The rough and gravel-like texture in your hand, your eyes grazing the letters of each page. A British narrator may read the words and reassure you that your worries are absent. However, the only thing absent in modern-day reading is the reader.

Reading has always been a major staple in human activity. It’s an activity present in all ages, particularly seniors and infants. I fondly remember reading books like “The Cat in the Hat” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” growing up. So, why aren’t we reading now? We did the activity as a child, it was a sacred tradition that only helped us, and we need to start again.

Recently, I’ve started reading graphic novels and comics, since they are easier to read and better in time management. Graphic novels are a living example that reading can be for everyone, and regardless of your taste, there is always something to read and you always have time to read it.

But there’s still the problem.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “Long-term declines in the share of 13-year-olds who reported reading for fun ‘almost every day. In 2023, the figure was 14 percent, down from 17 percent in 2020 and 27 percent in 2012,”. There is a major problem with today’s adolescent culture, reading is no longer present.

And it’s not a singular problem with adolescents, kids leading up to adolescence and puberty have been recorded to be absent and have a decline in reading. Children aren’t reading, and soon “IPad kids” are going to be the only type of kids alive.

So why read? It’s pretty obvious, reading is good for you!

A good start to reading can start with graphic novels. Graphic novels and comics are rather easy to understand and emphasize the art rather than the words. Graphic novels show a contrast between words and art, making it easy to read while also admiring the hard work of the illustrator. No graphic novel is a good graphic novel if the illustrations aren’t on point.

Once the reader has gotten back into the rhythm of daily or perhaps even weekly reading, novels and longer books are recommended since readers are starting to “warm up” back to reading. Eventually, the reader will see great changes in their life, especially in productivity and sleep. So the next time you’re scrolling through TikTok or binging a show on HBO Max, think about getting your hands on a book that might interest you. Suspense? Action? Romance? Take your pick!