Cities across the UK where children’s literacy levels are considered below average are getting help from an unlikely source: TikTok.
The video platform, which has become famous for its ‘BookTok’ area, will launch bookshelves in these 11 UK cities, which face the ‘biggest challenges’ with literacy, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust.
BookTok is largely credited with the resurgence of reading as a popular pastime among young people with more than 32 million posts and more than 167 billion views on the platform.
The shelves were installed following research by the National Literacy Trust (NLT), which found that fewer than three in ten children aged eight to 18 read every day. The study also found that one in 12 children between the ages of five and 18 do not own a book.
TikTok to launch ‘BookTok Bookshelves’ soon to get young people reading again
A total of 20 shelves will be built in Birmingham, Blackpool, Bradford, Doncaster, Manchester, Middlesborough, Newcastle, Nottingham, Peterborough, Stoke and Swindon.
The books will be chosen by young NLT volunteers and are aimed at those aged 14 and over, and will be placed in areas with a high influx of young people.
The first shelf in Nottingham has now opened and includes titles from artists such as Malorie Blackman, Holly Jackson, Alice Oseman and Neil Gaiman.
Jason Vit, head of local areas at NLT, said: “As a charity we strive to raise literacy levels across the UK, particularly in our most disadvantaged communities, increasing access to books and reaching people where are, and in a way that seems meaningful to them.
‘We know the appeal of brands like TikTok for the young people we want to support.
The first bookshelf was installed in Nottingham and young volunteers collected the books.
The books are aimed at teenagers over 14 years old.
‘Through this partnership we can leverage your interests and create opportunities to inspire and encourage reading among your peers; The benefits our research shows extend to all areas of their lives.’
The popularity of a book on TikTok can now be decisive depending on the number of sales it achieves.
Popular books on BookTok often include the “romantasía” genre, a combination of romance and fantasy, such as books by Sarah J. Maas.
In July last year, Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros became the fastest pre-ordered title in Waterstones’ history, after the first book in the series went viral on TikTok.
The book, which was published in October, is the follow-up to Colorado-based Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing, a romantic epic fantasy filled with steamy scenes, snarky dragons, and a tough heroine protagonist.
He has become a huge hit on TikTok, with almost 200 million views on #fourthwing.
Brighton-born Jack Edwards is one of the biggest names in the BookTok community and reviews the books he’s read.
The owners of the Notting Hill bookstore previously told MailOnline how TikTok has contributed to the rise in Gen Z customers.
TikTok has also propelled Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder series to fame, which is now being turned into a BBC Three show.
And the owners of the Notting Hill bookstore in London said their sales have increased “100 per cent” since the pandemic, which they attributed to social media.
With over 167 billion views on TikTok, reviews and recommendations across the global BookTok community have inspired Gen Z to ditch their screens in favor of a good old-fashioned book.
BookTok has gained such momentum in recent times that TikTok launched its first book awards in the UK and Ireland last year, with thousands of people voting for their favorite books, authors and bookstores of 2023.
Popular creators include Ayman Chaudary and Jack Edwards, part of a host of creators looking to make reading interesting again.