Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM October 2019 | Page 32
EDUCATION
DALANA SOWELLS
832.895.1233
[email protected]
www.kumon.com/league-city-south | Facebook
Celebrating National Book
Month: The Benefits of Reading
B
ooks have helped millions of children and
adults alike across the world explore their
imaginations for decades. As the summer
winds down and fall begins, we are set to
enter October, which is also National Book
Month. Reading to your child is one of the most crucial
things you can do for their eventual success in reading,
as well as to keep your own mind sharp.
Unfortunately, according to the
National Endowment for the Arts, there
is a steady decline of literary reading.
In fact, only 43 percent of American
adults read at least one work of
literature—novels, short stories, poems
each year.
There’s no doubt that video games,
tablets, streaming services, and
endless content within the Internet
are to blame for that decline, as it’s
clear there are many more distractions
today than there were decades ago.
This leads to a pressing question:
With the drastic digital takeover, does
it even matter if people are reading
fewer works of literature? In short,
yes! There’s proof that reading actual
books on paper is more beneficial than
skimming social media posts or news
updates on digital screens.
This Recommended Reading List
contains 380 books designed to help
you as a parent select material that
enhances your child’s appreciation
for and understanding of the English
language and helps to cultivate a
lifelong joy of reading. Many of the
books on the Recommended Reading
List have won literary awards such as
the Newbery and Caldecott Medals,
the Pulitzer Prize, and the National
Book Award. The list covers a range
of titles from read-aloud books to the
classics. The rich literature exposes
your child to history, the arts, science,
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and culture, as well as features a diversity of genres,
writing styles, and authors. These include classics such as
Goodnight Moon, Green Eggs and Ham, James and the
Giant Peach, and other well-known children’s literature
like Bridge to Terabithia– all designed to spark creativity
and imagination in those who read the stories.
Incorporating literary fiction appears to boost the
quality of empathy in readers, because it allows them to
see the world from another person’s
perspective, whether it’s the author or
the character imagined in the novel.
Empathy isn’t the only benefit obtained
from reading literature. Check out
these research driven reasons to read
more literature.
Increased Brain Power
As we age, we experience a decline
in memory and brain function. Reading
may help slow that process.
Reading Can Relax You
Reading may reduce stress by as
much as 68%.
Reading Raises Intellect
Children’s books expose kids to
50% more words than prime-time TV;
enriching vocabulary and increasing
knowledge.
Stave-Off Dementia
Those who engage in activities like
reading could be 2.5 times less likely to
develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Reading Habits Rub-Off
Reading out loud to kids throughout
their elementary school years might
push them towards adapting the habit
of reading more.
Helps Sleep
Reading before bed creates a signal
to your body that it’s time to wind
down and go to sleep.
So, in honor of National Book Month,
throw on some pajamas, curl up with
a mug of hot tea, and crack open your
favorite book, whatever it may be!