Make reading part of your summer!
You’ve heard it every summer of your life: Read a book! You should read! Do some reading!
But… well, why?
Below, we’ve offered some great reasons (and ways) to read this summer, whether you’re in school or a grown adult!
Why read in summer?
It’s good for you
Even if you think you’re “not a good reader,” reading builds a variety of skills. Communication, empathy, comprehension, general knowledge, spelling and memory are just some of them. And you get all these benefits just by spending time with a good book! These benefits are not only true for children learning how to read, but adults as well. Reading is good for everyone!
It’s portable
You can read anywhere! Of course, you can use devices like a smartphone or tablet to read or listen to digital books and audiobooks, but print books don’t need batteries or the internet to work. Plus, it’s easier to pay attention to a print book. There are no alerts, popups, or distractions.
Stay smart
Keep what you’ve learned. Don’t start the next school year behind! Reading is an easy and fun way to keep your brain active and remember the things you learned in school last year. In fact, people who read during the summer can even get ahead with school, by doing nothing more than reading during the summer!
Follow your curiosity
Learn what you want. While you’re in school, you have to do the classes and lessons your teachers assign you—and those are important things to learn! But when you read on your own, you can really dig into the topics you find the most interesting and learn more about them.
Be in the know
Always something new. There are hundreds of new books released every week, and York County Libraries works hard to get the best of the best. Check out our Wowbrary Newsletter, which highlights our new books.
Travel for free
Go anywhere. There are millions of wonderful books to read. You can travel alongside astronauts, visit an ancient civilization, or explore a world that exists only in imagination. Reading stories can help you understand other people better—or even understand yourself better!
Okay, you’ve convinced me, but…
I’m stuck. How do I get to be a better reader?
Share and share alike
Read aloud to others. Check out our Library Tales for Tails program where you can set up a time to sit and read to a therapy dog. They’re great listeners!
Don’t give up
Keep trying! Just like you weren’t able to right a bike right away, reading is a skill that takes practice and time. If you try a book and get frustrated, that’s okay! You can go slower, ask for help, or try a different book. If you need an easier book, ask your librarian for help. If you find yourself getting bored, maybe you need a book with harder words or a more complex plot. We can help you find the right book for you!
Lend an ear
Listen to other people read. Audiobooks absolutely count as reading. If you can, follow along in a print book! Most audiobooks have print versions so you can see the words as you are hearing someone read the story. But just listening and paying attention is okay, too!
Try it, you’ll like it
Try something new. Think you’re just not a reader? Maybe graphic novels will get you excited about reading—they offer the benefits of reading, too. Maybe the stories you’ve already tried just haven’t been the right fit for you (not every book is right for everybody).
York County Libraries have hundreds of thousands of books to try, so you’re sure to find one. Use NoveList (available through our website here) to help discover the books you are most interested in.
And don’t forget…
To log your books! Every minute you spend reading this summer counts toward your SummerQuest goals. Did you know the Beanstack App has a built-in reading timer?
Log the number of minutes you read for the SummerQuest challenge. There’s a different challenge for kids, teens, and adults!
Log the books you complete for the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program. (Yes, you can count minutes for the SummerQuest challenge and books for the 1000 Books Challenge for the same book.)
Over the age of 18? You get to count minutes toward the SummerQuest challenge for adults and completed books for the 23 in 2023 challenge! (And don’t forget to check out the Big Library Read. The darkly humorous mystery “A Very Typical Family” by Sara Godfrey is available on the Libby app through July 27th! Check out our social media for more info.)