It’s great to celebrate reading

Last week, students in local school systems celebrated the importance of reading thanks to the nationally recognized Read Across America event.

This event let the students have fun while they celebrated something that can bring happiness and strengthen the imagination. Reading is a subject dear to my heart because of what it did for me in these areas.

I have such vivid memories of the books I chose to read from the time I was in kindergarten. I know that many of my personal beliefs and ethics were formed after reading some of the books I enjoyed, even in elementary school.

It is important to encourage kids to read. The entertainment they can get from a good, age-appropriate book can be much safer and healthier than some of the options available in the world today.

A 2013 article on The Guardian’s website shows that children who read for fun have higher literacy and math skills. Reading for pleasure could also help children develop self-reliance when it comes to learning new concepts in school.

That same article states that reading leads to improved vocabulary and spelling, which can be expected.

An interactive PBS article shows how early readers can acquire language through reading, including from the instances parents read to them.

An Open University article tackles the same subject, by looking more in-depth at how young readers learn language through reading.

However, a study done by graduate students from Texas A&M and Sam Houston State University suggest that the number of teenage students who read for pleasure, those around 14-17, are declining, which hurts my heart a little.

Think about what those students are missing.

I’ve talked about the impact reading has had on me. I know that I’ve previously mentioned one of the first books I remember actively reading was about Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad.

I remember the colors throughout the book: bright, bold blues and reds. I’m still in awe of how colorful I remember that book being.

The characters in the book also caught my attention. These characters were able to see history on each page, and I just loved the entire experience.

I also remember other books that have impacted me growing up. I’m thinking of books like the Little House on the Prairie series or those American Girl books. Later on in life, I connected with a more diverse set of writers, including Pearl S. Buck and, of course, Shakespeare.

I have always found connections to books. They taught me about life in a different way than my parents and family did.

Books did not just help me develop in my personal education, though. I also grew as a person because of reading.

Reading is an amazing experience at any age. I’m glad that I work in a place where the schools celebrate its importance while making it fun and interesting for the students.

Cassie Gibbs is a staff writer for The Southeast Sun and Daleville Sun-Courier. The opinions of this writer are her own and not the opinion of the paper. She can be reached at (334) 393-2969 or by email at [email protected].