Why Should I Read? by Kristine Dement, Media Specialist

Did you know that reading can help you become more successful in life? Because of the popularity of watching things on the computer, television, and at the movies, those who love to read the written word are declining in number. More and more people prefer to watch rather than to read. While videos give a visual picture for us, when we read we can imagine our own movies.

Books exercise a creative part of the brain by allowing us to form a picture from the words we read. In a world obsessed with technological advances, it is vital that humans read for its many benefits. First, your vocabulary will improve. This allows you to do better in school now, on standardized tests, and to understand more conversations with people from your everyday life.

Reading fiction books increases creativity in the brain, especially at a young age. Creative people go on to accomplish such things as making significant scientific advances that impact lots of lives. Through using our imagination when we read, we can picture the unseen and envision the emotions a fictional character experiences. This can lead to greater compassion for others.

With a better vocabulary and imagination, reading can lead to better writing skills. All successful writers read every day. Books have the power to influence people. Reading also significantly improves memory. Reading books helps you stretch your memory muscles because you must remember the details, plot lines, themes, and characters.

Those who actively read tend to develop deep analytic thinking, as well as have higher grades, higher intelligence, and more knowledge than those who do not regularly read. Reading makes it easier to study a subject and retain the knowledge received from the subject.

The way to become an expert in any field is to read 100 books on the subject. Different authors know different kinds of knowledge, so by reading from a variety of authors, one can easily become an expert in their subject of choice. When you make reading a part of your everyday activities, you will become a better you!