World Read Aloud Day: Why it matters

A recent survey has shown that 31% of South Africans fewer than 10 books.

The November 2024 study looked at book ownership ahead of International World Read Aloud Day on February 5 and was commissioned by the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa.

Around 67% of the respondents owned 50 books or fewer, while 17.4% reported owning more than 100 books. According to the association, this represents a slight positive shift from 2022.

Can this tide be turned? Will youthful readers be book buyers one day instead of digital readers and will practices like reading out loud from a book make a difference to these statistics?

Hardcopy books remain popular among readers, with the survey showing that they are preferred by 34.7% of respondents for leisure reading, compared to 7.4% who opt for e-books.

Well-known and award-winning international children’s and youth book author from Bloemfontein Jaco Jacobs said reading is a very interactive experience, especially for young children.

“From birth, babies should be exposed to cardboard books they can touch, with bright pictures they can look at, while listening to Mummy or Daddy’s voice. There are great baby books with interactive elements such as rattles, pop-up pictures and different textures,” he said.

Jacobs is a popular and prolific author of Afrikaans children’s books. He has published more than 290 books and sold over a million copies. He is also a well-known columnist, blogger, freelance journalist and translator.

Some of his notable books include: A Good Day for Climbing Trees, A Good Night for Shooting Zombies, Suurlemoen!, and Moenie hierdie boek eet nie.

He believes for older children, it is equally important that they read a physical book.

“I know many people prefer e-books, but I believe a book is a chance to lure children away from screens. Even adults’ attention spans are seriously shrinking these days due to too much screen time and the way we read on screens. I believe few things are as wonderful as seeing a child sprawled out on a bed or couch with their nose in a book, shut off from the world and all its electronic and digital noise,” Jacobs emphasised.

For award-winning young adult fiction author, Marion Erskine, reading aloud from real books is a great way for children as well as teenagers and young adults to develop reading fluency, confidence and emotional expression.

“It helps them practise pronunciation, tone and pace, so they become more natural and confident readers. By hearing their own voice, they reinforce word usage and pronunciation without even realising they are learning! Plus, it builds confidence for public speaking – no more struggling to read in front of the class!” believes Erskine.

To him it also makes sound recognition easier, which makes reading a lot less intimidating.

“And the best part? It teaches children and teenagers how to read with feeling and energy, so that stories really come to life,” said Erskine.

His youth books like Vlerke vir almal and the young adult novel, Oos, are popular with readers who want to relate to characters and their life situations.

Researchers have found however, that even if they want to read aloud, access to books remains a significant challenge for many in South African.

“While we’re seeing some improvement in book ownership, the numbers still paint a concerning picture,” said Jane Molony, executive director of the association. “Access to printed books, particularly for young children, is crucial for developing literacy skills and fostering a reading culture.”

The survey results come at a critical time, as literacy rates in South Africa continue to face challenges of unequal early learning outcomes and extremely poor primary school literacy, with nearly 80% of Grade 4 learners struggling to read for meaning.

Additionally, only 2% of children’s books published commercially in South Africa are in local African languages, despite eight out of 10 people speaking a home language other than English or Afrikaans.

To be part of the solution, the association has announced its support of the Book Dash 2025 campaign, an initiative that aims to make books more accessible to young readers.

NPO Book Dash has already distributed over 4.5 million books to children across South Africa, and produbooks in multiple local languages.

Dorette Louw, director of programmes and operations at the NPO, added: “According to National Reading Barometer 2023, the vast majority of South African adults agree that reading to children before they can talk helps them learn, but sadly only about a third of parents actually read with children aged 6 and under.”

“Paper books play a vital role in early childhood development and literacy, and create a stronger educational foundation,” Molony explained.

She pointed out research consistently shows that paper-based materials promote better reading comprehension and information retention compared to digital formats. This is particularly important for developing brains.

Three South African books for children that you might want to read aloud:
1. Lea goes to school as well as Ben goes to school published by Luca.
2. Stories to read again and again published by Book Dash.
3. Die groot Jaco Jacobs Storieboek published by Lapa.

Click here to see 100 recommended children’s books by Book Dash:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=921322736833426&set=a.486972196935151

Click here to listen to children’s author Annerle Barnard on books for children:

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