Edinburgh Book Festival Sparks Reading Revolution

0:00The Edinburgh International Book Festival just dropped its school's program for 2026, tying right into Scotland's national year of reading. It kicks off Monday the 24th through Friday the 28th of August, packing a full week of author talks, hands-on creative sessions, and teacher resources to fire up kids at the start of school. New stats from the National Literacy Trust, paints a clear picture, only 30.3% of Scottish kids aged 8 to 18 enjoy reading. In their spare time, and just 1 in 6 read every day. That's a wake-up call, stressing the need for real support to build reading confidence across schools and homes. Teachers, librarians, and home educators are loving the flexible options, in-person visits with live writer events, and Q&A sessions, free. Live streams with on-demand replays, or standalone digital lesson packs. Everyone gets a free book, and there's help for transport, plus free tickets for pupils who needed most. Pricing stays accessible at 4 pounds per pupil ticket, with one free adult spot for every 10 kids and wiggle room for support needs.

1:07Big names like Jacqueline Wilson, Patrick Ness, and Catherine Rundell headline, plus theme days. A primary gala on Wednesday the 26th and 8. Teen takeover on Thursday the 27th. Complete with a discovery zone full of drop-in fun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This program is set to spark a reading revolution, blending live energy, with easy access to get every young Scott flipping pages, and dreaming big. I'm Corey with the story. That's your Edinburgh News today update. AI powered, and always on.