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Students read ~17.1 books per year on average; total words read declined vs. 2024, signalling a need to protect reading time.
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Comprehension lags behind difficulty – especially from the middle years-highlighting the need to pair choice with explicit support.
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Series reading = stamina: multiple-series readers spend more time reading and finish far more books over the year.
What Kids Are Reading 2026 - Australia & NZ
Discover what Australian & NZ students are really reading
The 2026 Reading Report: What Every School Needs to Know
Now in its 40th year, Accelerated Reader has helped generations of Australian students fall in love with reading. This year’s report looks at what nearly 60,000 students across 356 Australian and New Zealand schools are reading – and, new for 2026, spotlights the Growing Readers turning things around mid-year.
Key findings
What’s inside the PDF
- K-2 foundations: Local favourites dominate – Aaron Blabey’s Pig the Pug series and Sally Rippin’s Billie B Brown led the pack, with humour and relatable characters driving engagement.
- Years 3-5 momentum: Series drive volume, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Harry Potter topping the list; students are shifting from learning to read to reading to learn.
- Years 6-8 inflection point: Reading momentum from primary school starts to stall as social dynamics and academic demands compete for time; comprehension drops to mid-70s%.
- Years 9-12 reality check: Australian voices feature strongly – Jasper Jones and Shooting Stars rank alongside To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men – but reading for pleasure often gives way to academic and social demands.
- NEW – Growing Readers by category: hot topics, highly rated reads, and shared read-aloud favourites for students on standout growth trajectories.
- Matching books to readers: ATOS & Lexile guidance to balance challenge and interest.
- Actionable strategies: Daily practice targets, series leverage, and making reading social to boost stamina and understanding.