BookTok and the reading revolution: young people rediscover books online

In a world saturated with screens and immediate stimuli , where attention spans seem to last only as long as a click, the image of a teenager reading for pleasure might seem strange. However, young people not only read, but they are increasingly doing so and enthusiastically sharing it on social media .

TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have revived interest in reading among younger generations thanks to the work of "bookTokers," content creators who recommend and review books in short, straightforward vertical videos.

Spanish author Andrea Izquierdo , known as @andrearowling on social media, has over 100,000 followers of all ages and is one of the most recognizable faces. "I started out as a viewer of what was then called BookTube, which was YouTube and books. When I discovered this world, I thought I could make videos too ," she explains in an interview.

A similar story is that of Patricia García , @LittleRedRead, who began her journey in 2012, when she "didn't have a reading circle of friends" and was "eager" to meet other people with whom she could share her passion.

Both are examples of how reading has found a new home on social media , a reality supported by the figures, since, according to data from the Barometer of Reading and Book Buying Habits in Spain (2023), 75.3% of young people between 14 and 24 years old declare that they read in their free time.

In fact, in 2024, more than 77 million copies were sold in Spain , which Andrea considers "very significant and good," proving that "young people do read a lot and have a lot of passion." Therefore, stereotypes and the phrase that "young people don't read in Spain" do not reflect reality.

" The video format allows them to see how you express yourself , how you convey emotion and passion for something," explains Patricia, while Andrea assures that "the key is to speak and use the same language you would use with your friends over coffee."

But this new way of reading also has its downsides , such as the pressure to read quickly, the need to have a shelf full of books, or the anxiety of keeping up.

Authenticity and honesty are the cornerstones of the work, because, according to Andrea, "you can't lie to your audience and say you loved a book you haven't even read." " Our responsibility is to be honest so that people can identify with and fully understand your reading preferences," Patricia adds.

Although there is no exact number of 'booktokers' in Spain, there are some profiles that demonstrate their good performance, such as @pacohdez77, which exceeds 4.1 million followers , or @victoria.resco, with 61.9 million likes on TikTok .

The diverse genres that are triumphing on social media include 'romance' (a blend of romance and fantasy), 'dark romance' (dark facets of love), and even previously marginal genres like 'cowboy romance'.

In fact, one of the most common criticisms of this new reading boom is the supposed lack of "serious literature," a debate they both reject and consider "harmful." "It seems that young adult or romance literature isn't as valuable as historical or general narrative. It's an archaic thought ," García shares.

On the other hand, despite writers' growing concern about the emergence of artificial intelligence and the immediacy demanded by social media , Patricia acknowledges that "the future of promoting literature among young people will be where the young people are."

Whether on a mobile phone screen or in libraries, everything indicates that books will continue to find their place, demonstrating that reading is still alive and well and that the only thing that has changed is the way we consume it.