FEWER children are getting lost in a good book according to a survey of teachers and school librarians from the charity, Booktrust, and education firm, Pearson.

Around 57 per cent of the 500 teachers surveyed about their pupils’ reading habits said they thought students read for pleasure less often than they and their classmates did when they were children.

Meanwhile, two-fifths predicted that children will read even less in 10 years’ time than they do today.

But Matt Holland, director of the annual Swindon Festival of Literature, said that in his experience, more children are reading than ever before.

He said: “I have to disagree. I have three children of my own andI know a lot of children through my work with schools.

“There are more children reading, and they are reading different things in different ways. They read on the internet, of course, and there are more sales of children’s books too.

“They are also texting, a fantastic phenomena, the best method of communication we’ve developed yet, because it means you have to make what you say really count.

“You have to be even more imaginative and creative to make sure you’re very succinct.

“Numeracy and literacy is greater than it has ever been before, both with adults and with children. There will always be people who can’t spell very well or don’t read a lot, but it is far better than it used to be.”

Matt also criticised the survey because he felt the teachers surveyed would probably have read more for pleasure than their peers as a matter of course.

He said: “They are teachers and wanted to read more, but a lot of people don’t want to be teachers and don’t read as much as children who want to be teachers.

“Generally book sales are greater, and they’re reading everything, legends, myths, books that are turned into television and film series too.

“And what’s the big deal about reading anyway? It doesn’t really matter what you do, but that you enjoy life fully. That might be reading a book but it might be playing outside, climbing trees and exploring the world.”

The poll also suggested that parents are not encouraging reading for pleasure, with 64 per cent saying that mothers and fathers were less involved in motivating children to read than they were 10 years ago.