TikTok Subcultures: BookTok

by Ayanah Dowdye, Contributing Author

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Introduction

BookTok is a subcommunity on TikTok where users create and share content related to books and reading. This subculture focuses on book reviews, recommendations, reading challenges, and discussions, often influencing book trends and popularizing certain titles, especially among young readers. BookTok has become a space where literature enthusiasts, particularly teens, connect, discover new books, and share their love of reading with a broader audience. BookTok has sparked a renewed interest in reading among teens, blending the love of literature with the platform’s dynamic social interaction. Through engaging reviews, recommendations, and creative content, young readers are finding value in discovering new books and connecting with like-minded peers. This online community has transformed reading from a solitary activity into a shared experience, fostering a sense of belonging and rekindling a passion for literature among adolescents.

Relevant Videos

1. BookTok reads for 13+ teens: click here

2. BookTok reads for specific genre: click here

3. What is BookTok: click here

How to talk to kids about it

1. Connect with School:  Ask your kids about what they are reading in school, and gauge their thoughts on these literary reads. Compare this to what is being discussed on BookTok

   
   

2. Ask about the characters:  Ask if there is a character in a book that you kid relates to. Who in the book would they want to hang out with? Who would they avoid at all costs?

   
   

3. Share your book history:  Highlight what was trending when you were a teenager. What were the main characters you connected to?

Pros and Cons

1. Pros:

   1. You and your kid are connecting on literature!

   2. Promotion of literacy is good for brain development

      
      

2. Cons

   1. Maybe exposure to more adult-related books at a younger age as TikTok doesn’t filter books based on age

   2. More screen time

Other relevant stuff

1. Common sense media: Teen Books Trending on #BookTok | Common Sense Media 

2. Harvard Crimson article: BookTok: The Last Wholesome Place On The Internet | Arts | The Harvard Crimson  

3. International literacy association: #BookTok's appeal on ninth‐grade students: An inquiry into students' responses on a social media revelation - Dera - 2023 - Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy - Wiley Online Library

4. Taylor and Francis Online Full article: Sharing is caring: young people’s narratives about BookTok and volitional reading