Some 92 percent of children enjoy reading books for fun, but their reading time takes a steep dive after age 8. The main cause: They can't find books they like and parents aren't helping them with book selection as much as they did when the kids were small.

		Graphic: Kids reading frequency drops sharply after age 8

But when parents stay involved and also read themselves, children are more likely to remain frequent readers and view themselves as smart.

These are the key findings of a new national survey, the Kids and Family Reading Report, released yesterday by children's book publisher Scholastic Corp. and the polling company Yankelovich Inc.

"Parents excel when it comes to introducing their very young children to beautiful picture books and bedtime stories, but when their kids start reading independently, parents need to become more, not less, involved," said Lisa Holton, president of Scholastic Book Fairs and Trade Publishing.

The survey is based on 1,000 people -- 500 children ages 5 to 17 and one parent or guardian each -- from 25 U.S. cities. The margin of error is 4.5 percentage points.

One finding that goes against conventional wisdom: Children who use computers and other technology to read or listen to books (40 percent of those surveyed) are more likely to read a lot (34 percent) that those who don't use technology (25 percent).

"This shows that high-frequency readers are also high-frequency in other activities," said Dr. Hal Quinley of Yankelovich. "It's not either/or."

In the survey, 44 percent of children ages 5 to 8 say they read books for fun at least once a day. By ages 15 to 17, that number drops to 16 percent.

The number one reason they give for not reading more is trouble finding books they like, followed by preference for other activities and too much homework. But parents list those factors in reverse. That, said Dr. Quinley, shows parents underestimate how hard it is for kids to find the right books without parental guidance.

When asked where they get most of their ideas for book selection, the biggest readers cite librarians first (25 percent) and parents second, (21 percent). Children who read the least cite teachers first (20 percent) and parents fifth (8 percent).

Boys in the survey read less than girls: 49 percent enjoyed reading "a lot" vs. 57 percent of girls; 26 percent read for fun each day vs. 36 percent of girls, and 14 percent said reading was unimportant, vs. 5 percent of girls.

Some 74 percent of parents said reading is the most important skill for child development, and 80 percent says it's important for kids to read for fun. Yet only 21 percent read every day themselves, while 15 percent read four to six times a week.

Children of high-frequency readers are more likely to read for fun (53 percent), and parents who read the most are more likely to encourage their children.

Comparing the most frequent readers to the least frequent, more described themselves as smart (84 percent, vs. 64 percent), good students (84 vs. 60), creative (78 vs. 60) and well-behaved (66 vs. 49).

"You don't have to be a frequent reader yourself to encourage your child," said Ms. Holton. "What's really important is reading something -- a cookbook, sports book, graphic novel or comic strip -- and sharing it with your kids."

She directed parents to their local librarians and also her company's Web site for reading lists they can recommend to their children.

The full survey can be viewed at www.scholastic.com.