We're celebrating the National Year of Reading by taking Guest Readers to schools around our home city.
It began on World Book Day (5 March) with the Playhouse’s Chief Executive Shawab Iqbal and Artistic Director Tom Wright visiting Bankside Primary School in Harehills to read excerpts from Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian with eight and nine-year-olds keen to know more about the book – and the readers.
“We had so much fun, delving into this terrific story and its themes,” said Artistic Director Tom Wright. “The children had many questions about Omar and his world and provided plenty of insight into their own worlds too.
“We’re currently rehearsing for the world premiere of Planet Omar – the first ever stage adaptation of Zanib Mian’s beloved books – so it was wonderful to see how engaged the children were with the character, the story and its depiction of a British Muslim family navigating life with humour and compassion.”
Fatima James, Core Standards Assistant Head Teacher at Bankside Primary School, said: “The children were so excited to have an all-time favourite, Planet Omar, brought to life before their very eyes with a guest reading. A crucial part of what we believe in at Bankside is giving our children the opportunity to see themselves in books and develop a lifelong love for reading. With the help of Leeds Playhouse, we were able to kickstart World Book Day with story-telling and lots of fantastic questions from our children. Many are looking forward to watching Planet Omar on stage and we would like to thank the Playhouse for their ongoing support in bringing the arts and a love of story to our community.”
Shawab Iqbal, Chief Executive at Leeds Playhouse, said: “Reading has brought me a lot of joy in my own life – and I’m a passionate advocate of sharing that joy with young people; particularly boys, who are less likely to have positive associations with books and reading.
“Sharing stories is at the very heart of what we do at the Playhouse. Witnessing firsthand the way that stories like Planet Omar transport young people to other worlds while making them feel seen and understood is an incredible privilege.”
According to the National Literacy Trust, just 1 in 3 (32.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said they enjoyed reading in 2025 – the lowest level since they started recording the figures in 2005. They also discovered that only 1 in 5 (18.7%) read daily. Again, the lowest levels since 2005.
When it comes to adults reading with children, figures revealed that only 29% of boys are read to daily, compared to 44% of girls, underscoring early disparities in exposure to books. The crisis in boys reading for pleasure continues from infancy to adolescence, as only 12% of 12–13-year-old boys read for fun.
According to the Trust, these statistics highlight a significant decline in reading enjoyment among boys, particularly among younger age groups. Addressing this issue is crucial to fostering a love or reading in boys and encouraging them to engage with books and literature.
The Playhouse’s Planet Omar Guest Readers also visited Castleton Primary School in Armley, Hillcrest Academy in Chapeltown and Shakespeare Primary School in Burmantofts, with readers including acclaimed Leeds-based writer, rapper and Guinness World Record breaking human beatboxer Testament.
