It’s summertime! What are you going to read?

Libraries across the country are encouraging their members to grab an armful of books and make it a summer full of reading. For example, the Palm Beach County Library System has started the annual Summer Reading Challenge. As shared on their website:

Residents are invited to join the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge: Color Our World. Summer is a season that beckons everyone to embark on new adventures, explore faraway lands and lose themselves in the magic of stories. Where better to start your journey than at the Library!

Don’t live in Palm Beach County? Never fear! Almost all public libraries across the country engage in a summer reading program. Visit yours today to get started.

Summer reading challenges are happening at a time when many authors and researchers are highlighting the need for deep reading. An article from last October from the National Endowment of the Arts points to data showing a slump in reading for pleasure. An interview on NPR similarly discussed how Americans are reading fewer books. The effects of these trends are far reaching and still being studied. I intend to explore this topic more in future posts.

Meanwhile. I invite you to personally try to reverse this trend by signing up for your nearest summer reading program. Then pick your favorite books and enjoy the read!