Published on November 21, 2024
On Wednesday a news report on reading in Australia piqued my interest. Apparently, Australians buy and read fewer books than the international average. The European and International Book Federation conducts studies on reading and book purchases and found that only 64% of Australians bought a book in 2023-24 (international average is 72%) and, compared to a global average of 85%, 80% of Australians read a book over that time period. (source)
80% seems pretty good, but it is curious that we are below the international average. With a major and honours in English Literature, reading and book buying are passions of mine, and of my family. We have a glorious number of books at home that have travelled the world with us. One of the hardest things moving internationally has been culling books, and in all honesty, I failed miserably at this task. Even when travelling for holidays, we end up in bookstores and flying with weighty suitcases containing yet another book purchase. I still have children’s storybooks that I read to my son as a child because of the memories we formed in that process and the connection that comes with sharing a story together and experiencing the joy in the narrative – the rhythm of the words, the illustrations that bring it all to life, and the imaginative leaps that embed memories and spark curiosity. My husband and I have taken the approach of “feeding the beast” when it comes to book purchases for our son. And it is money well spent – reading is a form of relaxation for him and as a 15-year-old he reads for pleasure!
So, when I read in the Conversation that Australians were reading less than the global average, I thought what a great opportunity to reconnect with why reading physical books (not online books or e-books) is so important for ourselves and our children.
Why do we need books in our lives and our homes?
- A physical book encourages disconnection from our devices – holding a book, turning the pages, concentrating on the words on the page, represents a much-needed digital detox. We can’t skim and scan like we can on our phones, iPad or computers. We can’t search and jump ahead (we can use an index or contents page of course, but that is different). Instead, we have to pause, turn the page, and maybe turn it back again to really check our understanding of what just happened in novel or the point the writer is making.
- This means we slow down when we read a physical book. There are no distractions other than what is on the page. I encourage you to monitor your thinking when you read a physical book – and encourage your child to do so as well. My thinking slows down and becomes more singular in focus. I don’t know about you, but even my breathing slows down when I am deeply engrossed in a book! And I have seen students who really struggle with emotional and behaviour regulation “come down off ledge” as they become engrossed in the calming influence of a book.
- Books foster critical thinking: when we read books, we go a little deeper. We are not skimming through content or being seduced by the brief posts we encounter on social media that are high on style and light on substance. I once had a mentor say to me: “don’t buy magazines and read short articles; if you really want to learn, buy the book”. I couldn’t agree more! Short snippets online can whet our appetites to learn, but nothing replaces the opportunity to sit quietly, read a book, and dig deeply. This is the way we can challenge our thinking and build our critical literacies. Our children are part of an “always on” generation and they need books to not only disconnect but to develop the understandings they need to deepen their thinking and become critical consumers of knowledge.
- All the above has the potential to foster connections with others. The more we slow down, the more we read books, the more we foster our critical thinking, the more we develop the ideas that are the hallmark for great conversations. By reading and slowing down we also become more mindful and present and therefore more capable of authentically connecting with others.
Reading is powerful! As you embark on the holiday season with your families, I encourage you to model reading as parents and carers and to buy physical books for your children and yourselves. Read together as a family so you can slow down together, explore ideas together and have great conversations as a result! More and more I believe reading is a gift we can give to our children. We have to visit libraries and bookstores with our children to get them excited about books and we have to create the space in our homes that are device free, and book filled. It is the best investment we can make – it helps our children become calm, thoughtful, compassionate and creative humans.
