Reading for pleasure has dropped to a 14-year low, says new research.

Just 25% (a quarter) of 5 to 17-year-olds now read for fun, compared to 39% (two-fifths) in 2012. Findings by publisher HarperCollins UK show that 15% of children in the same age group rarely or never read.

One of the reasons for the drop is that many think of reading as homework, rather than a hobby.

Just 29% of parents of children 13 and under are aware that children who read for pleasure are happier!

“As supporters of the National Year of Reading, our mission is clear: to make every child a proud reader by putting reading for pleasure back at the heart of their lives,” says Cally Poplak, HarperCollins and Farshore managing director.