Understanding Children's Perspectives on Reading

At Toppsta, we have been gathering reviews of children’s books from children, parents, and teachers for over a decade. Traditionally, these reviews served as guidance for other readers and provided publishers with social proof through ratings and recommendations. Recently, we shifted our approach to analyze patterns across all reviews, asking who is reading the books and how they resonate with both children and adults.

Our findings reveal surprising insights. While we often view adults as gatekeepers of children's literature—purchasing, recommending, or providing access to books—our analysis shows that a significant number of adult readers engage with certain genres like historical fiction and fantasy, with adults constituting 25-50% of the readership in some cases. Conversely, highly illustrated comedic books attract fewer adult readers.

Moreover, the responses from adults and children can differ greatly. Adults typically focus on educational value, vocabulary, and positive messages, whereas children often highlight humor, pace, characters, illustrations, and emotional impact. For example, in a recent review of a time-travel story, adults appreciated the historical context, while children enjoyed the humor.

This difference in perspective encourages us to consider how we categorize and present books. While publishers tend to classify books by age and genre, readers—parents, teachers, and children—often seek practical solutions. They might be looking for the next step from picture books or a book to engage a reluctant reader, underscoring the need to align descriptions with a child’s reading journey.

Children also consistently express how much the delivery of the story matters. When presenting these findings, I likened the plot of a story to treasure and the format to the ship that carries it. Elements such as short chapters and illustrations significantly impact children's engagement and enjoyment.

Despite this valuable feedback, many insights from reader reviews often do not translate back into how books are marketed. While traditional retailer descriptions focus on plot, they may overlook crucial questions about the intended audience, the context of the reading experience, and what specifically appeals to young readers.

Collectively analyzing reviews can illuminate these factors, allowing us to test assumptions about audience engagement and improve future marketing strategies, potentially reshaping the descriptions of books to better reflect reader experiences.

Ultimately, by listening to young readers, we can better understand not just what draws them to a book, but what keeps them engaged and how to guide them toward their next reading adventure. Instead of lamenting the challenges of fostering a reading culture among children, we should focus on amplifying the motivations that inspire them to read.

Georgina Atwell and Anna Bon, Children's MD at Bonnier, will discuss these themes in greater detail at The Bookseller Children’s Conference on Monday, November 9, 2026.