Young Ukrainians buy 171,000 books with state grants — 99% choose print
Young Ukrainians bought more than 171,000 books through a government-funded reading program in the first nine months of 2026, with printed editions accounting for nearly 99% of purchases, Ukraine's Ministry of Culture reported.
The program, called eBook (єКнига in Ukrainian), provides financial assistance to Ukrainians who turn 18, allowing them to buy books from participating retailers.
According to the ministry, 104,978 young people used the program between January and September 2026, spending more than 53.6 million hryvnias (approximately $1.3 million) on books.
That represents nearly 39% of eligible 18-year-olds who received a notification about the program through Diia, Ukraine's government services app.
Participants bought an average of 628 books per day.
Despite the popularity of digital technology among younger generations, printed books accounted for 98.63% of purchases. E-books made up 1.36%, while audiobooks represented just 0.01%.
More than 73% of the money was spent at online bookstores, with the remainder going to physical shops.
American novelist Colleen Hoover was the most popular author, with 5,031 copies of her books purchased through the program. Other bestselling writers included H. D. Carlton, Penelope Douglas, Tess Gerritsen and Agatha Christie.
Among Ukrainian authors, readers most frequently chose psychologist Volodymyr Stanchyshyn and novelists Illarion Pavliuk and Andrii Kokotiukha.
Popular titles ranged from romance and thrillers to books on mental health and personal development, including Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, James Clear's Atomic Habits and Stanchyshyn's The Walls in My Head, a book about living with anxiety and depression.
"Books help people form their own opinions, understand others and gain a deeper knowledge of their culture," Culture Minister Tetiana Berezhna said, adding that the program also supports demand in Ukraine's publishing market.
Launched in December 2024, eBook has helped young Ukrainians purchase more than 549,000 books since its introduction, with total government support reaching approximately 286.6 million hryvnias, according to the ministry.