social impact of funding cuts
Promoting BPOC representation and diversity in children's books
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 your mental health and wellbeing
Reading as a leisure activity supports 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