It is officially National Reading Month! Made to honor the birthday of the beloved children’s book author Dr. Suess, it also encourages people to read more and develop a lifelong love of reading. With benefits such as strengthening mental muscles to increasing imagination, it’s no wonder why reading is considered one of the best habits to develop. Continue reading to learn why reading is so important.
National Reading Month is celebrated in March to honor Dr. Suess’s birthday. In this month people, especially children, read a lot more in celebration and although some people may find the increased emphasis on reading to be boring, the increase in reading during this month has significant benefits that will continue to pay off in the future. Reading is one of the best habits to develop; it strengthens the mental muscles, helps to improve comprehension and analytical abilities, and increases imagination and boosts memory.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL READING MONTH
March was designated as National Reading Month to celebrate Dr. Suess. He was born on March 2, 1904. Interestingly enough, Dr. Suess was not a doctor at all, he was a writer and an illustrator of very popular children’s books including “The Cat in the Hat” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. He also wrote several books for beginner readers of which “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish” (published in 1960) was the most notable one. He received a Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for his contribution to the education of America’s children and their parents.
Today we might take reading for granted but it has a very long history and there was a time when only a few people knew how to read. The first written communication did not happen until 3500 B.C., and the first books did not appear until around 23 B.C. in Rome. Around this time, books were also developed in some Asian countries and the Middle East. Before the printing press was introduced in the 15th century, books were quite expensive and rare but as printed books gained popularity, Literacy rates began to rise. In 1892, the first book covers appeared and in the 19th century, publishers started printing books with hardbacks.
Nowadays, even though almost everyone can read, people hardly read and, unfortunately, we are losing our reading culture as a society. That is why we all need this National Reading Month which is a whole month to help us revive our reading habits.
NATIONAL READING MONTH ACTIVITIES
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Read a book
It is National Reading Month after all. So what better way to celebrate than to get out your favorite books to read?
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Start a book club
The best way to make your love for reading permanent even after National Reading Month is over is to start a book club. Your group will always be there to motivate you to read.
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Create awareness
You would be surprised that not everyone knows about this special month. By spreading the word, you’re creating awareness, thereby, creating more readers.
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Original article published on nationaltoday.com