Do we still like to read?

Interestingly, as somebody who loves to read, I am quite bad at talking about my favourite books! I read both fiction and non-fiction almost every day because I think reading is important to help us learn and to help us relax. However, I am not a big fan of ebooks or audiobooks, and instead, I prefer to hold physical, paper books. I understand that there are some benefits to the environment if we stop buying paper books, but I think that they are a better experience and an opportunity to stop looking at our smartphones all the time!

I am quite a slow reader, so it takes me a long time to finish reading a book - usually, I only read one chapter every day! Some of my favourite books are crime novels by James Patterson and Ian Rankin because I like how they present their characters and their worlds while writing a dramatic and entertaining story. I prefer to read stories that have a real-world setting because I can imagine the city or the places that are in the story, but sometimes I love to read a fantasy novel where the environment and the landscape are different. I tried to read A Game of Thrones because I enjoyed the TV show so much, but it was difficult for me to imagine the places!

As part of my work, I read a lot of news stories or articles about certain topics. I think these are very useful to help us learn new things or to change our opinions, but are they more important or "better" than reading books? I believe that if you do not have much time in the day it can be easier to read an article or a blog post written by somebody, and it can be a great opportunity to start a conversation with somebody else.

I think it is incredibly important for us to continue to read every day in whatever way makes us happy and excited, and we should continue to teach children to do the same. Children must learn to read and understand that there are thousands of stories that they can discover, and that this will help their development and creativity. I worry that television and video games might become more popular for children and teenagers... but are they also a way of telling stories?

What do you think about this topic? Is reading still important in 2024, and do you have a favourite book that you read again and again? Share your answers with me, and have a go at answering some of the questions below!

1. Do you have a favourite book, or do you like many different books?

2. Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction books?

3. Do you think there is a benefit to reading different genres or types of books?

4. Should we read to learn, or just to relax?

5. What do you think about ebooks and audiobooks?

6. Are you a fast or a slow reader?

7. Who is your favourite author, or an author that you read often?

8. Do you prefer it if the places in the story are realistic or new and creative?

9. Is it a good idea to read news stories and articles?

10. Is reading important for children and should we encourage children to read more?

Picture credit: Mahmoud Yahyaoui @ Pexels