September 6 is National Read a Book Day!

Every year in the United States, September 6 is National Read a Book Day!

Reading books is educational, entertaining, and relaxing. Reading stimulates brain activity, improves concentration, strengthens memory, and reduces stress. People who read books tend to be more aware of social complexities and more empathetic, compassionate, and understanding, along with other social benefits. Reading also improves communication, critical thinking and language comprehension skills, and can make people better writers.

Here at Learning A-Z, we’d love to help you celebrate this annual holiday. So here are some ideas for ways you can commemorate this awesome day of reading.

1. Find a cozy comfortable spot and curl up with a good book.
2. Read aloud! Read to children, to friends, to grandparents, to pets, to yourself, to your roommate, to your spouse, to your coworkers, to your podcast audience, or to your potted plants.
3. Pour a cup of tea, grab the nearest book, open it, and start reading.
4. Think of the book you’re reading as a time machine!
5. Weather permitting, go outside and read under a tree or by a lake or in a park.
6. Read a book while you enjoy a meal. C.S. Lewis said: “Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.”
7. Try a new genre! If you always go for non-fiction, try some fiction or science fiction. If you’re an avid reader of history books, check out a short story collection.
8. You know that book you’ve been meaning to read for a long time? Read that one.
9. Remember your favorite book? Read it again!
10. Join a local book club. Or if you’re already in a book club, organize a book party.
11. Visit your local library. If you’re not a member, become one today. If you’re already a member, try volunteering your time or expertise, or donate books from your own collection.
12. If you can’t read a physical book, read an ebook. In any form, a book opens new doors to its reader.

You don’t have to read a whole book on Read a Book Day, if you don’t have time. Just read part of one and you’ll be celebrating the gift of literacy, which is the real purpose for this day.

Choosing to relax and read a book is good for both the mind and the soul. So break out your reading glasses and your favorite mug, find a book that draws you in, and turn the page.