The European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) is pleased to invite you to the presentation "RISE Reading Promotion Toolkit: How Bookshops Engage Young Readers" at the upcoming Frankfurt Book Fair.

During the session, EIBF President Fabian Paagman and Director Ewelina Oksiuta will introduce our practical toolkit, created in the framework of the RISE+ project, designed to help booksellers promote reading among children and young people.

As literacy levels continue to decline across Europe and beyond, the need for effective action has become increasingly urgent. Between PIRLS 2016 and 2021, no EU education system improved its reading scores, while PISA continues to show a persistent 24-point gender gap in reading achievement, with girls outperforming boys in almost every participating country. These trends present a significant challenge to which bookshops can be part of the solution.

Our research starts from a simple yet often overlooked premise: while schools teach reading as a skill, bookshops help sustain it as a source of pleasure. Booksellers are reading professionals with a deep knowledge of what’s published and the ability to connect young readers with books that genuinely match their interests, motivations, and reading levels. As trusted intermediaries between publishers, authors, families, and communities, they are uniquely positioned to foster lifelong reading habits.

The toolkit showcases evidence-informed, actionable practices that can be implemented in bookshops to inspire reading for pleasure. We will also discuss the policy barriers that currently limit booksellers' potential and present recommendations for how policymakers can better support the bookselling sector as a partner in improving literacy outcomes and nurturing a culture of reading.

Join us at the Global Stage on Thursday, 8 October

• 11:30–12:00 – Presentation of RISE Reading Promotion Toolkit: How Bookshops Engage Young Readers
• 12:00–12:30 – Continue the conversation with professionals of the book sector