You may think reading isn't cool, you may think the past time is a thing of the past and the youth of today just aren't interested, you'd be wrong. Reading and enjoying books has never been easier, cooler or more accessible.
With Audiobooks and E-Readers, you've never had less of an excuse to read, this is important now more than ever as literacy rates in the North East show a worrying statistic - over 280,000 people aged between 16 and 65 have the literacy skills, or below, of those expected from a 9-11 year old, this all according to a 2011 Skills for Life Survey. Though in recent years we have seen an encouraging trend within children and teen literature.
Since the rise of YouTube and YouTubers A brand new medium has emerged, that of personality led content and from this content has given birth to a sub-trend - These YouTubers, who are adored by millions of there young subscribers are releasing books! Perhaps a bizarre juxtaposition in this modern era. Not only has this trend made the publishers, the YouTubers - and whoever wrote the book for them - rich it has also enriched the minds of young people. Though perhaps a happy side effect and not the original aim. Taking a look at the figures and the readership, "YouTubooks" has seen young people read who formally wouldn't have.
10 of YouTubers bestselling Books...
1. Girl Online, Zoella (Zoey Sugg) - Over 350,000 sales (2015). Selling over 78,000 copies in her first week Zoella was crowned the fastest selling debut novelist In UK History.
2. Pointless Book, Pointlessblog (Alfie Deyes) - Over 350,000 sales (2017) alongside his other books Deyes has sold over 600,00 copies.
3. This Book Loves You, Pewdiepie (Felix Kjellberg) - Over 112,00 (February 2017)
4. Username Evie, Joe Sugg - Over 13,000 copies in first week. Making it the best selling opening week for any graphic novel in UK history.
5. The Amazing Book is Not on Fire, Daniel Howell and Phil Lester - 26,744 in first week.
6. Hello Life!, Marcus Butler - 6,551 in first week.
7. Love, Tanya Burr - 15,117 in first week.
8. Caspar Lee, Caspar Lee - over 2000 in first week, and as of July 2016 over 30,000 overall.
9. Binge, Tyler Oakley - 9,625 in first week. Number 2 on the NY Times best seller list.
10. A Work In Progress, Conor Franta - Over 200,000 sales (2017)
Book signings in the North East
This trend of new forms of literature for young people has spread to our region. The children and teens of Tyne and Wear have, like many others taken to this exciting craze. In November Joe Weller, a YouTuber with almost 5 million subscribers visited the Metocentre for a signing of his debut book, Joe Weller Explores - Haunted Hotel. The sensation was greeted by hundreds of children queuing round the entirety of the green mall. Joanna Jackson, the mother of a young fan, said "we queued for over 5 hours, partly because he was an hour late but mainly because there was so many people here... I've never heard of him no, but as long as my sons happy and is reading, thats enough for me".
It's not only young kids who want to meet there favourite authors, adults too jump at the opportunity to have 5 seconds of their idols time, a quick photograph and marking on a copy of their own books. Recently ex-Sunderland AFC manager Peter Reid visited Waterstones in the Bridges Sunderland to sign his autobiography, Cheer Up Peter Reid.
In December, the New York Times bestselling author, Brandon Sanderson visited the University of Newcastle for a special talk and book signing. The award winning Author told an auditorium full of fans, that "he'd never done one of these in a University" and that it reminded him of teaching, which he does every year at Brigham Young University in Utah United States. He did say however that although doing world tours are tiresome it didn't stop him writing future novels. "The new novel I'm going to read for you tonight, I wrote on the train down here".
These instances along with many others clearly show that there is a great thirst for books and literature still in the North East. American actress Ruby Wax for example is visiting Waterstones in Newcastle in early 2018 for a signing of her new book How To Be Human.
"Giving children a place to read, that is safe and inviting is the most important thing I strive to achieve, and I what I believe will help ensure young people will have a chance to thrive and succeed to there fullest potential"
Marguerite Burnett, St. Anthony's Catholic Academy Librarian.
Lack of availability is not an excuse if you're from around these parts, you'll find a book around every corner; from household stores like Waterstones and WH Smiths, to Comic Book shops for the more nerdier inclined there are plenty of establishments to get your literary fill in the North East. This map is a compendium of all the best in our wonderful region.
