– WITH VIDEO
David Walliams’ Bad Dad has been announced as the top book that kids hope to find under the tree this Christmas.
The best seller about a father and son who go on a mission to break an innocent man into prison was rated as the most-desired kids’ book this Christmas in a survey of 1,000 UK children aged between eight and twelve.
Kid Normal by Greg James, Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford and Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae also made the top five.
The survey also asked children what they look for most when deciding which book to read next and ‘making them laugh’ came out on top.
It also seems that, despite the age-old warning, kids can’t help but judge a book by its cover as ‘an interesting cover’ comes in at number two as the most important sign when looking for a good read.
Simon Johnson, Director of Media, Amazon.co.uk, said: “We’re delighted to have had a selection of the children’s books in our Christmas Store be given the stamp of approval by kids themselves.
“Books have always been a firm favourite on people’s Christmas wish lists through the ages – from hotly anticipated new releases to timeless classics – there is something for everyone in the list that the children recommend this year.”
When asked what they like most about receiving books at Christmas time, nearly half the children surveyed said it was just because they simply ‘love to read’.
Nearly four in ten children said it is because ‘books are entertaining’, and a third of children revealed that ‘reading together with their family’ was what they liked most.
The research also revealed that two thirds of parents in the UK claim that their kids read the same, if not more, than they did at their age, suggesting that despite today’s children being known as the ‘YouTube generation’, reading is still an important pastime that brings families together.
The Chatterbooks reading club in Hackney, London, is just one example of keen young readers who are looking forward to getting their hands on their next book this Christmas.
With members aged between eight and twelve, the group meets weekly to talk through their favourite page turners.
Along with teen vlogger star Amazing Arabella, this panel of young book-lovers was invited by Amazon to critique some of the top books to offer a little expert advice and guidance to those buying their young loved-ones books this Christmas.
Amazing Arabella said: “It was great to chat to the kids in Chatterbooks reading group and find out what they think of the books in Amazon’s Christmas Store this year.
“I’ve always loved reading and books are a great present to give at Christmas and I hope our reviews have helped people decide which books to buy for their nearest and dearest this Christmas.”
In addition to the top five, Chatterbooks also gave a special shout-out to the book Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky, which Florence, aged 8, and Oasis, aged 12, described as “inspiring” and “important” as it shows “how different women changed the way we see the world today, even though a lot of people told them ‘no’.”
TOP 5 MOST-DESIRED BOOKS THIS CHRISTMAS
Bad Dad by David Walliams
Guinness World Records 2018
Kid Normal by Greg James
Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford
Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
TOP 5 FACTORS CHILDREN LOOK FOR IN A GOOD BOOK
Makes me laugh (45%)
Great and colourful front cover (37%)
Let’s me use my imagination (34%)
If my friend loves it too (33%)
Colourful pictures (27%)
ENDS
