Day to Read 2009

Last year, several bloggers (spurred on by Allison at Soccer Mom in Denial) asked the blogosphere to take a day off from blog posting and maybe even web surfing and instead sit down and read something printed on a page. Or several pages. This year, we're asking you to do it again.

January 8, 2009.
That's the date to make note of - in your PDA, on your wall calendar, somewhere. That's when I'd like you to take the day off from blogging and to simply read something printed. A book. A newspaper. A magazine. Whatever you want. And encourage your family and your friends to read something then, too. Because maybe that will trigger something and folks - especially young folks - will start reading more simply for the joy of reading. Here are some recent statistics from the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Only 30% of 13-year-olds read almost every day.
• The number of 17-year-olds who never read for pleasure increased from 9 percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004; that's 1 in 5 kids who don't read for fun.
• Almost half of Americans between ages 18 and 24 never read books for pleasure.
• The average person between ages 15 and 24 spends 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day watching TV and 7 minutes reading.

So, if you're a blogger who wants to participate, please take a moment to copy the button above to your sidebar and post about Day to Read. Or about why reading is important to you. Then on Thursday, January 8, 2009, take the day off from blogging and READ! And then come back on Friday the 9th afterward and share your experience.

Thanks!