Constructions of a reading crisis – representation of PIRLS 2021 in public discourses

International large-scale assessment studies play a significant role in educational reforms. The aim of this article is to explore the constructions of the meaning and significance of reading literacy in relation to presentations of Swedish results in 2021 PIRLS. While the National Agency for Education focuses on the positive aspects of the results, the government presented them as indicative of a ‘reading crisis.’ Furthermore, whereas the National Agency attributes the main problem in Swedish education to segregation, the government emphasises digitalisation, migration, and insufficient time allocated for reading to explain decline in reading literacy. We relate this official discourse to findings from our research project conducted in two Year 4 classes in Sweden, where we explored reading as a bodily activity. This article contributes to the critical study of international large-scale assessment studies and to reading literacy research.