We have to create in children a deep seated need for books, otherwise television will always win out. When we look at the sort of home which produces book-lovers. There exist highly privileged children in our society who cannot read, or will not read. These children often have a reading problem at school which their panic-stricken parents disguise under the socially acceptable label of dyslexia. The second essential factor in the making of eager, competent readers is that the children have books, and bookshelves of their own so that favourite books can be owned and read over and over again.
Ownership is important.
I know of a child who read a particular favourite book until it was in tatters. His parents replaced it not once, but three times. Being able to own, and therefore able to re-read the book for years made that child into a reader. Some short books. Some hard for little children to read.