When I was a child, my favourite place to spend the afternoon, after school, was the local library. I’d comb through the shelves for book spines that sparked my interest. I’d sit on the rug with the other children as the librarian read aloud a picture book which we all would race to check out once she finished. It was a place where stories were valuable, yet limitless, where the floodgates of imagination could be thrown open with abandon, where books gave voice to feelings we did not yet have the words for.
But what do stories really do for children?
How important are they? And what happens when there is no local library, or school, or way to access stories?
Literacy is not just an academic skill – it is a tool for protection. Reading builds emotional resilience, and results in improved long-term life outcomes. As the authors of a study on the association of book reading and longevity put it:
“The benefits of reading books include a longer life in which to read them.”
Beyond longevity, quality of life and literacy are also related. Reading is the vehicle through which children build their knowledge base. Access to printed learning materials early in development expands children’ s vocabulary and comprehension skills. Research shows that early and consistent exposure to books not only results in better language skills, but aids in cognitive development, and improves academic performance. It has been found that children from homes with lots of books attain about three additional years of education on average, regardless of their parents’ education, occupation, and economic status. All of these benefits compound over time as children get older. Higher levels of literacy are associated with better employment opportunities, improved health, and increased civic participation in adulthood.
What about those with low levels of literacy?
There are approximately 781 million adults worldwide that cannot read or write.
Poverty and illiteracy tend to coexist. In areas that are economically challenged, education is often less accessible. And even when there are schools available for children and young adults to attend, students are pulled from their school desks to work instead, earning money to support their struggling families.
There is also an added layer of a gender gap in literacy rates. Of the global population of adults who can’t read nor write, nearly two thirds is made up of women.
The countries with the lowest literacy rates are located in the regions of South Asia, West Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, which also correspond to the poorest countries in the world. However, that doesn’t mean that literacy is guaranteed in the most developed countries.
In fact, about 16% of adults in the UK are ‘functionally illiterate’ (this means that they have a reading level of age 11 or below). The UK also has one of the highest youth illiteracy rates in the developed world. In the US, 21% of the adult population is functionally illiterate.
Low literacy in childhood correlates to higher levels of social and economic vulnerability. For example, it is estimated that on average, in the UK, adults with functional literacy earn 16% more than those without functional literacy. Poor early reading skills put children at greater risk of dropping out of school, experiencing unemployment, and coming in contact with the carceral system.
But beyond the practical skills of reading and writing that literacy affords them, stories help children grow and cope with the world around them.
Reading is emotional work
Books allow children to try on the feelings of others at a safe distance. They engage with emotions like fear, loss, regret, and change so that when they inevitably come across these feelings in their own lives, they are able to name and process their experiences. Studies show that the use of stories can even be an effective intervention method to enhance resilience, reduce anxiety and depression, and contribute to emotional regulation and conflict resolution in children.
Books cultivate a sense of identity and belonging. When children see themselves represented in books, and when they identify with the characters or circumstances depicted, they feel more valued and less isolated.
For children in vulnerable positions, including those in unstable or stressful environments, such as foster care, shelters, hospitals, or homes with lots of conflict, books offer doses of small but meaningful stability and protection that supports psychological healing and aids in their development.
How we can make a difference:
Admittedly, there are systemic barriers to literacy that are difficult to overcome all around the world, especially considering the deep and intimate link between literacy, educational opportunities, access to books, and poverty. But there are always ways for us to fill these gaps present in our own communities. Here are a few simple ways to make an impact:
- Volunteer at your local library! They often have opportunities to engage with your community in a way that is meaningful and encourages connection and learning.
- Create your own “Little Free Library.” Is there a book desert near you? Communities are coming together to create shelves of free books in public areas for the neighbourhood to donate to and borrow from.
- Support and advocate for child welfare policies and increased funding for your local schools and public libraries.
- Donate new and gently used books to local shelters, foster care agencies, libraries, and community centres.
- Read aloud to the children in your life. Studies show that this creates healthy bonds, strengthens communication, and improves language and cognitive outcomes.
- Elevate reading and stories in your work. If you are a professional working in child welfare, consider integrating access to books, storytelling and reading into your practice and training.
Who is Hussain teams are doing their part to equip children around the world with the tools they need to thrive and succeed:
In Chicago, our Who is Hussain team led their 10th annual school supply drive. This year, they packed more than 2,000 backpacks with essential school supplies in support of students in the Chicago Public School district. Their decade-long commitment to serving their community has inspired many to join and donate to the cause, elevating their impact year after year.
Across the world from our volunteers in Chicago, our Who is Hussain Lebanon team also packed stationary supplies for nearly 100 school children. Along with essential school supplies, they also gave an incredible gift to 16 students and their families by covering their annual tuition fees.
Our volunteers understand the role education plays in child welfare. Treating literacy as a priority has the power to reframe how we protect children. Books are more than academic tools: they are access points to resilience, companionship, identity, and opportunity.
Imagine a world where every child can both learn to read and hold a book of their own. Imagine all the stories they could tell us later.
