In 2025, the simple joy of storytime is under threat. A recent report from HarperCollins UK reveals a concerning trend: fewer than half of Generation Z parents find reading to their children "fun for me," with almost one in three viewing it as "more a subject to learn" than an enjoyable experience. The data is stark: only a third of children aged five to ten frequently read for pleasure, a significant drop from over half in 2012.
Embracing Technology: The AI Storyteller
Faced with this challenge, parents are getting creative. Bri Ramos, a 37-year-old marketing professional from Oklahoma City, found an unlikely ally in ChatGPT. After a teacher emphasised the profound impact of nightly reading on a child's developing brain, Ramos began using the AI's talk feature to generate personalised bedtime stories for her six-year-old daughter, Camilla.
"It's usually two to three minutes, and then we have it ask reading comprehension questions about the story afterwards," Ramos explained. She requests tales about a princess or dragon-fighter named Camilla, delivered in a British accent for added fun. This approach, used sparingly to break monotony, shifts focus from the technical struggle of decoding words to engaging with a narrative. "When we're reading from a book, it's more technical. When we're reading from AI, it's more fun and engaging," she noted.
While outsourcing parenting to large language models is contentious, experts like Alexandria Abenshon of the New York Public Library see it as a starting point for discussion about authorship. Ramos ensures supervision for age-appropriate content, arguing that "using technology as an asset and having your child read is better than not reading at all."
Beyond the Storybook: Reading in the Kitchen
For children's author Alliah L Agostini from Montclair, New Jersey, the path to engagement led to the kitchen. Noticing her ten-year-old daughter was an enthusiastic reader while her eight-year-old son was less so, she leveraged their interest in her cookbook recipe testing.
"I was like, 'Wait a minute, this is just as much reading as anything else,'" said Agostini, 43. Reading cookbooks together transforms following instructions into a collaborative, fulfilling activity with a tangible result. "Kids consume media a little bit differently than we did," she advises. "Be patient with them... it's fun and creates great memories."
The Dramatic Turn: Bringing Characters to Life
In Los Angeles, actor Arjay Smith, 42, uses his professional skills to captivate his children. He narrates bedtime stories using a repertoire of voices, from Christopher Walken and Morgan Freeman to a "generic deep monster voice." He and his wife sometimes turn readings into two-person plays.
"It has a greater impact on their life and how they connect to stories," Smith said. "Now it's not just words on a page, it's words on a page that were brought to life." This theatrical method ensures the stories resonate long after the book is closed.
Expert Advice: Building a Lifelong Habit
Alexandria Abenshon encourages parents to "embrace all types of reading," including wordless picture books that children can narrate themselves. The key is letting kids choose material that interests them and modelling reading behaviour. "Making sure that we have a time and a space to read are critical ingredients to building a relationship with reading," she stated, emphasising that cultivating an appreciation doesn't happen overnight but through consistent, dedicated habit-building.
The collective message from educators and innovative parents is clear: in an age of digital distraction and declining literacy scores, preserving the magic of reading requires adaptability, patience, and sometimes, a very good Christopher Walken impression.
