Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents Can Shape Children’s Reading with Beloved Books

Over 80% of Australians with children encourage them to read. Children whose parents enjoy reading are 20% more likely to enjoy it too.

My research reveals that parents aren’t the sole influencers in nurturing a love for reading—extended family members such as grandparents, siblings, uncles, and great-aunts also play a crucial role.

I surveyed 160 Australian readers about their home bookshelves and reading habits. More than 80% acknowledged the significant impact of family on their reading choices and habits. Interestingly, reading to children often falls under the invisible workload of mothers, with 95% of mothers engaged in it compared to 67% of fathers.

Those surveyed, aged from their early 20s to their 70s, collectively spoke about books being handed down across eight generations. Family members were closely linked to their most valued books, shaping their identities as readers.

Books inherited through generations often become cherished possessions, embodying a shared family history. One individual shared a story about an old hardcover copy of “Blinky Bill” by Dorothy Wall, originally given to her father and his siblings by their great-aunt in 1961. The book, now discolored and fragile, serves as a testament to familial connections.

Although she initially considered her mother as her reading role model, she realized her father had an equally significant impact. She has even dedicated an entire shelf to the books he enjoyed.

Another individual fondly remembered a set of Dickens’ novels filled with margin notes and century-old newspaper clippings. Initially owned by her great-great-grandmother and later gifted by her great-aunt, these volumes represented a reading bond passed down through generations.

Such books are irreplaceable. They are deeply tied to memories and experiences and are invaluable for whom and what they represent.

A third person spoke about her father’s “old” “Dragonriders of Pern” series by Anne McCaffrey. He read it to her as a teenager and later passed it down, which ignited her love for science fiction. She plans to pass it on to her own teenager. The book, now battered and falling apart, reflects its cherished status.

The deteriorating state of these books is part of their legacy, showing how loved they have been. The value of such reading passions lies not in reading comprehension or literacy but in a sense of connection and shared experience.

Inherited, much-loved books bind families together, anchoring absent family members to the present. These books come to symbolize love, connection, and loss.

Even if family members who passed down these books are no longer physically present, their books can still play a significant role in the lives of their loved ones, leaving an indelible mark that extends into adulthood.

Another way families contribute to a reading legacy is by buying new copies of much-loved books for the next generation. Theresa Sheen from The Quick Brown Fox, a children’s bookstore in Brisbane, noted customers frequently seek copies of books they loved in their youth.

For example, the “The Babysitters Club” series by Ann M. Martin is often mentioned as a nostalgic favorite, now in demand by grandparents.

Readers’ habits of re-buying favorite books impact the publishing industry. Older children’s classics continue to sell, leading publishers to update the texts to reflect contemporary cultural norms. Enid Blyton’s work, for instance, is regularly edited and bowdlerized to keep it relevant.

Books imbued with the voices and emotions of others become more than just physical objects. They are vessels of shared experiences passed down, up, and across generations. This enduring bond between family members does more than preserve individual stories; it actively shapes and sustains a vibrant reading culture.

Source: The Conversation