“Summarize this passage for me.” These five words are typed every day into some AI website by hundreds of people. This is a quick and easy way to gather information with less reading and sometimes even no reading at all. With that being said, why read at all?  “I like reading because it’s relaxing and I can be anywhere and get to know so many things,” says Ms. Adebola Akintounde, who is a teacher at Osbourn High School. “I am from Nigeria, and before I moved to the United States, I read about the snow and all of the seasons over here in the US. But now that I am in the US, it’s like my imagination is coming to life,” she continues. Ms. Parker, an ESOL teacher, adds to this by saying, “You might be in Manassas, Virginia, and then you could be transported to somewhere like England! One of my favorite books takes you to 19th-century Spain, and just the descriptions of the places and the characters are amazing. I know so many people who say ‘I wish I could go here!’ and you could with just a book.”

For at least 13 years of your life, you read books in your English class. This association might cause students to see the activity through a negative lens. Reading is something that is heavily associated with school “work,” but this association causes many children to think of reading a book as a required task. “I needed to read a booklet on cladograms with 8 pages and filled to the brim with words in the smallest font possible in my Biology class,” says freshman Sophie Dippolito. Freshman Henna Exley states, “I read The Other Wes Moore for an English book project last month, and my class right now is in the middle of Fences by August Wilson.”

Making reading fun is incredibly important to both you and the younger generations. “Reading has definitely helped my vocabulary a ton, and it has also helped with my English class,” remarks Dippolito. “In my personal life, reading has helped me make friends. It also helps me relax,” says Exley. “Books really help you think, reflect, and learn depending on the books you’re reading. They also help you dig inside yourself. You can learn so much from reading a book. You get to see all types of perspectives,” declares Ms. Parker.

When students read as a regular activity during their childhood, those kids often grow up to read more in the future. “My mom used to pay for half of a book I wanted and make me pay the other half. It made me feel like I was getting a deal and definitely kept me reading,” says Exley, who is a heavy bookworm. “My parents do like how much I read. They like to brag,” Dippolito states. “My parents motivated me to read, and my grandmother especially encouraged it. I started reading at an early age, and I read my first novel when I was in fourth grade. I just did not stop from there! That’s how I ended up being an English teacher,” Ms. Hayes exclaims. “I encourage my children to read more because it is just something I like to do. When my child was younger, he actually started reading earlier because we read stories to him when he was a baby, so he just picked it up. He started reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series before he was ten, and from then he has read all of the books,” Ms. Akintounde states.

Technology has a massive impact on books and reading in general. Many children have electronic devices such as a phone or tablet nowadays. Whether it be for safety or just to keep the child entertained, many kids under the age of 6 use these devices every day. At such a young, influential age, is such freedom the best option? Ms. Akintounde explains, “I have 2 kids. My eldest is 14, while my youngest is 12. I wouldn’t put a certain age on getting a device. It really depends on family values and the reason for the child to have a phone. My child is in 8th grade. He has a phone, and I was more interested in the fact that he had the right guide to tell him what is and is not an acceptable use for technology.” English teacher Ms. Hayes includes, “If it were up to me, I would say around ages 13 to 14 is an appropriate time for a phone. That’s the age I got my first phone; however, I don’t think that means they need to be kept off the internet. But a portable device where they can access social media anywhere isn’t needed until 13 to 14.” Exley explains, “I got a phone on my last day of 8th grade. My parents tried to put it off as long as possible.”

It is clear that there is a downfall of books, and we have no idea what the next generation will do with books. However, this fall doesn’t mean reading will disappear. “I don’t see books going away, but I see a large advance in technology. I don’t think this means reading for fun will be going away permanently, but I expect to see a larger downfall,” says Ms Hayes. “I think looking at TikTok or reading short excerpts, you are still reading, but it’s not the same as reading a physical book. However, when you read a book, even if it is not on paper, you pay a different type of attention. However, I do worry, because I sometimes ask kids the last time they read a book, and they just don’t remember, which is very sad. I think people should put more emphasis on reading full books. I worry about the next generations because it is currently not looking good,” explains Ms Parker.

How often do you read? Do you think reading books is in decline right now among younger generations?