Everyone has hobbies, and mine is reading novels. Aside from the members of my book groups, most people I know have other hobbies. Some think of reading as a more sophisticated pursuit and lament that they would like to read more books but just don’t have the time. This is true for schoolchildren as well. The older they become, the longer their age-appropriate books become, and the less time they have to read them.
I recently read an article in The Atlantic magazine titled The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books by Rose Horowitch (Nov. 2024). Based on multiple interviews with college professors, classroom teachers and students, Horowitch pointed out that students at every grade level are reading fewer books than previously. Several professors lamented that since so many high school and middle school teachers now assign excerpts, poetry and articles instead of whole books, students are overwhelmed when assigned whole books in college. Many struggle to attend to details, different points of view, characterization and subplots while keeping track of the overall plot. Some students shut down when confronted with ideas they are unfamiliar with.
Why are People Reading Fewer Books?
- People are spending their time on social media instead of reading books.
- Students are required to take many standardized tests, which measure reading comprehension and other skills through short passages. Therefore, teachers assign fewer whole books.
- Media offers more movies, television series and YouTube videos than ever before.
- Over the years, people have altered how they spend their leisure time.
Advantages of Reading Whole Books
- Reading fiction and routing for a character teaches empathy and appreciation of different cultures and walks of life.
- Reading for pleasure automatically improves fluency, writing skills, critical thinking and self-reflection.
- Nonfiction books can teach you about anything with great detail. By regularly reading a variety of genres, students can be better prepared for standardized tests and college work.
- Reading a whole book helps improve one’s attention span, focus and discipline, which translates into other areas.
- Readers are thinkers; thinking deeply and being comfortable with ambiguity are valuable career and life skills.
- If you choose the right book, reading it can transport you to another world, providing ultimate insight and relaxation.
According to Horowitch, “Books can cultivate a sophisticated form of empathy, transporting a reader into the mind of someone who lived hundreds of years ago, or a person who lives in a radically different context from the reader’s own.”
Identifying with Fictional Characters
According to Hanna Rosin in The Joy of Reading Books in High School (Radio Atlantic, Dec. 2024), “Books you read in high school are your oldest friends, made during a moment in life when so many versions of you seem possible, and overidentifying with an author or character is a safe way to try one out.” This quote made me think of characters that resonated with me:
- High School – A Separate Peace, Catcher in the Rye and Tender is the Night
- Middle School – The Outsiders
- Elementary School – From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and any book by Judy Blume
- More Current – Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
Slowly getting to know compelling characters from various settings helps children of any age explore their own identities.
Turning Reading into a Hobby
- Watch a miniseries together and compare it to a novel; you get to know the characters and look forward to continuing the book each day until it is finished.
- Help your child choose page-turners – stories with good plots, characterization, intrigue and an absorbing writing style.
- When your child finds an author or series that they enjoy, encourage them to go on to the next book.
- Set aside daily reading time for the entire family.
- Encourage all family members to bring their books or devices to trips, doctor’s appointments, and other locations.
- Listen to recorded books together on car trips; many are narrated by the author or a well-known actor or personality.
- Encourage your children to read both physical and online books and choose the best fit.
Since most schools have been assigning fewer and fewer books over the last several years, it is more important than ever for students to fill in the gap by reading books on their own. Following a character through a journey with sustained immersion in a book provides the opportunity for self-reflection and discipline. Taking the time to find books that will be page-turners is worth the effort.
Cheryl Feuer Gedzelman is the president of Tutoring For Success, a company that has been providing in-person and online tutoring, academic coaching and standardized test preparation in Northern Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and beyond since 1994. She has a master’s degree in curriculum and teaching from Columbia University.
Liam McCrickard holds a B.A. in creative and professional writing from Goucher College. He is former assistant editor at Washington Parent. He works as a freelance designer, writer and editor of tabletop role-playing games.
Cheryl Feuer Gedzelman is the president of Tutoring For Success, a northern Virginia-based company that has been providing in-person and online tutoring, academic coaching and standardized test preparation since 1994. She has a master’s degree in curriculum & teaching.
