August 2012
Featured in this insight: Culture, heritage & leisure, Education
Insight poll uncovers the classic children's books Britons love most: A survey by the University of Worcester which questioned 2,000 UK adults has discovered the books that parents most want their children to read.
Topping the most popular list, Charles Dickens' novella 'A Christmas Carol' was voted the most crucial fiction must-read for their kids by one in five parents.
This was closely followed by JK Rawlings’ Harry Potter series at a close second, followed by The Lord of The Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien in third position.
Thereafter, parents voted for 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen, 'Alice in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll and 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell.
Reaching eighth place on the Top 10 most important books that children should read was Dickens’ other classic 'Oliver Twist', followed by Tolkien’s 'The Hobbit' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee.
Anne Hannaford, Director of Information and Learning Services at Worcester University, commented: "The books that feature in the top 10 all provide thought-provoking content and characters, so it is clear that parents value these books for providing challenging thoughts which can last a lifetime."
Finally, the insight poll also revealed that Lewis Carroll’s 'Alice in Wonderland' is currently the most frequently read book amongst Britons, with 41% of adults having read it.
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