A new grant fund from Penguin Random House Australia and New Zealand (PRH ANZ) aims to support booksellers in empowering the next generation of readers
The $200,000 grant, announced this week, is open to any bookstore with a dedicated children’s section to apply for up to $8,000 for a project designed to attract young readers.
The announcement comes inresponse to recent findings showing the decline in recreational readers, particularly amongst children and young people.
According to the Grattan Institute Reading Guarantee, 1 in 3 Australians do not read proficiently and only 29% of young people read for pleasure.
As Julie Burland, CEO of PRH ANZ states: “The numbers are clear: Australian children are reading less. In a world where books are constantly competing with on-screen activities, we must innovate to engage young readers and connect literacy with reading for pleasure. We’re excited to offer these funds to booksellers who will nurture young readers and instil a lifelong love of reading.”
About the grant: The Penguin Children’s Bookseller Grant will be open July – October 2025, with funds paid on implementation of the idea. Bookstores with a dedicated children’s section can apply with a project aimed at readers ages 0-12.
Find out more via Penguin’s website.