Ayla Uluçam from Berlin: Germany's best reader 2025!

Ayla Uluçam from Berlin: Germany's best reader 2025!

The excitement was greater than ever when the best readers in Germany competed against each other on June 26, 2025 at the national final of the 66th German Book Trade Reading Competition. Ayla Uluçam, a 12-year-old student from Eckener-Gymnasium in Berlin, beat 15 state winners this year and was named the best reader in the competition. Her impressive reading skills from the exciting book “Game of Noctis – Game for your life” by Deva Fagan impressed the jury and the audience alike.

Around 550,000 students nationwide took part in the competition, which has been held annually since 1959. Ayla wasn't the only talented reader; The jury, consisting of Angelika Schaack (chairwoman), Tim Gailus, Rauand Taleb and Léni Falkenstein, was spoiled for choice. The event took place in the studios of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) and was streamed live in the ARD media library. Numerous viewers all over Germany were able to join in the excitement, as the recording will continue to be available online for a year so that they can share the joy of reading.

Prizes and promotion of reading skills

The winner of the competition not only received the traveling trophy, but also the opportunity to give a reading with a children's book author at her school and a book check worth 50 euros. In addition, her school's library will be equipped with 16 current children's and young adult books that were presented in the final. This is an important step in promoting reading skills, which are under increasing pressure these days. The aim of the competition is to strengthen the love of reading while at the same time promoting self-confidence and social and linguistic skills.

A unique facet of the reading competition is the involvement of volunteer jurors. Over 2,500 committed people and more than 650 regional organizers make this competition a large community project that enables children to discover the joy of reading. Reading skills are crucial for academic and professional success - a fact that is also reflected in the current figures: around 600,000 school children from over 7,000 schools take part in this competition every year.

Challenges and opportunities in reading

At a time when digital media are omnipresent and many children's motivation to read is wavering, the reading competition is a benevolent sign of the value of reading. Studies show that reading skills are under pressure, often due to unequal educational opportunities and distractions from digital media. But the initiative also offers new opportunities for promoting reading that combine tradition with modern approaches.

Ayla Uluçam will not only be remembered as the winner, but will also be a member of the jury for the next reading competition. This is a great opportunity for her to share her passion for reading and support other young talents. Ultimately, the reading competition is not just a competition, but an important event that promotes cultural diversity and exchange in our society.

Further information about the reading competition and the promotion of reading skills can be found on the websites of the Reading Promotion and the Börsenverein des Deutschen Book trade. Who knows, maybe the next reading competition will be won by a young reader from Hesse!