Middle Grade Readers are Underperforming in the US Book Market, Circana Reports

CHICAGO, July 24, 2024 – Children’s print books sales in the U.S. have been softening since 2022, and while some of this decline can be attributed to a post-pandemic readjustment, research points to reading for fun being a concern. In fact, retail point-of-sale data shows that the middle grade readers segment is the biggest underperforming children’s age group in the U.S. book market, according to Circana, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior.

In the first half of 2024, print sales of middle reader books, intended for children ages 9-12, dropped by 5%, or 1.8 million fewer units sold, compared to the same timeframe last year. For comparison, print sales across the rest of the children’s book market are down by 2% during the same six-month period.  

“Middle grade age is a critical point in the journey as a young reader; however, reading for pleasure continues to face the challenge of vying for attention,” said Brenna Connor, books industry analyst at Circana. “Screentime is a factor, and consumer research shows a negative correlation between increased screentime and reading for fun. The more time children spend watching a screen, the less time they have to read.”   

Circana’s newly released Future of™ Books study reveals key findings in terms of how these young readers discover books. Compared to other children’s age segments, middle grade book buyers report higher instances of discovering books based on friend or family recommendations. In addition, middle grade book buyers are more likely to report purchasing a book at their school’s book fair, compared to other children.

While the segment as a whole is in decline, it is important to highlight the pockets of growth within middle grade. For example, like the adult book market, themes tied to escapism are posting gains. In the middle grade book market, subjects that are growing in sales include robots and dragons, as well as adventure and wilderness stories.  

“There are many reasons why reading is important for children,” said Connor. “In addition to the academic benefits including higher test scores and stronger vocabulary skills, reading broadens a child’s world view and helps them to develop empathy. As an industry, we need to find creative, actionable ways to improve reading frequency, and educating parents is one place to start. By understanding the connection between their child’s well-being and how often they read for fun, we can help to encourage this valuable – and hopefully lifelong – behavior.”