Read!

Why is reading so important?

Reading has so many benefits!! It can help us improve our mental well-being and overall memory, our attention spans, problem-solving skills, extend our vocabulary, develop empathy, and so much more outside of the classroom as well as inside of it. 

Reading is a part of our everyday lives. You are reading right now! When you are at the store, you are reading the price tags and the ingredients of a food item! When you are at work, you are reading an email your boss sent you! When you are searching through Netflix, you are reading the titles and descriptions of the movies and shows! When you are scrolling through Facebook, you are reading the meme your child tagged you in about how cats beg for dinner as if they haven't eaten in their entire nine lives! 

You are ALWAYS reading!

Where can we find books to encourage reading?

• Libraries

With a library card, you’ll have access to MILLIONS of resources!! This includes a Culture Pass, which means free access to the participating locations highlighted in the link provided. The closest library to the school is part of the Brooklyn Public Library.

The library is an essential resource for communities and are beneficial beyond reading! Here are some of the benefits, which can vary by location, so check out your local library for more information.

1. Free access to museums across NYC with the Culture Pass!

2. Free language classes

3. Borrow hardware tools, bakeware supplies, gardening supplies, and other items

4. Printing services at a huge discount, which is 10 cents at the Brooklyn Public Library

5.  Free homework help and tutoring services, even if all they offer is researching help

6. Free or discounted fitness classes, such as yoga and Zumba

7. Free creative classes, such as a knitting club, children's craft programs, photography, birdwatching, etc.

8. Free concerts and performances

9. Assistance with interview preparations, computer literacy courses, volunteer tax experts, volunteer lawyers, and more

Fact v. Fiction about Reading

Fiction 1: Reading does not help us in the long run.

Fact 1: Reading can stimulate our minds and help our minds from deteriorating later on in life. It can help us improve our memory, our ability to sleep through the night, and even has the potential to decrease the risk of Alzheimer's Disease.

Fiction 2: Only "smart" people read.

Fact 2: Sometimes we think this because we simply haven't found the right genre or style. Sometimes, we gravitate more towards stories that are not traditional novels at all. Comic books, audiobooks, graphic novels, short stories, prose, and other forms of text are just as essential as reading novels.  Once we have found our style we can't put it down!

Fiction 3: Non-traditional novels do not count as "reading."

Fact 3: Yes, they very much do. Audiobooks allow readers to understand the exact tone of the story as the words are lifted off of the page and given life. Graphic novels and comic books "show, don't tell" readers about the visual effects in the storyline. In "Anya's Ghost" by Vera Brosgol, we can visually see the very subtle differences in Emily as she spends more time with Anya above ground, which shows us that she is becoming more and more evil before we ever learn that she really is evil. Elizabeth Acevedo uses prose in her novels "With the Fire on High" and "The Poet X" to add style, pacing, and flow. 

What are your sources?

Here are the sources I used to put this page together. I encourage you to read through them and even to research on your own!

Louis, Rachel St. “Why Reading Is Important.” Lancer Spirit Online, 13 May 2021, www.lancerspiritonline.com/33597/showcase/why-reading-is-important/.

Manjoo, Farhad. “When Listening to a Book Is Better than Reading It.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 Oct. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/opinion/audiobooks-better-than-reading.html.

Segarra, Marielle, and Audrey Nguyen. “7 Surprising Ways the Public Library Can Help You Save Money.” NPR, NPR, 2 Nov. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/10/16/1199885817/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-library.

Staff, Merrimack College. "5 Reasons Reading is so Important for Student Success." Merrimack College, News and Insights. https://online.merrimack.edu/student-literacy-important-for-student-success/

Staff, Scholastic Parents. “3 Ways Graphic Novels Benefit Reading Skills.” Scholastic, Scholastic Parents, 18 Oct. 2023, www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/3-reasons-graphic-novels-can-be-great-young-readers.html#:~:text=Graphic%20novels%20are%20engaging.,might%20not%20completely%20understand%20otherwise.

Staff, Scholastic Parents. “Enhancing Comprehension: Reading Skills in Middle School.” Scholastic, Scholastic Parents, 7 Dec. 2018, www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/reading-resources/language-and-literacy-milestones/enhancing-comprehension-reading-skills-middle-school.html#:~:text=Reading%20becomes%20a%20powerful%20tool,refining%20and%20strengthening%20existing%20skills.

“What Is Prose? Learn about the Differences between Prose and Poetry with Examples.” MasterClass, 9 Sept. 2021, www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-prose-learn-about-the-differences-between-prose-and-poetry-with-examples.

“Your Brain on Books.” Mather Hospital, 16 Mar. 2018, www.matherhospital.org/wellness-at-mather/diseases-conditions/your-brain-on-books/#:~:text=We%20all%20know%20that%20reading,the%20likelihood%20of%20developing%20Alzheimer’s.