Men more likely than women to buy books for kids

A new survey found that 55 percent of parents foresee their child having a career in a creative field.

A recent survey of 2,000 parents with school-age kids found that 71 percent of parents think their child is more creative than they were at their age — and books may be the driving force.

Half of parents said they purchase books for their child once or a few times a month.

And when it comes to books, it seems father knows best. Men are more likely than women to buy their kids books once or a few times a month – 54 percent versus 44 percent.

The average child has about 26 books, 21 of which are their own choosing. Only 6 percent of the average kid’s book collection is made up of required reading for school.

Sixty-two percent of kids have their own bookshelf, and 48 percent are full.

But there may be more to add to that soon, as three in four – 76 percent – parents said their kid is eagerly anticipating filling their shelf with new books.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of ThriftBooks, the survey also found 58 percent of parents were most likely to enjoy sharing their favorite books with their kids, which is more than the 50 percent relying on television, or the 47 percent taking their kids to places or the 44 percent offering experiences.

Of Gen Z parents, 76 percent said they enjoy showing their kids their most loved books from their childhood, more than any other age group.

Overall, parents and kids both enjoy reading often — 65 percent of parents do so, and the same amount said their kids do, as well.

To that end, the average parent and child each devote about five hours a week to reading.

As for favorite genres, 32 percent or a third of parents said their kids enjoy adventure books. Other popular picks included the 27 percent for each of the following categories: fantasy, fiction, and mystery.

And with 69 percent of parents saying their child has a lot of creative energy, there’s always a search for additional outlets to put it to use. Thirty-seven percent of kids channel their artistic talents by drawing, while 32 percent write.

“There are many ways both parents and educators can continue to foster a child’s love of reading through the years, from reading out loud together to having kids bring their favorite stories to life by drawing them or acting them out,” said a spokesperson for ThriftBooks.

Stocking their kids’ shelves with new favorites can also keep the momentum going. Fifty-four percent buy educational books or workbooks for their child, with 48 percent of them doing so year-round.

Twenty-six percent of parents also want to encourage their child to read more informational books.

Regardless of genre, parents’ top three sources for finding new book recommendations for their kid were the 32 percent preferring friends and family, as opposed to the 30 percent preferring the Goodreads or Book Riot websites, and the 28 percent doing online searches.

The poll also asked kids whether their love of reading inspires them to become an author when they’re older and found 68 percent answered in the affirmative.

“Any genre of books can easily become a teaching tool. By taking kids’ reading preferences into account, educators can create a robust library in and outside the classroom to turn students from readers into book lovers,” the Thriftbooks spokesperson added.

Kids’ favorite books, according to parents:

“Dragon Hoops” by Gene Luen Yan
“Beauty and the Beast”
Bible stories
Disney’s “Frozen” collection
“I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast” by Michael Holland
Books by Judy Blume
“Naruto”
“The Baby-Sitters Club” by Ann M. Martin
Poetry books
The “Wings of Fire” book series by Tui T. Sutherland

Produced in association with SWNS.