Five reasons why children and young people told us they love comics and graphic novels
Our latest research, published for National Magazine Day, found that the number of children and young people reading comics and graphic novels is at its highest level since 2017.
And that’s something to celebrate. Comics can be a brilliant way to enjoy stories, make reading feel accessible, and explore interests.
Take a look at what children and young people told us they love most about comics and graphic novels below:
Teach children and young people?
Get your pupils excited about reading through comics with our free Go All In 2026 online event for pupils aged 8-14 on 22 October with the National Year of Reading and Beano: https://loom.ly/HSzHXlw
Scotland comes together to celebrate the joy of reading
More than 90,000 people took part in Wee Read as Scotland came together yesterday to celebrate the joy of reading – smashing the campaign’s original target of 50,000 pledges.
Wee Read, led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) and funded by the Scottish Government as part of the National Year of Reading 2026, invited people across Scotland to make a simple pledge to read on 7 October. The campaign reached its 50,000 pledge target more than a week before the official reading moment, with a total of 90,717 people pledging to get involved.
Across the country, people of all ages and interests joined the national reading moment, making time to enjoy whatever they like from novels and poetry to comics, magazines, newspapers, recipes and more.
Libraries, schools, workplaces, families and communities marked the day in their own ways, creating a shared celebration of reading and demonstrating that there is no single way to take part.
Activity ranged from East Renfrewshire’s dedicated Harry Potter readings and South Lanarkshire’s Gruffalo scavenger hunt, to a BSL Bookbug session in Paisley, school visits in Edinburgh and Midlothian, family activities in South Lanarkshire and community reading sessions in Inverclyde.
In Motherwell, a readathon in the library’s immersive room surrounded readers with calming imagery of their choice, before the Wee Read mantra video and a message from Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic Màiri McAllan were showcased.
Across the length and breadth of the country, libraries and communities also hosted reading hours, storytelling, book swaps, quizzes and crafts, reflecting the many different ways people came together to make time for reading.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic Màiri McAllan said: “I’m delighted to support Wee Read. Stories, songs and words form the bedrock of our lives, our culture, our history and our future. Scotland’s plays, books and comics are internationally renowned, as are our playwrights, authors and illustrators.
“Reading and writing play a lifelong role in learning and wellbeing, and in tackling poverty, which remains a key priority for this Government. That’s why we’re taking action to improve access to books and encourage reading for pleasure, through programmes including Bookbug, Read Write Count with the First Minister, Reading Schools, and the School Library and Public Library Improvement Funds.
“Just a few minutes of reading for enjoyment reduces stress and improves wellbeing, and for children it has a positive impact on learning and attainment at school. By taking part in Wee Read, you’re joining thousands across Scotland helping us build a country where reading is valued, shared and enjoyed by all.”
The campaign also highlighted the important role Scotland’s libraries play in helping people find something they enjoy and make reading part of their everyday life – beyond the national reading moment.
With free access to a wide range of reading materials, alongside digital resources, reading groups, events and activities, libraries offer something for people at every stage of life.
Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, said: “Reaching over 90,000 pledges for Wee Read is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful reflection of the enthusiasm for reading across Scotland.
“We set out with a simple ambition – to give people a reason to make time for reading and to celebrate the many different ways that reading can be part of our lives. Seeing so many people, communities and organisations take part has really brought that notion to life.
“Whether someone read for five minutes or fifty, picked up an old favourite or discovered something completely new, we hope Wee Read reminded them of the joy that reading can bring and, importantly, encouraged people to keep that habit going beyond 7 October.”
Wee Read forms part of the UK’s National Year of Reading 2026, a year-long celebration of the pleasure, inspiration, connection and opportunities that reading brings.
Alison added: “Wee Read may have taken place on one day but the campaign’s message is intended to last much longer: there is no right way to read, every read counts and there is always time to read something you enjoy.
“Our libraries are here all year round to help people find their next read, discover something new and connect with their community. And if you didn’t manage to join in with Wee Read, that’s no reason to miss out – you can pick up something new at any time.
“We’d encourage everyone to keep that spirit going, make space for reading and turn to their local library for inspiration, new ideas and everything else it has to offer.”
Find out more and discover ways to keep reading at www.WeeRead.scot.
Share your Wee Read memories and recommendations using #WeeRead26.
Let’s come together on October 7th to celebrate the power of reading and the vital role libraries play in our lives!
From novels and comics to recipes and poems, every kind of reading matters. This is your chance to pause, pick up something you love, and join a nationwide moment dedicated to the joy of reading – and the positive impact it has on our wellbeing, learning, and everyday life.
Libraries across Scotland are ready to welcome you on your reading journey. By taking part, you’ll be joining thousands of others – schools, libraries, workplaces, community groups, families, and individuals – helping to build a Scotland where reading is valued, shared, and enjoyed by all.
Ready to inspire others? Make your pledge and share what you’re reading! Let’s show the world that Scotland is a nation of readers.
St Joseph’s RC Primary School in Edinburgh has been selected to receive a twelve-week author residency with Ross Collins Mackay, thanks to generous funding from the Walter Scott Giving Group.
The Live Literature School Residencies Programme, now in its eleventh year, is organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing.
The residencies, delivered at no cost to the school, are designed to inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing amongst pupils. They also give professional writers like Ross Mackay the opportunity to build relationships with the school and work together on a creative project.
St Joseph’s Headteacher Mhairi Brannan says:‘We are delighted to welcome an author in residence to our school. This is a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to be inspired by a professional writer and to build their confidence in expressing their own ideas through writing.
“We are really looking forward to seeing their creativity flourish and watching them discover just how powerful their own voices can be.’
Ross Mackay says: ‘Before I was a writer, I was a learning assistant at St Joseph’s. Back then the school was bursting with creativity and I’m sure it’s the same now – so as much as I am hoping to inspire the pupils, I am certain they will be inspiring me too.’
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, says: ‘Congratulations to St Joseph’s RC Primary School for this wonderful opportunity that is sure to enrich pupils.
“The Live Literature School Residencies Programme is an important flagship programme for Scottish Book Trust. Over the course of the 12 fully funded sessions, pupils and teachers receive expert guidance from their chosen authors, allowing creativity to thrive.
“These creative projects also offer the chance to tap into the local community, while promoting reading and writing cultures. We are incredibly grateful to our funders the Walter Scott Giving Group for making these residencies possible.”
Schools across the country were invited to apply to the programme which brings professional authors into the classroom to inspire and engage pupils. Each school taking part in the programme will receive 12 sessions delivered by an author from Scottish Book Trust’s author directory. They also receive a £500 grant for resources.
The residencies will run across the 2026-27 school year and finish by May 2027.
Each school’s project will be showcased on Scottish Book Trust’s website, alongside suggested learning resources and helpful tips to make the most of the residency sessions.
The eight schools who have been selected to receive twelve-week author residencies, thanks to generous funding from the Walter Scott Giving Group are:
e-Sgoil (Na h-Eileanan Siar) – author Louisa MacDougall
Stirches Primary School (Hawick, Scottish Borders) – author Alan Windram
Kirkintilloch High School (Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire) – author Nadine Aisha Jassat
St Joseph’s RC Primary School (Edinburgh) – author Ross Collins Mackay
Sunnybank Primary School (Aberdeen) – author Shalla Gray
Toryglen Primary and Language & Communication Resource (Glasgow) – author Yasmin Hanif
Newtonmore Primary School (Highland) – author Shelagh Campbell
Childcare in the Community (South Lanarkshire) – author Eric Brennan
On 7 October 2026, people across Scotland will come together for one shared moment to celebrate the joy of reading and the positive difference it can make to our wellbeing, learning and everyday lives.
A much-loved community book exchange in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge will reopen on Monday 8 September, after being destroyed in the storms of January 2025 and rebuilt from scratch.
The Little Free Library was created by bookbinder and artist Rachel Hazell, aka The Travelling Bookbinder, who first installed it in Stockbridge in 2016. It quickly became a fixture for local readers, walkers and visitors – and during the Covid-19 lockdowns, a source of connection and comfort for residents cut off from much else.
When the library was blown down and damaged beyond repair last winter, Hazell set out to find someone who could build a replacement able to withstand Scotland’s weather while staying safe, accessible and welcoming to readers of all ages.
The job went to Yann Jameson, a boatbuilder based on Mull, who constructed the new library from locally sourced larch and finished it with three coats of marine-grade oil to protect it against rain, wind and damp.
The reopening lands during the National Year of Reading 2026, and continues a movement with an unlikely point of origin. When the Little Free Library movement began in 2009, its founders drew inspiration from the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who around the turn of the 20th century funded the creation of 2,509 free public libraries across the English-speaking world – and set themselves the goal of surpassing that number, which they did within a few years.
Today there are more than 200,000 Little Free Libraries in 128 countries worldwide, and Little Free Library tourism – seeking them out while travelling – has become its own small pastime among book lovers.
Registered as Little Free Library #36444, the Stockbridge library is part of that worldwide network, used by locals and passers-by alike, and stocked with everything from romance and contemporary fiction to philosophy and Penguin Classics – all shared on the movement’s founding principle: “Take a book, share a Book.”
Rachel Hazell, founder and bookbinder, said: “When I first installed the library in 2016, the idea was simply to share books I’d loved and to support my belief that everyone has a book inside them. Over the years it became something much bigger than that, particularly during lockdown, when people told me it was a source of comfort, connection and escape.
“When it was destroyed in the storms, I was heartbroken. It’s taken longer than I’d hoped to find the right person to build a replacement, but Yann has created something truly special and robust.”
“I take my role as librarian very seriously, although admittedly the collection isn’t organised according to the Dewey Decimal System. I try to keep it well stocked, though sometimes the new titles that appear on the shelves are very tempting.
“I’m absolutely delighted to see it return. It belongs to the community as much as it does to me, and I can’t wait to see people using it again.”
Local resident Barbara said: “It’s been strange walking past the empty spot all year – the library was always a nice excuse to stop for a minute, get my bearings and see what’s new. Glad to have it back, and it looks better built than ever – very smart!”
The Stockbridge Little Free Library officially reopens on Tuesday 8 September and is free for everyone to use.
As part of the Royal Literary Fund’s Reading Round programme, taking place in 12 libraries across Scotland to mark National Book Club Day, we’re delighted to welcome award-winning writer, journalist and critic Chitra Ramaswamy to Stockbridge Library.
Friday, 11 September
12:30–2:30pm
Stockbridge Library
Chitra is the acclaimed author of “Homelands”, a moving account of her friendship with German Jewish refugee Henry Wuga. The book won the Saltire Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award and was named one of The Guardian’s best memoirs and biographies of 2022.
Her first book, “Expecting: The Inner Life of Pregnancy”, won the Saltire First Book of the Year Award, was shortlisted for the Polari Prize, and was reissued in 2024.
She has also contributed to numerous essay collections, judged literary prizes, and recently published “Rich Things” for the Alasdair Gray Archive.
Alongside her books, Chitra writes as a restaurant critic for The Times Scotland and occasionally The Observer, and as a TV critic for The Guardian.
Reading Round offers a welcoming and inclusive way to experience literature together. The session will begin with a short introduction before Chitra shares a carefully selected prose extract, reading it aloud to the group.
Participants are then invited to discuss what they noticed, what moved or surprised them, what resonated, and what questions the text raised.
After a short refreshment break, Chitra will read a selected poem twice, followed by another relaxed group discussion.
There are no right or wrong answers, no homework, and no expectation to speak if you don’t want to. Whether you’re an avid reader or simply curious, all you need is an interest in reading and a willingness to explore literature in a friendly, supportive environment.
We hope you’ll join us for this unique opportunity to read, reflect and connect through the shared enjoyment of literature.
