This report by the National Literacy Trust shows 1 in 4 (25.4%) children and young people are listening to audiobooks, with many new listeners during lockdown.
Following the year of national lockdowns and school closures as a result of COVID-19, 1 in 10 (9.3%) children and young people surveyed said they downloaded an audiobook for the first time, and a further 1 in 10 (9.6%) downloaded more audiobooks.
The survey of 42,502 children and young people aged 8 to 18 showed almost half (48.7%) of children and young people listened to podcasts and audiobooks in the last year. 1 in 4 (23.3%) listen to just podcasts, in addition to 1 in 4 who listen to audiobooks or audiobooks with podcasts.
Many of the children and young people surveyed recognised the power of listening, with 2 in 5 (40.3%) agreeing that they use their imagination more when listening to stories than when watching videos and 1 in 5 children and young people saying that listening to an audiobook or podcast got them interested in reading books. What’s more, 2 in 5 (43.1%) children and young people agree that listening to audiobooks helps them understand a subject.
Audiobooks can also break some of the barriers to reading for reluctant readers, with a smaller gender gap in listening enjoyment compared to reading. Boys have the lowest levels of reading enjoyment rates (45.6%) compared to girls (55.9%) and those who self-describe their gender as other than boy or girl (60.7%). However, when it comes to listening, boys are more likely than girls, and almost as likely as those who self-describe their gender as other than boy or girl, to say they enjoy listening (45.9% vs. 41.8% and 48.0%).