Ten Minutes That Matter: The Raising Readers Campaign

What can 10 minutes really accomplish?

A quick coffee break? A few emails? A short walk? Or perhaps reading with a child, creating a lasting impact. We all remember the first book we couldn’t put down. Hiding underneath the sheets with a plastic torch, sneaking one more chapter before bed. Carrying your favourite book everywhere till the spine was wrinkly and worn.

For me, Goosebumps had a tight grip on me as a child, and I read through the series faster than any race I ran.

We remember books as an adventure that took us beyond the four walls of our classroom, yet that experience isn’t as common today with our younger generations. “1 in 4 children in Canada are not reading at grade level by the end of grade 3,” as reported in the 2024–2025 provincial assessment results. Grade 3 is a critical benchmark in Canada, as it marks the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” So why are our youngsters not following our footsteps and reaching for a book? And most importantly, what can we do to change that?

Children’s engagement in digital leisure activities has grown over the past two decades, cutting into time previously spent on physical books. Screen addiction, fuelled by short-form content designed for quick consumption and apps offering instant gratification, has become prevalent among children, affecting our youngest minds.

When looking back to how I learned to read, screens were already part of everyday life. Yet I was still encouraged to pick up a book. Those childhood moments didn’t happen by accident. Someone read with us, someone encouraged us. Whether it was a teacher in a classroom, a parent before bed, or an older sibling sharing their skills with you, there was human support reminding you to ‘sound out the word’ you were struggling to read and listening to every sentence.

Reading for ten minutes a day with a child can create a lasting impact. One initiative looking to help is the Raising Readers campaign promoted by Hachette Book Group, working to break down barriers to reading, especially in communities facing limited access to books and literacy support. HBG (Hachette Book Group) are focused on making reading inclusive and engaging for children, encouraging children to read more on their own merits. Raising Readers are asking you to pledge to read with a child present in your life for ten minutes a day in hopes of making reading a daily habit.

As part of this campaign, HBG will be hosting events across multiple Workhaus venues as a call to action to encourage adults to make reading a part of our children’s daily lives and to highlight the importance of reading for enjoyment. Members of any Workhaus location are invited to join HBG in their challenge in supporting children’s literacy.

The venues have been selected for the event due to their creative environments. 20 Richmond Street has a creative business energy and is a book lover’s paradise, featuring its own library. Whereas 212 King Street and 215 Spadina Avenue are both heritage buildings with a deep history. 212, for example, was previously owned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and still features some of their iconic decor in the lounge.

HBG will be on site offering free books, bookmarks, stickers, DIY activities, and information on how spending ten minutes a day with a child in your life can build confidence and a lifelong love of reading.