Today is National Read a Book Day

While every day is a great day to read a book, today is actually National Read a Book Day! Nationaltoday.com says, "Bringing new worlds to life, books enlighten us and transport us on exciting adventures. They can challenge our perspectives on the human experience in ways unmatched by other media. In a world deluged by technology, National Read a Book Day encourages us to silence the noise and turn the pages for a while." Along with making time to read a book today, consider sharing the following book fun facts with the children you love (I do this whenever I write about a "special" day as it is a fun way to connect) - did you know . . . 

• Paper and the papermaking process were invented in China during the first century A.D.
• One of the earliest-known books printed using a printing press in Europe was the Gutenberg Bible, making it widely available to the average person.
• The National Today data science team surveyed 1,000 people about their book-reading habits and learned reading in bed is people's favorite place to read.
• 6 — the number of books by Dr. Seuss that rank among the top 20 bestselling children’s books of all time.
• Howard Berg was recognized in 1990 by The Guinness World Record Book as the world’s fast reader at over 25,000 words per minute. Mind blown.
• The average person (aka non-speed reader) reads between 200 – 300 words per minute.
• Americans spend an average of $28 on books annually.
• The US tied with Germany as #22 in the world for time spent reading at just under 6 hours per week; India holds the top spot at almost 12 hours reading per person per week.
• One study showed adults who read at least 30 minutes per week are 20% more satisfied with life than those who are not spending the same time reading.
• Studies prove that avid readers show fewer signs of stress and have higher problem-solving abilities than people who don't read.

Book reading is fun, beneficial, and just a great way to spend time. Grab a book to read today - and get some for the children you love to help them become readers as well! (Maybe check out my books in my bookstore link!)