Why We Must Go All In on Stories
Reflections from the National Literacy Trust Conference
The world isn’t the kindest place right now, and that’s why moments that give us hope matter more than ever.
Last month, the Storytime editorial team – along with our Creative Director, Lulu Skantze – attended the National Literacy Trust conference at the British Library. It was one of those special events that reminds us about why the work we do matters.
To see the care and commitment of teachers and librarians and hear authors speak so passionately about the power of stories was a powerful reminder that there is so much positive work being done in the field of in literacy (and out in the world, too).
A Broader View of Reading
Led by Martin Galway and hosted at the amazing team at British Library, the conference offered a rich, inclusive view of reading today.
The theme was ‘Beyond the Book: Routes into Reading’, and it was a full day of workshops and keynote lectures with really inspiring people! Some of the key ideas explored were:
- The importance of not narrowing down what ‘counts’ as reading
- The role of oracy in literacy development
- The need to reflect real reading behaviours in how we teach and publish
Speakers like Charlotte Hacking and Geoff Barton emphasised something that we in the publishing world believe: reading can take many forms, and there is no ‘one true way’ to read.
Why Magazines Matter in Reading for Pleasure
To our great surprise and excitement, the conference had a focus on magazines and comics. Speakers talked about how they are embraced by many young readers who find traditional books a bit intimidating.
So, if kids love magazines, how do we bring them back into the heart of reading culture?
We cover this theme often in our blogs! To bring everyone up to date, here some reasons why magazines have an important role to play in developing reading habits:
- Accessible entry points: Short, engaging content builds confidence
- Ongoing engagement: Regular issues create continuity and anticipation
- Inclusive formats: Something for every reader, at every level
- Shared experiences: Ideal for classrooms with mixed abilities
- Multimodal reading: Combining text, visuals, audio and interaction
These elements are central to how we create Storytime. As the UK’s only multimodal magazine, we want to make sure that stories are not limited to one format so children can read, listen, play and explore in ways that suit them.
Reading without prejudice is how literacy thrives. Are you with us on that?
The Power of Visual and Multimodal Storytelling
During the panel on the role of visual stories in reading with Lucy Starbuck Braidley, Louie Stowell, Emily Guille-Marrett and Mark Bradley and Lulu Skantze, we all agreed that we are shaped by what we read as children.
And yet, as children grow, their reading experiences often narrow and move away from visual storytelling towards text-only formats. But it shouldn’t!
As Mark Bradley, the author of the Bumble and Snug series, put it:
“How does one live without pictures?”
Here’s the thing: images play a huge part in comprehension and imagination. They make reading fun and have their own language – and that’s no bad thing! Removing pictures too early can limit engagement. A healthy reading ecosystem should include everything from picture books to comics and graphic novels, magazines, audio storytelling and interactive activities.
Reading Beyond the Page
Reading today is not, and should not be, confined to one format. To make reading enjoyable for children, we should allow them to have agency and experiment with stories.
All multimodal formats contribute to reading for pleasure, and all reading counts. Children already engage with stories in this way, so it’s up to us to meet them there.
As Michael Rosen said:
“Reading is generous and full of surprises. You never quite know where it will take you.”
At Storytimewe believe reading can take children anywhere. And we shall continue to give them many pathways to follow on their journeys!