May is National Share-a-Story Month

Running annually each May, National Share-a-Story Month (NSSM) helps shine a spotlight on the joy of reading aloud to children and the power of stories to bring people together.

Research also shows that reading regularly to children helps them to develop reading skills and to grow a love of reading.

This year the theme for National Share-a-Story Month is Once Upon a Storytime.

This nationwide celebration invites children, families, schools, and communities to connect through books, storytelling, and the spoken word.

The annual celebration is organised by the Federation of Children's Book Groups and 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the FCBG. To celebrate this, the FCBG is inviting families, schools, libraries, book groups, nurseries, and community organisations to take part in its national competition to win book prizes by sharing your own read-aloud experience or event, showing how you’ve celebrated reading aloud together. Further details will be made available in May.

Resources

The FCBG has made a booklist available with read-aloud recommendations across all age ranges. Download the FCCB Booklist.

ReadingZone provides monthly age-ranged book recommendations: ReadingZone Recommends.

Research into regular reading aloud to children

Storytime in class can improve children's reading and comprehension:  Storytime of 20 minutes a day has been shown to encourage dramatic and significant improvements in children's reading and comprehension levels, according to research from 2023. In 20 schools across the UK, children's reading attainment in one group improved by 12 months in just one term. Find out more.

Reading with children at home can improve their life chances:  Alison David, consumer insight director at Farshore, shares research that highlights the importance of reading with children at home.

National Share-a-Story Image by Emma Carpendale