Most children begin reading between the ages of 4-7. Reading is something most people use in everyday life. Some people read just for the fun of it, while others do not. Reading a book is something that was required in middle school. Students would need to read at least one book a month and take an AR test. In high school though, the importance of reading is not enforced as much as it is recommended, but not required.

In a poll consisting of, 43 responses from AHS students, 43% of respondents said they do not read and 56% said they do. Many said the amount of reading students do varies thought out the school year. 

Most students who don’t read responded with their reasonings. Some claimed, “I find it boring”, “I don’t have enough time”, “I don’t want to read more than I have to.”.  Some even said, they would “rather watch the movie”. There were also quite a few who responded with, “I can’t find interest in most books, but if I find one I do like I’ll read it.”

Students who do like reading replied with, “it’s relaxing”, “it helps release my stress.”, “It provides an escape from reality”, and “I like to read because I can get lost in the book.”. A couple of students responded with “it helps broaden my vocabulary.”, while most students said reading is “just for fun.”.

Romance, Mystery, Action, and Horror were the most common categories of books students said they read.  This is understandable, because these categories are the most popular with today’s youth, as they are filled with the most entertainment. Mystery and horror provide a good source of suspense, and action books give off a sense of adventure, which is exactly what some students long for.

There were about five students who put that they preferred to read online rather than actually having a hardcover book. With technology growing, the need for books is lessened. Many students turn to google to find out about the information they need Rather than going to a library, or looking in a book, many students claimed that they had recently visited a library within the last four months. Some said they don’t usually use the library unless it is required for a class, while others saying that they did use libraries for other reasons. 

Reading is something that has been around for centuries. With the uprise of technology, some students have found that reading is unnecessary, while others who do enjoy reading mostly do it for pure entertainment.  Besides all of its uses, reading is something that is always beneficial.