speech on pleasure of reading

English Compositions

Short Essay on Pleasure of Reading [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

Being able to read is the ultimate gift for human beings from god. This is considered one of the most pleasurable habits. In this lesson today, you will learn how to write essays on the topic of ‘Pleasure of Reading’ that you may find relevant in your exam. 

Short Essay on Pleasure of Reading in 100 Words

Reading is the biggest pleasure in this world. Books are our best companions. So reading is the best thing we can do. We read many books. We also love to read magazines and newspapers. All of these give us pleasure. We enjoy a different world through reading. Reading our favourite books gives us immense joy.

Reading is the food for thought. We become intelligent when we read. If we are sad then reading a book helps us to become light. We read several things. Our parents and school encourage us to read storybooks. It expands our imagination and helps us to think better. So we must never give up the habit of reading. It should be the regular work of wise people.

Short Essay on Pleasure of Reading in 200 Words

We learn as we read. When we are young, we are taught to read by our parents. They teach us alphabets and numbers. We get many books that have pictures and colours on them. It makes us happy. From a little age, parents tell us to read books.

Reading is a wonderful habit. It stays with us forever. When we read, we feel joy. We get into a different world as we read. Reading helps us forget all the problems of our life. When we study in school, we read books for examinations. It teaches us a lot. But at home, we also read storybooks. It is our biggest pleasure. 

We read several things like stories, comics, and magazines. Our teachers encourage us to read newspapers. Reading newspapers improves our speaking skills. It increases our knowledge of words. We get to know about much important news when we read the daily newspaper aloud. Some people read in their leisure. Some love to read when they are travelling somewhere.

We still enjoy reading a storybook when we are enjoying long distances. It kills our boredom. We do not get tired of time when we read, Our ability to speak develops as we read a different text. We learn new words. We also learn how to write better by reading. So reading books is a wonderful habit for all.

Short Essay on Pleasure of Reading in 400 Words

What separates a learned person from a stupid? The answer is simple. His ability to read. Reading makes us wise. It makes us different from others. If we cannot read, we will stay stupid forever. People will cheat us if we are not learned. So reading is a must for everyone. All of us should be able to read and understand. We go to school so that we can read, write and learn. Our parents are always encouraging us to read every day. Our teachers help us to read several books. So reading is a joy for all.

Reading is a pleasure for us. It is also a necessity. We eat food every day. We bathe daily. We sleep for eight hours. Similarly, we have to read daily. We start reading when we are in our kindergarten school. There we first learn alphabets and numbers.

Our parents and teachers teach us how to read the alphabet and how to write them. Slowly we grow up. Then we can read things on our own. We no longer need the help. As we read, it stays in our minds. In childhood, we read rhymes. We forever remember those rhymes. Reading makes us happy. 

In schools, we are taught many things. Then we have to read many books. It helps in our examination. But we do not stop there. At home, we read storybooks. We read funny stories, fairy tales, detective stories, and also comics. All of these give us pleasure. Books are our best friends. So we like to spend time with them.

We enjoy reading books. As we read, we learn several things. We learn new words. Our teachers always tell us to read. We often read the newspaper. Reading the newspaper aloud helps us in our speaking skills. We learn how to write by reading daily. So reading anything helps us in different ways.

We must take care as to what we are reading. Today many books are available in the market that is not of good quality. It destroys our time and energy. We do not learn anything good from those books. So parents should be careful while giving a book to their children.

Some of us love reading while travelling long distances. It kills the boredom of the distance. We don’t feel the time when we read. We feel happy as we finish a book. Reading always takes us to a different world. We love the story every book tells us. Reading gives us pleasure and also information. So we should always develop the habit of reading daily. 

All the essays have been written in very simple language for a better understanding of all kinds of students. If you still have any doubts regarding this lesson, kindly mention that in the comment. To read more essays on such important topics, keep browsing our website.

Join us on Telegram to get the latest updates on our upcoming sessions. Thank you. See you again, soon. 

• CBSE Class 10th
• CBSE Class 12th
• UP Board 10th
• UP Board 12th
• Bihar Board 10th
• Bihar Board 12th
• Top Schools in India
• Top Schools in Delhi
• Top Schools in Mumbai
• Top Schools in Chennai
• Top Schools in Hyderabad
• Top Schools in Kolkata
• Top Schools in Pune
• Top Schools in Bangalore

Products & Resources

• JEE Main Knockout April
• Free Sample Papers
• Free Ebooks
• NCERT Notes
• NCERT Syllabus
• NCERT Books
• RD Sharma Solutions
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Admission 2024-25
• NCERT Solutions
• NCERT Solutions for Class 12
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11
• NCERT solutions for Class 10
• NCERT solutions for Class 9
• NCERT solutions for Class 8
• NCERT Solutions for Class 7
• JEE Main 2024
• MHT CET 2024
• JEE Advanced 2024
• BITSAT 2024
• View All Engineering Exams
• Colleges Accepting B.Tech Applications
• Top Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Engineering Colleges Accepting JEE Main
• Top IITs in India
• Top NITs in India
• Top IIITs in India
• JEE Main College Predictor
• JEE Main Rank Predictor
• MHT CET College Predictor
• AP EAMCET College Predictor
• GATE College Predictor
• KCET College Predictor
• JEE Advanced College Predictor
• View All College Predictors
• JEE Advanced Cutoff
• JEE Main Cutoff
• MHT CET Result 2024
• JEE Advanced Result
• Download E-Books and Sample Papers
• Compare Colleges
• B.Tech College Applications
• AP EAMCET Result 2024
• MAH MBA CET Exam
• View All Management Exams

Colleges & Courses

• MBA College Admissions
• MBA Colleges in India
• Top IIMs Colleges in India
• Top Online MBA Colleges in India
• MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Score
• BBA Colleges in India
• XAT College Predictor 2024
• SNAP College Predictor
• NMAT College Predictor
• MAT College Predictor 2024
• CMAT College Predictor 2024
• CAT Percentile Predictor 2024
• CAT 2024 College Predictor
• TS ICET 2024 Results
• AP ICET Counselling 2024
• CMAT Result 2024
• MAH MBA CET Cutoff 2024
• Download Helpful Ebooks
• List of Popular Branches
• QnA - Get answers to your doubts
• IIM Fees Structure
• AIIMS Nursing
• Top Medical Colleges in India
• Top Medical Colleges in India accepting NEET Score
• Medical Colleges accepting NEET
• List of Medical Colleges in India
• List of AIIMS Colleges In India
• Medical Colleges in Maharashtra
• Medical Colleges in India Accepting NEET PG
• NEET College Predictor
• NEET PG College Predictor
• NEET MDS College Predictor
• NEET Rank Predictor
• DNB PDCET College Predictor
• NEET Result 2024
• NEET Asnwer Key 2024
• NEET Cut off
• NEET Online Preparation
• Download Helpful E-books
• Colleges Accepting Admissions
• Top Law Colleges in India
• Law College Accepting CLAT Score
• List of Law Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Delhi
• Top NLUs Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Chandigarh
• Top Law Collages in Lucknow

Predictors & E-Books

• CLAT College Predictor
• MHCET Law ( 5 Year L.L.B) College Predictor
• AILET College Predictor
• Sample Papers
• Compare Law Collages
• Careers360 Youtube Channel
• CLAT Syllabus 2025
• CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
• NID DAT Exam
• Pearl Academy Exam

Predictors & Articles

• NIFT College Predictor
• UCEED College Predictor
• NID DAT College Predictor
• NID DAT Syllabus 2025
• NID DAT 2025
• Design Colleges in India
• Top NIFT Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in India
• Top Interior Design Colleges in India
• Top Graphic Designing Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in Delhi
• Fashion Design Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Interior Design Colleges in Bangalore
• NIFT Result 2024
• NIFT Fees Structure
• NIFT Syllabus 2025
• Free Design E-books
• List of Branches
• Careers360 Youtube channel
• IPU CET BJMC
• JMI Mass Communication Entrance Exam
• IIMC Entrance Exam
• Media & Journalism colleges in Delhi
• Media & Journalism colleges in Bangalore
• Media & Journalism colleges in Mumbai
• List of Media & Journalism Colleges in India
• CA Intermediate
• CA Foundation
• CS Executive
• CS Professional
• Difference between CA and CS
• Difference between CA and CMA
• CA Full form
• CMA Full form
• CS Full form
• CA Salary In India

Top Courses & Careers

• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
• Master of Commerce (M.Com)
• Company Secretary
• Cost Accountant
• Charted Accountant
• Credit Manager
• Financial Advisor
• Top Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Government Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Private Commerce Colleges in India
• Top M.Com Colleges in Mumbai
• Top B.Com Colleges in India
• IT Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• IT Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
• MCA Colleges in India
• BCA Colleges in India

Quick Links

• Information Technology Courses
• Programming Courses
• Web Development Courses
• Data Analytics Courses
• Big Data Analytics Courses
• RUHS Pharmacy Admission Test
• Top Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Pharmacy Colleges in Pune
• Pharmacy Colleges in Mumbai
• Colleges Accepting GPAT Score
• Pharmacy Colleges in Lucknow
• List of Pharmacy Colleges in Nagpur
• GPAT Result
• GPAT 2024 Admit Card
• GPAT Question Papers
• NCHMCT JEE 2024
• Mah BHMCT CET
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Delhi
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Hyderabad
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Maharashtra
• B.Sc Hotel Management
• Hotel Management
• Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology

Diploma Colleges

• Top Diploma Colleges in Maharashtra
• UPSC IAS 2024
• SSC CGL 2024
• IBPS RRB 2024
• Previous Year Sample Papers
• Free Competition E-books
• Sarkari Result
• QnA- Get your doubts answered
• UPSC Previous Year Sample Papers
• CTET Previous Year Sample Papers
• SBI Clerk Previous Year Sample Papers
• NDA Previous Year Sample Papers

Upcoming Events

• NDA Application Form 2024
• UPSC IAS Application Form 2024
• CDS Application Form 2024
• CTET Admit card 2024
• HP TET Result 2023
• SSC GD Constable Admit Card 2024
• UPTET Notification 2024
• SBI Clerk Result 2024

Other Exams

• SSC CHSL 2024
• UP PCS 2024
• UGC NET 2024
• RRB NTPC 2024
• IBPS PO 2024
• IBPS Clerk 2024
• IBPS SO 2024
• Top University in USA
• Top University in Canada
• Top University in Ireland
• Top Universities in UK
• Top Universities in Australia
• Best MBA Colleges in Abroad
• Business Management Studies Colleges

Top Countries

• Study in USA
• Study in UK
• Study in Canada
• Study in Australia
• Study in Ireland
• Study in Germany
• Study in China
• Study in Europe

Student Visas

• Student Visa Canada
• Student Visa UK
• Student Visa USA
• Student Visa Australia
• Student Visa Germany
• Student Visa New Zealand
• Student Visa Ireland
• CUET PG 2024
• IGNOU B.Ed Admission 2024
• DU Admission 2024
• UP B.Ed JEE 2024
• LPU NEST 2024
• IIT JAM 2024
• IGNOU Online Admission 2024
• Universities in India
• Top Universities in India 2024
• Top Colleges in India
• Top Universities in Uttar Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Bihar
• Top Universities in Madhya Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Tamil Nadu 2024
• Central Universities in India
• CUET DU Cut off 2024
• IGNOU Date Sheet
• CUET DU CSAS Portal 2024
• CUET Response Sheet 2024
• CUET Result 2024
• CUET Participating Universities 2024
• CUET Previous Year Question Paper
• CUET Syllabus 2024 for Science Students
• E-Books and Sample Papers
• CUET Exam Pattern 2024
• CUET Exam Date 2024
• CUET Cut Off 2024
• CUET Exam Analysis 2024
• IGNOU Exam Form 2024
• CUET PG Counselling 2024
• CUET Answer Key 2024

Engineering Preparation

• Knockout JEE Main 2024
• Test Series JEE Main 2024
• JEE Main 2024 Rank Booster

Medical Preparation

• Knockout NEET 2024
• Test Series NEET 2024
• Rank Booster NEET 2024

Online Courses

• JEE Main One Month Course
• NEET One Month Course
• IBSAT Free Mock Tests
• IIT JEE Foundation Course
• Knockout BITSAT 2024
• Career Guidance Tool

Top Streams

• IT & Software Certification Courses
• Engineering and Architecture Certification Courses
• Programming And Development Certification Courses
• Business and Management Certification Courses
• Marketing Certification Courses
• Health and Fitness Certification Courses
• Design Certification Courses

Specializations

• Digital Marketing Certification Courses
• Cyber Security Certification Courses
• Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses
• Business Analytics Certification Courses
• Data Science Certification Courses
• Cloud Computing Certification Courses
• Machine Learning Certification Courses
• View All Certification Courses
• UG Degree Courses
• PG Degree Courses
• Short Term Courses
• Free Courses
• Online Degrees and Diplomas
• Compare Courses

Top Providers

• Coursera Courses
• Udemy Courses
• Edx Courses
• Swayam Courses
• upGrad Courses
• Simplilearn Courses
• Great Learning Courses

Pleasure of Reading Essay

Books serve as the best source of acquiring knowledge and information. Reading good books means that you are correctly using your time. Reading is a great way to stay engaged positively and, at the same time, learn something new. It not only helps us to become wise, but also drives boredom and loneliness away. Here are a few sample essays on “Pleasure of Reading”.

100 Words Essay On Pleasure Of Reading

200 words essay on pleasure of reading, 500 words essay on pleasure of reading.

Reading is an extremely beneficial activity to engage it. Here is why we should all develop a reading habit:-

Reading keeps one’s mind active, strong, and healthy.

Reading books enhances one’s communication abilities. It helps one express thoughts and articulate better.

It improves one’s communication and makes one an even better writer.

Each time we read a book, we acquire new information and enhance our knowledge.

Reading certain genres of books, such as motivational books, can transform our thoughts and help us be more optimistic about life. It expands our knowledge, motivates us, inspires us and encourages curiosity. Books give us good companionship whilst travelling. Thus, everyone should inculcate the habit of reading books.

Books are our best companions. Reading separates the wise from the foolish.Being well-read makes us more aware of our surroundings, street-smart, and makes it difficult for us to be deceived by people. It is, therefore, vital for all. Reading is both pleasant and profitable. Here are a few benefits of reading:-

Reading helps us broaden our knowledge and gain new insights. Our parents always encourage us to read ever since we’re small and young.

Reading takes us away from the worries of life. It takes us into a world free from petty concerns and preoccupations.

One can anticipate new opportunities and hazards by reading. Additionally, you'll be able to judge a circumstance more precisely if you’re a reader.

Reading is a great way to unwind after a stressful day and indulge your imagination.

How To Become A Reader

It is never too late to start reading. Someone who is not yet a reader can start by picking up something as short as a newspaper article to read and gradually enhance the time and quantity of their reading. Begin by exploring different genres like motivational books, scientific-fiction, fiction, self-help books, and so on, so that you know what engages you the most. If you’re not a reader yet, become one today.

Nothing in this world beats the pleasure of reading books. It broadens our knowledge, stimulates and drives us, and raises our doubts about a subject. Many of us enjoy reading more when we read independently, at our own pace, and in our style. Such reading stimulates our curiosity, teaches values and motivates us.

Benefits Of Reading

Reading has several benefits, some of them are:-

Broadens your perspective and brings a change in outlook

Helps in both personal as well as educational development

Assists readers in improving their vocabulary

Development of character and personality

Assists people to explore and enhance their imagination

Source of pleasure and immense satisfaction

Making The Right Choice

One will enjoy reading more when they read a genre they intrinsically like. Here are a few options you can choose from.

Magazines, Newspapers | Some individuals enjoy reading newspapers, magazines, journals, etc. They are a source of general knowledge of day-to-day affairs and social and economic issues. They give us a window into the world so we can see what's happening in other regions of the globe.

Travel Literature | Many people love to read literature about travel, adventure and tourism. Reading such books teaches us to be brave, courageous, and adventurous. It also enriches our knowledge and broadens our outlook.

Religious, historical | many people take pleasure in reading books and publications about philosophy and religion. such reading enlightens readers and enriches their souls. it imparts moral and ethical values to us. reading these books gives an insight into our cultural past..

Similarly, there are several other genres such as fiction, science-fiction, self-help, mythology, biographies, autobiographies, and so on, Explore your options before you settle for a book.

How I Became A Reader

The people who inspired me the most to read was my teacher in Class 5, Mrs Bost, and my best friend, William. Mrs. Bost held a reading competition in the class. I don't remember what the prize was, but the object was to see who could read the most books during the school year.

Competing With William | My best friend William was already an avid reader, so he was in the lead from the start. William and I were always competing against one another in just about everything. It wasn't very long before I was ploughing through books as fast as I could to keep up with my friend.

The competitiveness is what got me reading a lot of books. But that is only half the story.

Reflection Became Passion | Mrs Bost required proof that we’d read the books. She wanted a detailed summary of the books we said we had read. A handwritten summary not only of the books, but a summary of what we thought about the books and what they meant to us. In writing the summaries of the books that I read I began to develop a better understanding of the books that I read. With the understanding came passion. I found a passion not only for reading, but learning as well.

Reading helps us see the world from a new and different perspective. Finding out more about the world around you means having more topics to have conversations about, which in turns equips to connect with different kinds of people. However, the pleasure and intense satisfaction we can gain from reading is practically limitless.

Applications for Admissions are open.

Aakash iACST Scholarship Test 2024

Get up to 90% scholarship on NEET, JEE & Foundation courses

ALLEN Digital Scholarship Admission Test (ADSAT)

Register FREE for ALLEN Digital Scholarship Admission Test (ADSAT)

JEE Main Important Physics formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Physics formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

PW JEE Coaching

Enrol in PW Vidyapeeth center for JEE coaching

JEE Main Important Chemistry formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Chemistry formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

ALLEN JEE Exam Prep

Start your JEE preparation with ALLEN

Download Careers360 App's

Regular exam updates, QnA, Predictors, College Applications & E-books now on your Mobile

Certifications

We Appeared in

Speech On The Importance Of Reading [1,2,3 Minutes]

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies”. This is one of my favourite quotes which describes the importance of reading in just a few words. A passionate reader can relate to this amazing quotation. Reading has a lot of benefits in one place which nothing else can offer.

In this article, we shared some examples of speech on the importance of reading which has time durations of 1, 2 and 3 minutes. These speeches can help the reader and the audience to understand the importance of reading.

1 Minute Speech On The Importance Of Reading

Hello and welcome all of you gathered here. I am here to present a speech on the Importance Of Reading.

Reading is considered one of the best habits of past and present. I am also sure that this habit is not going to be outdated in the future too. In this era of the information age, we are surrounded by reading material. We can read almost every piece of text ever created.

Reading is a kind of infotainment which gives you knowledge along with entertainment. There are many benefits of reading which makes it important for everyone. Some of them are:

• Reading improves your communication skills,
• It improves your writing skills,
• It improves your language skills,
• Reading improves your knowledge,
• Reading is an exercise for your brain,
• It improves the ability to concentrate,
• It gives you clarity on a topic,
• It helps you broaden your vision,
• Reading reduces stress,
• Reading gives a sense of motivation, etc.

There are newspapers, books , novels, studies, quotes, sayings, teachings, poems, stories etc. Reading can impact our personality. So, we need to choose wisely what we read.

So, make sure the purpose of reading should not be only for entertainment. if you want to take full advantage of reading, you should pick the content wisely. Thank you!

2 Minute Speech On The Importance Of Reading

I cordially welcome all of you gathered here. I am here to deliver a speech on the Importance Of Reading. Before I start my speech, I would like to wish you a good day. Also, I want to thank you for having me this priceless opportunity.

As humans, we have a gift from god to communicate well. Nevertheless, we developed many options to share our thoughts and feelings. Speaking, listening, writing and reading etc. all of them are ways of communication.

Reading can be the best companion compared to the company of a human. With an individual, you will only gossip whereas reading will improve your knowledge provided you are reading the right text material.

Today, there is an abundance of text material on the internet about every topic. Whether you are a student, a teacher, a businessman, an employee or a housewife, you can easily get the text material useful for you.

For example, if you are a student, you can get your doubts clear using the technology of the internet. Apart from it, you can also get practice material free of cost which will ace you up for the exams.

If you are a businessman, you can read about the latest happenings in the business field which will help you be updated. If you are a housewife, you can get reading material on house management which will make your hard work easier.

There are many benefits of reading which makes it important for everyone. Some of them are:

To sum it up, no matter who you are. If you know how to read, you have an opportunity to ace up your personality and improve the quality of work do. This is what I wanted to say. Thank you!

3 Minute Speech On The Importance Of Reading

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies”. This is one of my favourite quotes which describes the importance of reading in just a few words.

Good morning! All of you. Before heading ahead to my speech on the importance of reading. I would like to wish you all the best wishes and also want to pay thanks for having me this valuable opportunity.

There is a lot of work and effort involved in writing a good book or a piece of text content. A good author compiles a book in months or even years. It can contain experiences, knowledge, facts, data, reality etc.

Reading a book simply means getting the knowledge that was compiled by taking years of time. In short, a book is equivalent to many years of effort. One can get it by spending a tiny amount of money or sometimes for free.

Most interestingly, some authors spent their entire life to compile a book. Hence, reading a book means living a life. This satisfies the quote; “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies”.

No one can deny the fact that “Reading is a good habit” because this habit makes us an improved version of ourselves. This habit may not give you all the answers but it can definitely make a difference in your life.

Reading will help you understand different perspectives of thinking as each author is a different person. Apart from this, they share their own experience of life which can help you understand the behaviour of this world.

Most noteworthy, reading can help you in each area you want to improve in. For example, if you are a new businessman, you can start by reading books based on business and entrepreneurship. This way will get to know what to do and what not to do to build a successful business.

Other than this, reading helps you enhance your analytical abilities. When you accumulate enough knowledge about a topic, you can make healthy conservation and no one can easily fool you. There are a lot of benefits of reading. That is why reading is important for everyone.

Some of the benefits of reading are:

To sum it up, reading has unlimited benefits which I don’t think anything else can offer on the planet. So, keep reading, and keep growing. Thank you!

Other Speeches

Importance of time management speech [1,2,3 minutes], speech on ethics and etiquette [1,2,3 minutes], speech about mahatma gandhi jayanti 2023.

• 1 Minute Speech On Health Is Wealth
• 2 Minute Speech On Child Labour
• 1 Minute Speech On Child Labour
• Speech On Nature [ 1-2 minutes ]
• 2 Minute Speech on Importance Of Education
• 1 Minute Speech on Pollution
• 2 Minute Speech on Population Explosion

Related Posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Speech on Importance of Reading

Reading is like a magic key that opens up a world of knowledge. It’s more than just a hobby, it’s a way to explore new ideas and expand your imagination.

Not only does it improve your language skills, but it also enhances your understanding of the world. Reading is a treasure chest of learning, waiting for you to unlock its wonders.

1-minute Speech on Importance of Reading

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the first place, reading stimulates our brain. Just like any other muscle in our body, our mind also needs exercise. Reading does that job. It keeps our brain active and engaged, reducing the chances of cognitive decline.

Next, reading is a source of knowledge. Every book we read, every magazine we flip through, every newspaper article we ponder over, adds to our knowledge bank. It broadens our understanding of different cultures, ideologies, and perspectives. It can also be a vibrant source of inspiration, fueling new ideas and innovations.

Lastly, reading is a great tool for relaxation. It can be a great escape from reality, transporting us to an entirely different world. It helps in reducing stress and can even aid in improving sleep quality.

In conclusion, reading is like a superfood for our mind and soul. It enriches us, nourishes us, and makes us a better version of ourselves. So, let’s inculcate this habit in our lifestyle and reap the numerous benefits it offers.

2-minute Speech on Importance of Reading

Today, I am honored to have this opportunity to speak about one of the most vital and enriching habits a person can develop – the habit of reading. The importance of reading cannot be emphasized enough in an individual’s life, and its impact not only stretches to academic success but also reaches to the overall development of a person. So, let’s delve into the benefits of reading together.

Reading broadens our horizons. It introduces us to new concepts, cultures, and perspectives that we may not have the chance to experience in our everyday life. Sometimes, it allows us to venture into the past, guiding us through the annals of history, while other times it teleports us into the future, making us speculate about the world that is yet to come. Through reading, we can live a thousand lives, visit a thousand places, and meet a thousand characters, all from the comfort of our homes.

Furthermore, reading is a fantastic workout for the brain. It enhances our cognitive functions, improves our vocabulary, and helps in developing emotional intelligence. Regular reading can improve focus and concentration, stimulate creativity, and enhance our analytical thinking skills. In a world where knowledge is power, reading is an excellent way to empower ourselves and stay informed about the world around us.

In conclusion, the importance of reading in our lives is comparable to the importance of breathing. It’s a simple activity that nourishes our minds, enriches our experiences, and broadens our perspectives. It helps us grow as individuals and connects us on a deeper level with the world around us. The beauty of reading lies in its ability to transport us into different worlds and make us richer with every page we turn.

One Comment

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Pleasure Of Reading Essay

Pleasure of Reading Essay

500+ words pleasure of reading essay.

Reading is an important gateway to personal development and access to social, economic and civic life. It allows us to learn about other people, history and different cultures. By reading, we can gather knowledge in different areas like social studies, language subjects, arts, science, mathematics, and other topics. Reading for pleasure is much more than just going through a text. It is also a way of connecting with the text we are reading. In this pleasure of reading the essay, we will discuss how one can enjoy reading and make it a habit. Also, we have provided the list of CBSE Essays on different topics, which will help students practise essays on various topics.

Reading can change our life. It increases our knowledge, motivates and inspires us and elevates our doubts on a topic. The reading that we do by ourselves in our own way at our pace gives us the pleasure of reading. Such reading generates our interests, inculcates values in us and inspires us. On the other hand, the reading that is forced on us may have the reverse effect. The purpose of reading becomes merely pleasing the teacher and passing the exams, which normally happens with students studying their academic subjects.

There has been a rapid change over the last decades in the way children read and learn. The nature and form of study have changed radically. As a consequence of rapid technological advances, multimodal texts are now readily available. It includes voices, sound and music, stance, intonation, gesture, and movement, as well as a print and image. These exist in different media such as computers, laptops, mobiles, films, radios and books.

Today’s children like to read by viewing and visualising the topic. Many surveys confirm that children choose to read a very diverse range of texts. The most preferred reading materials reported upon by primary children in this study were: jokes, magazines, comics, fiction, signs, poetry and websites. In a survey, it was found that seven in ten young people said they would rather watch TV/DVD/video than read a book. It also depicts that many people took preference using the Internet over reading books.

In the 21st century, do children choose to read for pleasure, enjoyment and leisure? Are they reading willingly, for they are being forced to read by teachers to pass the exams? Does the desire to read independently come into students’ minds? Do they want to explore things with their reading and would like to become young readers of today and tomorrow? Finding answers to all these questions is not tough, as students are now showing very less interest in reading. They are getting conserved and limited to academic studies only.

When children read for pleasure, they get “hooked on books”. They gather a lot of information and also learn language skills. Many people are so concerned about reading that they become adequate readers. They learn the vocabulary and develop the ability to understand and use complex grammatical constructions. This develops good writing skills in them, and they become good writers.

Reading for pleasure is oriented towards finding personal meaning and purpose. It enhances the understanding of the world, the desire to understand, make things work, make connections, engage emotionally and feel deeply among people. Reading helps in finding resonances in the text. Readers can understand the meaning and execute them in their lives to become good humans. Reading a web of fiction or nonfiction inspires and motivates them. Many readers keep their first book as a child. Some of them retain the text, which connects to a significant memory. These all reflect the desire to read, indicating a degree of delight in reading itself. Readers find different reasons for reading.

Students must have found the “Pleasure of Reading” essay useful for improving their essay writing skills. They can get the study material and the latest updates on CBSE/ICSE/State Board/Competitive Exams at BYJU’S.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• Speech Writing /

Speech on Importance of Reading: 2 and 3-Minute Speech Samples in English

• Updated on  
• Jun 7, 2024

How often do you read newspapers or magazines? What makes you curious about reading different types of news, articles, blogs, or any non-academic book? Surely, we all have favourite genres, some like sci-fi, sitcom, fictional, historic-fictional, thriller, or romantic novels. Do you know what is common in all these genres? Improvement of your reading skills and a better understanding of grammar. Today, we will talk about the ‘Importance of Reading’ through our speech. Here we go!

Table of Contents

• 1  2 Minutes Speech on Importance of Reading
• 2 3 Minute Speech on Importance of Reading
• 3 Benefits of Reading
• 4 FAQs 

 2 Minutes Speech on Importance of Reading

Also Read: 1 Minute Speech on Human Rights

3 Minute Speech on Importance of Reading

Also Read: Importance of Books in Our Life

Benefits of Reading

Reading is a healthy habit that benefits both students and adults. Here, we discuss the importance of reading  to include it in our everyday routines:

• Increase Knowledge- Reading offers you information on new topics, helping you to expand your knowledge and broaden your understanding. It gives you new ideas and concepts and widens your perspective towards others.
• Cognitive Functioning- Reading helps you to strengthen your mental ability and increase your intellect. It keeps your brain active and delays cognitive decline as you age.
• Expands Vocabulary- Reading exposes you to new concepts and words, which helps to expand your vocabulary and improve your comprehension.
• Improve Communication skills- Learning new things helps you to expand your knowledge. A knowledgeable person shines with confidence which leads to good communication skills.
• Improve Concentration- Reading requires focus and concentration, and making it a habit might help an individual improve these skills.
• Beneficial for Mental Health- Reading is a great way to relax and reduce stress. It can improve your mental health and boost overall well-being.
• Enhance Empathy- Reading fiction gives you a different perspective towards life which increases your emotional well-being. While reading non-fictional teaches you to deal with real life with more compassion and empathy.
• Good Writing Skills – Reading well-written content with different writing styles and techniques helps you to improve your writing skills according to the requirements.
• Develop Critical and Analytical Thinking- Reading encourages you to develop critical thinking with analytical skills as you understand more about complex plots and character development.
• Helps you to Enjoy – Reading brings joy to certain people and helps them to immerse themselves in different worlds. It makes reading more enjoyable.
• For Educational Purpose- Reading is also necessary for educational courses. It allows you to learn about various subjects and excel in academics.

Also Read: Importance of Reading for Students

Ans: Reading helps you to expand your knowledge. A knowledgeable person shines with confidence which leads to good communication skills, resulting in personal and professional growth.

Ans: Cognitive Functioning refers to various mental abilities like learning, reading, writing, problem-solving, decision-making, and improved concentration.

Ans: Making reading a habit from an early age will give you a new perspective on life while helping you to discover a creative side of your mind. 

Popular English Speech Topics

For more information on such interesting speech topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Bhumika Sharma

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

Speech Script: Importance Of Reading

In a world where information is readily available at our fingertips, the significance of reading often goes unnoticed. However, the act of reading is not merely a pastime; it is a gateway to knowledge, imagination, and personal growth. As a speaker, you have the opportunity to inspire and ignite a passion for reading within your audience. This article will guide you through the process of crafting a compelling speech on the importance of reading, enabling you to articulate the transformative power of books and instill a love for reading in your listeners.

Table of Contents

Importance Of Reading Speech Tips

Begin with a captivating opening, establish the significance of reading.

In this section, emphasize the immense value and impact that reading has on individuals and society as a whole. Highlight how reading expands knowledge, broadens perspectives, and cultivates critical thinking skills. Discuss the role of reading in fostering empathy, promoting cultural understanding, and nurturing imagination. Support your claims with relevant statistics, research findings, and compelling examples. For instance, you can reference studies that demonstrate the positive correlation between reading proficiency and academic achievement or share inspiring stories of individuals whose lives were transformed through the power of books. By painting a vivid picture of the benefits of reading, you can reinforce the importance of incorporating reading into our lives.

Appeal to Emotions

Provide practical tips and resources, conclude with a call to action.

In the final section of your speech, inspire your audience to embrace reading as a lifelong pursuit. Encourage them to make a commitment to read regularly, to explore new genres and authors, and to share their love for reading with others. Emphasize the enduring impact that reading can have on personal growth, empathy, and intellectual curiosity. Leave them with a powerful call to action, urging them to become ambassadors of reading, to support literacy initiatives, or to join local book clubs and reading communities. By concluding with a compelling call to action, you empower your audience to make a difference and become advocates for the transformative power of reading.

Importance Of Reading Speech Example #1

First and foremost, reading expands our knowledge. It opens doors to new ideas, perspectives, and cultures that we may never encounter otherwise. Through books, we can explore the depths of history, delve into the complexities of science, and unravel the mysteries of the human experience. Reading equips us with information, enabling us to navigate the world with a deeper understanding and a broader worldview.

Beyond knowledge, reading nurtures our imagination. Books transport us to distant lands, introduce us to fascinating characters, and invite us into captivating narratives. They spark our creativity and allow us to envision realities beyond our own. In the realm of literature, we can embark on epic adventures, solve intricate mysteries, and traverse the boundaries of time and space. Imagination not only fuels our dreams but also enhances our problem-solving skills and fosters innovation in all aspects of our lives.

Reading also plays a vital role in nurturing empathy and fostering connections. When we immerse ourselves in stories, we are invited to walk in the shoes of characters from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. By witnessing their triumphs, struggles, and vulnerabilities, we develop a deeper understanding of the human condition. This empathy extends beyond the realm of fiction, enabling us to relate to and connect with others in our daily lives. Through literature, we discover our shared humanity and build bridges of understanding and compassion.

In conclusion, the importance of reading cannot be overstated. It enriches our lives, expands our horizons, and nourishes our souls. Reading is not a solitary act but a shared experience that connects humanity across time and space. It empowers us to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and compassionate individuals. So, let us embrace the written word, immerse ourselves in the beauty of literature, and inspire others to embark on their own reading journey. Together, we can unlock the transformative power of books and create a world where reading thrives.

Importance Of Reading Speech Example #2

Reading is the foundation of education and the gateway to knowledge. It is through reading that we acquire information, learn new concepts, and expand our intellectual horizons. Whether it’s delving into textbooks, exploring scientific journals, or immersing ourselves in literary classics, reading equips us with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of the world. It empowers us to engage in meaningful conversations, make informed decisions, and contribute to the progress of society.

In addition to its cognitive and emotional benefits, reading is a catalyst for personal growth and self-reflection. Books provide us with mirrors that reflect our own struggles, hopes, and dreams, allowing us to gain insight into our own lives. They offer guidance, inspiration, and wisdom from the voices of those who have walked before us. Whether it’s a memoir, a self-help book, or a philosophical treatise, reading prompts us to question, introspect, and strive for personal development. It awakens our innermost desires and fuels our aspirations.

Moreover, reading enhances our communication skills and fuels our imagination. As we immerse ourselves in the words of skilled authors, we absorb their techniques, expand our vocabulary, and refine our own writing and speaking abilities. Reading provides us with a wellspring of ideas, sparking our creativity and enabling us to think outside the box. It stimulates our imagination, allowing us to envision new possibilities, solve problems, and innovate in various spheres of life. By embracing reading, we become better communicators, more imaginative thinkers, and more effective problem-solvers.

Importance Of Reading Speech Example #3

Today, I stand before you to emphasize a fundamental truth that has withstood the test of time—the importance of reading. In a fast-paced world driven by technology and instant gratification, reading often takes a backseat. However, the significance of reading extends far beyond the pages of a book. It is a gateway to personal growth, empowerment, and a brighter future.

At its core, reading is a tool for education and empowerment. It equips us with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of life. Through reading, we gain access to a wealth of information, ideas, and perspectives that broaden our horizons. It empowers us to become critical thinkers, discerning consumers of information, and active participants in society. Reading lays the foundation for lifelong learning, enabling us to adapt to the ever-changing world and make informed decisions.

Reading also fosters empathy and understanding. As we engage with stories from different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, we develop a broader perspective of the world. We gain insight into the lives of others, their struggles, triumphs, and joys. This empathy extends beyond the realm of fiction, allowing us to connect with people from diverse backgrounds in our daily lives. Reading builds bridges of understanding, breaks down barriers, and cultivates a sense of compassion and unity within society.

Final Thoughts

About mr. greg.

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

• school Campus Bookshelves
• menu_book Bookshelves
• perm_media Learning Objects
• login Login
• how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
• hub Instructor Commons

Margin Size

• Download Page (PDF)
• Download Full Book (PDF)
• Periodic Table
• Physics Constants
• Scientific Calculator
• Reference & Cite
• Tools expand_more
• Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

16.7.2: Persuasive Speech on Reading During Leisure Time

• Last updated
• Save as PDF
• Page ID 90335

• Kris Barton & Barbara G. Tucker
• Florida State University & University of Georgia via GALILEO Open Learning Materials

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

By: Samantha Gentry

Specific Purpose:

To persuade my fellow classmates on the importance of reading during leisure time.

Introduction:

Raise your hand if you have read a book outside of a class requirement within the past year. Did you know that according to the American Time Spent survey of 2017 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans who read for pleasure has declined by over 30% since 2004? In 2004, about 28% of American ages 15 and older read for pleasure; in 2017 that number was down to about 19%. Less men are reading for pleasure than women with a whopping 15% of men reading for fun and about 22% of women. Hello, my name is Samantha Gentry, and today I’m going to persuaded you why reading for pleasure is good for you.

Thesis/Preview:

Reading for pleasure and as a leisure active has many benefits for your mind, body, and soul. Three of the benefits include: improved brain health, relieved stress, and improved empathy skills.

I. Reading is a fantastic activity to help maintain and even improve your brain health.

1. As many of us may be aware, as we begin to get older and age, our physical bodies begin to decline, but so do our brain and mental activity.

2. A study published by Neurology, a peer-reviewed neurology journal, showed that people who read throughout their lifetime had a slower decline in memory compared to their peers who did not.

3. When you are reading, specifically fiction books, your brain is having to make connections; over time these connections for new pathways between the four lobes and two hemispheres in the brain. Over time these new pathways help promote quicker thinking and help defend against cognitive decay.

Transition : Reading is like exercise for your mind. It also serves as a stress reliever.

II. There are many ways to reduce stress. Why is reading one of them you ask?

1. Well according to a study by the University of Sussex in 2009 found that reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress level by up to 68%.

2. Reading is such a large part of going through school and at many jobs; it is hard to find the benefits of it.

3. When you are immersed in a new world of a fiction novel or learning about one of the greatest leaders in history in a biography book, you are focusing your mind and body to think beyond the stress of your everyday life. Reading also helps reduce your heart rate and eases muscle tension.

Transition: Everyone needs a little stress relief in their life. They also need to learn how to become more empathetic.

III. Being able to show empathy and understand the mental and emotional states of those around is an important skill to forming social relationships.

1. A study by Bal and Veltkemp in 2013, showed that over a week’s time readers who were emotionally transported into a fiction story felt a change in their empathy skills.

2. When you are immersed in an emotional book, you are able to feel what the characters are feeling and think what they are thinking. This helps you to begin to understand how those around you are feeling about situations you may actually never face in your own life.

3. If you are wanting to be a more empathic person, make sure you read fiction books over nonfiction because literary fiction had a more significant impact than nonfiction.

Conclusion: According to Caleb Crain, a writer for The New Yorker, there are many reasons why Americans don’t read; from actives on computers, to cell phone scroll, to the king of them all television watching. However, there are many benefits to reading. These benefits include improved brain health, relieved stress, and improved empathy skills. So please understand that no matter how boring or how much of a waste of time it may seem to you, reading books for fun is good for you. Thank you.

References:

Bal, P. M., & Veltkamp, M. (2013). How does fiction reading influence empathy? An experimental investigation on the role of emotional transportation. PLoS ONE,8(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055341

Crain, C. (2018, June 14). Why we don’t read, revisited. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cu...read-revisited

Ingraham, C. (2018, June 29). Leisure reading in the U.S. is at an alltime low. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/ wp/2018/06/29/leisure- reading-in-the-u-s-is-at-an-all-time- low/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f3fa9d4bd61c

Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Science,342(6156), 377-380. doi:10.1126/science.1239918 PJ

Web Solutions Ltd. (n.d.). Reading reduces stress levels. Retrieved from https://www.kumon.co.uk/blog/reading...stress-levels/

Schocker, L., & Schocker, L. (2017, December 07). 6 science-backed reasons to go read a book right now. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost . com/entry/health-benefits-reading_n_4081258

Specktor, B. (2019, March 04). Here’s why your brain needs you to read every single day. Retrieved from https://www.rd.com/culture/benefits-ofreading/

Wilson, R. S., Boyle, P. A., Yu, L., Barnes, L. L., Schneider, J. A., & Bennett, D.A. (2013). Life-span cognitive activity, neuropathologic burden, and cognitive aging. Neurology,81(4), 314-321. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e31829c5e8a

Wise, A. (17, October 17). 8 science-backed reasons to read a (real) book. Retrieved from https://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative- health/ benefits-of-reading-real-books

Find anything you save across the site in your account

The Pleasure of Reading to Impress Yourself

By Rebecca Mead

Not long ago, I unearthed a notebook I had long ago misplaced: a small blue ledger in which, for a period of about four years, I recorded the title of each book I was reading as I finished it. The record begins in mid-July of 1983, around the outset of the summer break before my penultimate year of high school, and the first book listed is “Dr. Zhivago,” by Boris Pasternak. I don’t remember reading that book, or why I thought that the reading of it merited the instigation of a list. Likely, I had a sense that Russian literature was important, but nobody had yet pointed me in the direction of Tolstoy. Next up was Maxim Gorky, “The Life of a Useless Man.” (Ditto.) Before the month was out, I had torn through “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” in a single day—I certainly remember that experience—and had also dispatched with “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.”

Leafing through the notebook provides me with the pleasure of recovering a cache of long-lost photographs. Some of the images are out of focus, some feature individuals whose names have long been forgotten, and others provide moments of sharp recognition. In February, 1984, under the influence of a boyfriend who fancied himself a Wildean wit, I read “The Importance of Being Earnest.” (You never forget your first aphorist.) That March, I read “The Trial,” which I vaguely recall being recommended to me by some other young man of high seriousness and literary inclination—but precisely which such young man now escapes me. The May that I was seventeen, I read “Middlemarch” in the space of two weeks, a reminder of how little else there was to do in my narrow English coastal town. The Wildean boyfriend lived, exotically enough, in distant London, a useful arrangement if one is developing a taste for nineteenth-century novels. A couple of months later, I consumed “Daniel Deronda” in two weeks, too.

I made no record of what I thought of any of these books; in my private Goodreads list, there is no starring system. There’s no indication of why I chose the works I did, though since I bought most of my books cheaply, in secondhand shops, the selection was somewhat dictated by availability. (That probably explains why my first Henry James, in July, 1984, was “The Europeans,” rather than “The Portrait of a Lady.”) Most of them were not assigned texts, at least in the years before I went to university, though there is a certain inevitability about the appearance of many of them: it is axiomatic that a young woman who reads will discover “The Bell Jar,” as I did in September, 1984. This was a curriculum stumbled into: a few titles culled from the shelves at home; others coming my way from friends at school; and yet others recommended mostly by the Penguin Classics logo on their spine.

My list has its limitations. It’s weighted toward classics of English literature from the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth, and, apart from excursions into the Russians and Europeans, it doesn’t range very widely geographically. There was little contemporary literature on it until I discovered the riches of the Picador paperback imprint, while at college. (Milan Kundera, Julian Barnes, Salman Rushdie, Gabriel García Márquez, Italo Calvino, Ian McEwan.) The notebook fizzles out in 1987, around my twenty-first birthday, by which time I was not only studying literature but also reviewing books for a student magazine. One of those was the last title on my list: “Mensonge,” a satire of literary post-structuralism, by the British campus novelist Malcolm Bradbury. That it was this book that killed off my catalogue—which in my college years encompassed Chaucer, Dante, Milton, Donne, Shelley, Coleridge, Eliot, Yeats—strikes me as what the deconstructionists used to call ludic.

After I found the notebook, I tweeted an image of one of its pages, which covered four months of my reading at the age of seventeen. Among the titles were “Great Expectations,” “The Waves,” three Austens, and two Fitzgeralds, as well as books by Elias Canetti, Dostoyevsky, and William Golding, for whom, the notebook reminds me, I had a particular taste at the time. One response: “No fun reads or guilty pleasures?”

It’s a common and easy enough distinction, this separation of books into those we read because we want to and those we read because we have to, and it serves as a useful marketing trope for publishers, especially when they are trying to get readers to take this book rather than that one to the beach. But it’s a flawed and pernicious division. This linking of pleasure and guilt is intended as an enticement, not as an admonition: reading for guilty pleasure is like letting one’s diet slide for a day—naughty but relatively harmless. The distinction partakes of a debased cultural Puritanism, which insists that the only fun to be had with a book is the frivolous kind, or that it’s necessarily a pleasure to read something accessible and easy. Associating pleasure and guilt in this way presumes an anterior, scolding authority—one which insists that reading must be work.

But there are pleasures to be had from books beyond being lightly entertained. There is the pleasure of being challenged; the pleasure of feeling one’s range and capacities expanding; the pleasure of entering into an unfamiliar world, and being led into empathy with a consciousness very different from one’s own; the pleasure of knowing what others have already thought it worth knowing, and entering a larger conversation. Among my catalogue are some books that I am sure I was—to use an expression applied to elementary-school children—decoding rather than reading. Such, I suspect, was the case with “Ulysses,” a book I read at eighteen, without having first read “The Odyssey,” which might have deepened my appreciation of Joyce. Even so—and especially when considering adolescence—we should not underestimate the very real pleasure of being pleased with oneself. What my notebook offers me is a portrait of the reader as a young woman, or at the very least, a sketch. I wanted to read well, but I also wanted to become well read. The notebook is a small record of accomplishment, but it’s also an outline of large aspiration. There’s pleasure in ambition, too.

We have become accustomed to hearing commercial novelists express frustration with the ways in which their books are taken less seriously than ones that are deemed literary: book reviewers don’t pay them enough attention, while publishers give their works safe, predictable cover treatments. In this debate, academic arguments that have been conducted for more than a generation, about the validity or otherwise of a literary canon, meet the marketplace. The debate has its merits, but less discussed has been the converse consequence of the popular-literary distinction: that literary works, especially those not written last year, are placed at the opposite pole to fun.

My list reminds me of a time when I was more or less in ignorance of this proposition. It may not include any examples of what I later learned to call commercial fiction: I did not, for example, read “Hollywood Wives,” by Jackie Collins, which had been published the same year that I started the list, and I am not sure I had even heard of it. But I can’t imagine that it could have given me more delight than did the romantic travails that ironically unfold in “Emma,” or that its satisfactions could possibly have been greater than those offered by the lyricism and very adult drama of “Tender is the Night.” The fallacy that the pleasures offered by reading must necessarily be pleasures to which a self-defeating sense of shame is attached offers a very impoverished definition of gratification, whatever book we choose to pull from the shelf.

By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

By Nicola Twilley

By Jay Caspian Kang

By Susan B. Glasser

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Study Today

Largest Compilation of Structured Essays and Exams

Essay on Pleasure of Reading (1297 Words)

January 4, 2018 by Study Mentor Leave a Comment

“Keep reading. It is one of the most marvellous adventures that anyone can have.” This quote was said by the famous American author Lloyd Alexander, who understood the true joy of reading and therefore made it his life’s mission to provide this joy to others through his writings. Then, what is reading?  

According to Oxford Dictionary to read is to, “look at and comprehend the meaning of (written or printed matter) by interpreting the characters or symbols of which it is composed.” But, it is so much more. Reading is a whole activity in itself. Reading takes the reader to a different world.

It enables the reader to vicariously experience things and moments they can’t in real life and live and know the life and experiences of a person they have never met, yet they come to understand. It enables the reader to sympathise, empathise and improve.   

We are taught how to read in schools by our teachers. We start reading there. As a child, we explore the world of fairy tales and fantasy while reading stories such as Robin Hood or Goldilocks. Through reading, we come to learn about morals and values.

Stories in the Panchatantra teach us how to be a good human being. As a young child, reading also enhances our knowledge of the world surrounding us. We learn what life is and how it is lived. Thus, this capability of reading distinguishes us from other species on this lovely blue planet.

Reading thus plays an important role in the overall development of us as capable and knowledgeable human beings.   

Reading is also an essential activity for the development of human minds. Reading become imperative when one wants to study and learn new subjects.

To master that subject, one needs to know how to read, especially in modern times. Even if you are talented in a sport and want to develop you skills in that field, if you cannot read and understand the rules and how the game is properly played, your efforts would all go to waste.  

Reading is also necessary for a young child to learn and understand about the world around her. It is through reading that she comes to understand her surroundings, the things and scenes she sees in her everyday life. She comes to understand how flowers bloom, how rain occurs, how this beautiful planet earth functions and maintains itself, etc.

She also learns about the rules and regulations that govern the society she lives in. She comes to understand that she cannot hurt other people and has a remedy if other people hurt her. She learns about traffic rules, about the government, about courts, etc.

It is through reading that she comes to appreciate all that has been provided to her. She learns about her rights and how she can fight for them if someone arbitrarily takes them away. Through reading, she becomes strong. Finally, it is through reading that she comes to understand the problems that her society faces, the country faces and this planet faces.

To understand these problems, practical experience is not always feasible. It is through reading that she comes to understand these problems and how it is affecting the people. Most importantly, it is through reading that she comes closer to finding a solution to these problems. Thus, she succeeds in making her contribution to making her society a better place.  

Reading also increases and develops the imagination and creativity of a person. Many people say that when you read a book, your mind creates a movie for you to enjoy based on your imagination.

A person’s imagination is unbound and seamless. Therefore, a movie based on the novel that the person read is often disappointing and people frequently express the opinion that the book is better than the movie.   

Reading also enhances our knowledge and helps us learn new and exciting things which we were not aware of before. The knowledge available to and acquired by human kind is expansive. To even more increase this knowledge, reading is necessary.

Through reading, we can also come to understand the views and opinions of others, compare and contrast them, and for our own independent opinion. Reading newspapers enables us to know about things and events that are physically far away from us. Yet, reading makes it near to us.

Therefore, through reading, we as humans feels connected. No matter how far apart we are in our physical distance from each other, as long as we read, we will be able to connect to each other and share our knowledge and values. This brings people closer to one another. Dr. Seuss, the famous American author rightly said, “The more you read the more things you know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go”  

Many people rightly say that reading is to mind as exercise is to body. Reading helps us exercise our brain and develop it. This is the reason why reading is emphasized in school teaching. But, the culture of reading is slowly deteriorating. In our busy lives, we don’t have the time to stop, relax and take some time off just to read.

This can lead to adverse effects. And, these days, even if we do read, we end up reading meaningless things that make no contribution to our knowledge. We need to make time to read and read selectively so that we don’t end up wasting our time on reading things that don’t matter. Thus, there is a need to reignite the reading culture in our schools, homes, etc.  

Reading brings us joy that in incomparable to other activities. Reading takes us to a world different from our own, created by words that paint a beautiful scenery for us to enjoy. We immerse ourselves into another world, that for a few precious moments we forget our own.

We forget our problems, worries and troubles and are able to relax and be free and unbound from worldly attachments for a few moments. This brings immense pleasure to the readers. Therefore, in a way, reading takes us away from reality, yet brings us closer to understanding our reality. After all, it is only through reading that we can understand and comprehend the realities of life.   

Reading also satisfies our emotional needs. When we are sad, we can read something light and funny to make ourselves happy. When we are feeling curious, or want to go on an adventure, we can delve into the life of detective through novels and grow and develop with the characters.   

Reading also helps us understand the experiences of others, whether good or bad. There is a zen proverb that says that ‘It takes a wise man to learn from his mistakes, but even a wiser man to learn from others’ Reading enables us to learn from the experiences of others through their writings. Thus, reading sharpens our decision making skills. We learn to better differentiate between right and wrong and form opinions about matters that are important to us.   

Reading also helps us escape our loneliness at times. Books are our best friends and best teachers. They accompany us throughout our lives and we always depend on them to help us escape and lighten our negative emotions. This makes us feel better and brings us pleasure  

Thus, reading is an activity full of pleasure and joy. It is for this very reason that no person should be denied the right to read and explore her horizons.

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Top Trending Essays in March 2021

• Essay on Pollution
• Essay on my School
• Summer Season
• My favourite teacher
• World heritage day quotes
• my family speech
• importance of trees essay
• autobiography of a pen
• honesty is the best policy essay
• essay on building a great india
• my favourite book essay
• essay on caa
• my favourite player
• autobiography of a river
• farewell speech for class 10 by class 9
• essay my favourite teacher 200 words
• internet influence on kids essay
• my favourite cartoon character

Brilliantly

Content & links.

Verified by Sur.ly

Essay for Students

• Essay for Class 1 to 5 Students

Scholarships for Students

• Class 1 Students Scholarship
• Class 2 Students Scholarship
• Class 3 Students Scholarship
• Class 4 Students Scholarship
• Class 5 students Scholarship
• Class 6 Students Scholarship
• Class 7 students Scholarship
• Class 8 Students Scholarship
• Class 9 Students Scholarship
• Class 10 Students Scholarship
• Class 11 Students Scholarship
• Class 12 Students Scholarship

STAY CONNECTED

• About Study Today
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

Scholarships

• Apj Abdul Kalam Scholarship
• Ashirwad Scholarship
• Bihar Scholarship
• Canara Bank Scholarship
• Colgate Scholarship
• Dr Ambedkar Scholarship
• E District Scholarship
• Epass Karnataka Scholarship
• Fair And Lovely Scholarship
• Floridas John Mckay Scholarship
• Inspire Scholarship
• Jio Scholarship
• Karnataka Minority Scholarship
• Lic Scholarship
• Maulana Azad Scholarship
• Medhavi Scholarship
• Minority Scholarship
• Moma Scholarship
• Mp Scholarship
• Muslim Minority Scholarship
• Nsp Scholarship
• Oasis Scholarship
• Obc Scholarship
• Odisha Scholarship
• Pfms Scholarship
• Post Matric Scholarship
• Pre Matric Scholarship
• Prerana Scholarship
• Prime Minister Scholarship
• Rajasthan Scholarship
• Santoor Scholarship
• Sitaram Jindal Scholarship
• Ssp Scholarship
• Swami Vivekananda Scholarship
• Ts Epass Scholarship
• Up Scholarship
• Vidhyasaarathi Scholarship
• Wbmdfc Scholarship
• West Bengal Minority Scholarship
• Click Here Now!!

Mobile Number

Have you Burn Crackers this Diwali ? Yes No

Reading for Pleasure: A Review of Current Research

• Open access
• Published: 22 March 2024

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Ana Vogrinčič Čepič   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2352-4934 1 ,
• Tiziana Mascia   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3047-5002 2 &
• Juli-Anna Aerila   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1109-8803 3  

1368 Accesses

Explore all metrics

The narrative review examines the current state of research on reading for pleasure and its relevance in education and personal development. By analysing 22 studies published over the past several years (2014–2022), the authors have sought to identify the key trends and areas of focus within this field. The selected articles have been coded and analysed, and the results have been used to, among others, examine the type of research on reading for pleasure, the subject areas covered, the research methods used, the variables analysed, and the target groups involved. A particular attention has been paid to possible conceptualisations of reading for pleasure and reading for pleasure pedagogy, to the type of reading and the texts reading for pleasure may predominantly be associated with, as well as to its social dimension and relationship to the digital literary environment. The literature review shows that the studies on reading for pleasure highlight the importance of personalisation in reading for pleasure pedagogy and acknowledge the role of the material and social dimension of reading. Further, there are signs of a broader definition of reading materials, like comics, also in the educational context. The findings of the present review indicate the gaps in the research of reading for pleasure and highlight the need for a more profound understanding of the title concept and its benefits, thus contributing to the development of its future research and promotion.

Similar content being viewed by others

Digital technology in physical education: a systematic review of research from 2009 to 2020

Piaget and Vygotsky’s Play Theories: The Profile of Twenty-First-Century Evidence

All better than being disengaged: Student engagement patterns and their relations to academic self-concept and achievement

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction

Broadly speaking, reading for pleasure refers to any kind of reading the reader gets pleasure from. It is not limited to any genre (there is no universally defined literature for pleasure that reading for pleasure would refer to) and is usually associated with non-obligatory reading of self-chosen texts and characterized by high level of reader’s engagement and enjoyable experience of flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991 ).

Two large-scale ongoing surveys, PISA (2000–2018) and PIRLS (2001–2016), routinely demonstrate that students who like reading are better and stronger readers, which means that reading motivation and the pleasure associated with reading are among the key conditions for high reading achievement and should therefore be properly addressed and acknowledged. Footnote 1 While a direct comparison on reading for pleasure between PISA and PIRLS data is not possible due to different response categories and target groups, the results of both of the surveys urge us to think about new ways of luring students into reading. Especially older students’ reading habits as presented in PISA are cause for concern. The parameters in the cycles that looked in detail at reading performance, that is, in 2000, 2009 and 2018, show that in the majority of countries the number of students reading for enjoyment is decreasing. In all countries and economies, girls reported much greater enjoyment of reading than boys, and the fact that girls on average in every assessment clearly outperform boys in reading, suggests there is indeed a strong association between reading achievement and enjoyment of reading, as confirmed not only by PISA and PIRLS but also by many other researches (Guthrie et al., 2010 ; Mol & Jolles, 2014 ; Nurmi et al., 2003 ; Petscher, 2009 ).

What’s more, enjoying reading seems to be the decisive indicator of successful reading performance and academic attainment in general. Students who enjoy reading, and make it a regular part of their lives, are able to improve their reading skills through practice. Better readers tend to read more because they are more motivated to read, which, in turn, leads to improved vocabulary and comprehension skills ( PISA 2018 Results , vol. II. ch. 8, OECD, 2020 ). In fact, gaps in reading scores attributable to different levels of reading engagement (of which enjoyment is a key component) are far greater than the reading performances gaps attributable to gender. In other words: reading engagement is an important factor that distinguishes between high-performing and low-performing students, regardless of their gender. Boys who are more engaged in reading tend to outperform female students who are less engaged in reading ( Literacy Skills for the World of Tomorrow , OECD/UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2003 ). Footnote 2

This article presents a narrative literature review based on recent academic articles on the topic of reading for pleasure. The study systematically reviews peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2022 with the aim of investigating how reading for pleasure figures in academic articles and identifying the most current themes of the research on reading for pleasure as well as the areas that still need to be researched. One of the focuses of the study is the idea of reading for pleasure pedagogy and it aims to highlight the ways in which reading for pleasure could be implemented in educational environment and in practice, since this is where policymakers could have a positive influence.

In the section “ The Concept of Reading for Pleasure ” we first try to present the title phenomenon and its related notions by drawing on the many existent definitions, taken from mainly older (book) studies (not articles) that were not included in the review, with the intention to see how the 22 articles under examination relate, differ or elaborate on the existing idea of reading for pleasure.

After explaining the methodology of our review and the data analysis procedure, we present the results divided in several topics.

The initial general research questions of the study were: What kind of peer-reviewed articles have been published on reading for pleasure between 2014 and 2022? How is reading for pleasure understood in peer-reviewed articles between 2014 and 2022? And, what is the relationship between reading for pleasure and pedagogy in peer-reviewed articles? These were our broad issues of interest, that guided us through the review, which provided us with some more or less specific answers.

The Concept of Reading for Pleasure

Literature on reading for pleasure uses a variety of definitions and interpretations of the concept as well as different denominations. Often, reading for pleasure is used interchangeably with ‘reading for enjoyment’ (Clark & Rumbold, 2006 ), ‘leisure reading’ (Greaney, 1980 ), ‘free voluntary reading’ (Krashen, 2004 ), ‘independent reading’ (Cullinan, 2000 ), or ‘recreational’ (Manzo & Manzo, 1995 ; Ross et al., 2018 ) and ‘self-selected reading’ (Martin, 2003 ), but also ‘engaged’ (Garces-Bascal et al., 2018 ; Paris & McNaughton, 2010 ), even ‘aesthetic’ (Jennifer & Ponniah, 2015 ) and ‘ludic reading’ (Nell, 1988 ). It is variably described as: “reading that we do of our own free will, anticipating the satisfaction we will derive from the act of reading” (Clark & Rumbold, 2006 , p. 6), “a purposeful volitional act with a large measure of choice and free will” (Powell, 2014 , p. 129), and “non goal-oriented transactions with texts as a way to spend time and for entertainment” (The Reading Agency, 2015 , p. 6).

In contrast, reading for academic purposes typically involves texts that are assigned as part of a curriculum, and then evaluated or tested on. It has a more structured and goal-oriented focus, whereas reading for pleasure tends to be open-ended and driven by the reader’s own interests and preferences (Wilhelm & Smith, 2014 ). It typically involves materials that reflect our own choice, at a time and place that suit us. Instrumental views on reading do not necessarily preclude pleasure as one can certainly experience pleasure when reading assigned literature, and many situations fall in-between work and leisure, but the primary context for reading for pleasure is undoubtedly linked to a relaxed and obligation-free atmosphere.

For struggling and/or reluctant readers, reading for pleasure is harder to experience when reading individually and is almost an achievement in itself. There is a proven correlation between skill and enjoyment which is why good readers tend to enjoy reading much more: If the student does not read fluently, it means that the effort and energy the student has to put into reading is greater than the pleasure (s)he gets from reading. Therefore, (s)he prefers to avoid reading, if possible. Consequently, bad readers become worse, and vice versa (see Stanovich, 1986 for Matthew effect, and also Möller & Schiefele, 2004 ). It is thus important that the chosen texts (their content, composition, stylistic features and their level of complexity) match the reader’s reading ability, level of pre-existing knowledge and reader’s interests (Sherry, 2004 ). All this plays a vital role in ensuring reading motivation, another concept reading for pleasure is closely connected to.

Reading motivation is a complex notion, which is usually divided into intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation to read comes from personal interest or enjoyment of reading and is related to positive experiences with reading itself. Studies have shown that intrinsic incentives, such as personal interest in the material, curiosity, involvement in the text, and a preference for challenge (e.g., McGeown et al., 2012 ) are better predictors of reading frequency and comprehension than extrinsic incentives, such as rewards or grades, parental pressure etc. (Becker et al., 2010 ; Lau, 2009 ; Schaffner et al., 2013 ; Schiefele et al., 2012 ; Wang & Guthrie, 2004 ). Even so, extrinsic motivation can gradually change into intrinsic (see also the notion of emergent motivation, Csikszentmihalyi et al., 2005 ). Intrinsic motivation refers to being motivated and curious to perform an activity for its own sake. It is the prototype of fully autonomous or self-determined behaviour and therefore represents the most optimal form of motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2000 ). In the case of reading, this means that children read because they enjoy it and become fully engaged in reading. Many studies report that intrinsic reading motivation generally declines over the school years (Kirby et al., 2011 ; McKenna et al., 1995 ; Wigfield et al., 2015 ), while further findings suggest that extrinsic motivation decreases over time as well (Paris & McNaughton, 2010 ; Schiefele et al., 2012 ).

In an educational system, where there is a focus on reading for assessment purposes, offering students opportunities for reading for pleasure can help them develop a lifelong love of reading. By showing them that reading can be enjoyable and introducing them to different reading materials and reading-related activities, everyone can find something to their liking (Collins et al., 2022 ; Merga, 2016 ). For conquering reading for pleasure, it is equally crucial to master the skills of reading as to reach the state of fully engaging and immersive reading, that is, feel a sustained impulse to read characterized by intense curiosity and a search for understanding (Baker & Wigfield, 1999 ; Wang et al., 2020 ). It is much easier to achieve it if one is a ‘good-enough’ reader.

Several studies have by now clearly demonstrated that the benefits of reading for pleasure far surpass the direct literacy-related aspects. Apart from improved reading comprehension, critical thinking skills and increased vocabulary, reading for pleasure can provide cognitive benefits, encourage social interactions, as people often discuss and share their reading experiences with others (Boyask et al., 2021 , 2023 ), improve emotional and psychological well-being (Mak & Fancourt, 2020a ), healthy behaviours (ibid., 2020b ) and a sense of personal enjoyment (Department for Education, 2012 ; The Reading Agency, 2015 ). Reading for pleasure is seen as a crucial foundation for lifelong learning and social and cultural participation, and can contribute to improved relationships with others, as well as to a better understanding of personal identity (The Reading Agency, 2015 ).

After providing this basic outline of reading for pleasure we will now present our review strategy.

Methodology

This study utilizes a narrative literature review, an approach suited for examining topics that have been studied from various perspectives across different research fields. A narrative literature review provides a thorough examination of a subject, facilitating the development of theoretical frameworks or laying the groundwork for further research (Snyder, 2019 ). This methodology is effective in mapping out a research area, summarizing existing knowledge, and identifying future research directions. Additionally, it can offer a historical perspective or timeline of a topic.

To conduct this review, the authors undertook a series of methodical steps: initially, they established a focus for their research before refining their research question as necessary. Subsequent steps involved identifying key search terms and establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria for the literature search. Upon retrieving relevant literature, the quality and pertinence of the identified studies were rigorously assessed. The data from these studies was then synthesized. Finally, in alignment with the procedures and findings the authors critically reviewed and presented the accumulated evidence, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the research topic.

Data and Data Collection

The material for this research was gathered through a two-phase process. In the first phase, an extensive search based on the key words ‘reading’ and ‘pleasure’ was conducted using the search machine Volter which implements searches of the 502 databases of the University of Turku. The search returned articles from the following databases: EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost Education, EBSCOhost SocINDEX, Taylor and Francis Social Science and Humanities with Science and Technology, SAGE Journals Premier 2022, Elsevier ScienceDirect Journals Complete, JSTOR Arts and Sciences II and III, Literature Online (LION), ProQuest Central and Cambridge Journals Current Subscription Content. However, the key words returned articles outside our focus area (in total 1473 hits) regarding the content and the field of sciences. Therefore, we decided to limit the search and tested several key word combinations: (1) education, reading for pleasure pedagogy, (2) reading for pleasure pedagogy and children, (3) reading, pleasure, motivation and (4) reading, pleasure and children. As these searches returned almost the same articles and did not limit the data enough (all the searches with more than 1000 hits), we decided to stay with the original search code “reading” AND “pleasure” but limit the data with following limitations: the field of science (excluding medical studies and natural science), the type of the publication (articles in academic journals), and open access. The publication year was restricted to articles published between 2014 and 2022, and only peer-reviewed articles written in English were included. The search resulted in 101 articles (originally 143 but as the duplicates were removed 101 remained) on a variety of topics, including foreign language learning and literary criticism. These articles were saved in a secure Google Drive folder and were only accessible to the researchers using a specific keyword.

During the second phase of the research process, all three researchers carefully read through the articles obtained in the first search and excluded those that only marginally dealt with reading for pleasure. Among others, we eliminated review articles and those that mainly belonged to the field of literary studies. Any duplicate versions were also removed. At last, we investigated the articles of the previous searches, and decided to add three of them to our final list. The second phase thus ended up with 22 articles which formed the data of this study. The list of the articles included in the review is presented in Table  1 together with the name of the journal, the author(s) and the title of the article.

Data Analysis

After defining the data, the data-analysis began. The data was analysed according to multi-phased, regulated and controlled coding (see Thorne, 2008 ), using mainly qualitative analysis supported with quantifications. The preliminary analysis started with reading the articles individually multiple times to acquire an overall picture of the content and to identify the categories on the basis of which we would then code the articles. This phase was mainly data-driven, but theory-driven analysis was used to support the researchers in defining the coding categories.

Apart from the basic information on each article, which included the title and the author(s), the name of the journal and publication year, we also took note of authors’ institutional and national affiliations. We then defined 12 categories for coding the articles, which are: the type of the article (theoretical and/or research); the target group of the study (according to age, type of readers and profession, if applicable); the methodology that was used (qualitative and/or quantitative); whether and how reading for pleasure was defined in the article, whether the article addressed reading for pleasure in an educational-context or not; whether reading for pleasure was understood as a means for better (school-related) achievement or rather in connection with other benefits; the focus of the article; whether the article was based on traditional view of reading (i.e., printed books only) or not; whether there was any consideration of the digital dimension; did the article talk about reading for pleasure pedagogy; did it consider the social aspects of reading; and did it define the meaning of pleasure itself. When possible, we also marked whether certain aspects (such as, e.g., traditional understanding of reading) were explicit or just implied. Finally, each article was equipped with a short summary of the content. This helped us to better grasp how reading for pleasure is understood and contextualized.

Each researcher independently analysed the 22 articles according to the above categories, and the results were then compared and discussed within the group. In most categories, the researchers reached a consensus, only in some instances there were slight differences in how individual categorisation was interpreted or described (as in question when a definition of a certain concept is explicit or implied). These discrepancies were addressed and resolved through discussion. On the basis of the above-described article categorisation the articles were coded to allow for quantification of the data.

The analysis took a two-folded approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods. In the qualitative analysis, the researchers carefully read through the analysis of the articles and identified the prevalent categories and themes. The goal was to gain a descriptive understanding of the current research on reading for pleasure. Coded categories were then used in the quantitative analysis yielding a basic overview on the prevailing topics, approaches and aims of the articles included. Both analyses were first carried out independently by each individual researcher and then confirmed by all. The results of the qualitative and quantitative analyses are presented separately and then synthesised in the conclusion.

As already implied, the reliability of the analysis was supported by researcher triangulation, meaning that several researchers study the same phenomena, using the same methods, techniques and theoretical framework of departure. If the researchers come to the same conclusions, the research process can be considered valid.

Publication Year, Represented Disciplines, National Affiliations

The results of the literature review show that the journals the articles were published in belong to various fields of knowledge: educational sciences, literacy, reading and language research, as well as library and information science and psychology. Half of the articles (n = 11) were published in journals concentrating on education and school context, and one third of them (n = 7) in journals on literacy, reading and language research, including also the research on second and foreign language learning. The rest of the disciplines mentioned above are represented by two journals each. In three cases, the same journal contributed two articles to our literary review data; these journals were Literacy , Cambridge Journal of Education and Reading in a Foreign Language . All the other journals in our selection are represented by one article each, which suggests that the topic of reading for pleasure is quite evenly handled in various disciplines.

The analysis shows that the articles on reading for pleasure were published relatively evenly throughout the years 2014 and 2022. However, over half of the articles were published after 2017 which might indicate a growing interest in the topic (Table  2 ).

Then again, if we take into consideration the advance online publication date (DOI number links), the numbers change (most notably for the year 2020), and the increase after 2017 seems less noticeable (Table  3 ).

According to the analysis, reading for pleasure is being researched on almost all the continents—Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. About one third of the articles derives from Europe, with United Kingdom having the highest number of published articles on the topic (n = 5). These are articles written by Burnett and Merchant ( 2018 ), Kucirkova and Cremin ( 2018 ), Kucirkova et al. ( 2017 ), Reedy and De Carvalho ( 2021 ), Sullivan and Brown ( 2015 ). Almost all the authors come from academic institutions, such as institutes and universities. However, there is also one primary school teacher (Reedy in Reedy & De Carvalho, 2021 ), a high school professor (Arai, 2022 ) and a librarian (Shabi in Abimbola et al., 2021 ). The origin countries of authors’ institutions are presented in more detail in Table  4 .

Even though the articles of our data come from several continents and have publication forums of different disciplines, they seem to concentrate on similar themes and have in most cases practical aims. The most common topics were the benefits and effects of reading for pleasure, the perceptions and attitudes of children/students on reading for pleasure, and the relation of reading for pleasure to digital reading. The articles apparently aimed at understanding the nature and meaning of reading for pleasure. The requirement for a broader definition of reading was pronounced as well as a role of pedagogy in ensuring reading for pleasure.

Type of the Articles, Research Methods and Target Group Contexts

Most of the articles in the data are traditional research articles (n = 15). One third of the articles (n = 7) have a more theoretical focus and may reference previous interventions or other empirical data sources. The methods used in the research vary: nearly half of the studies (n = 10) use qualitative methods, about one third (n = 6) use quantitative methods, and a few (n = 4) combine qualitative and quantitative methods. Two of the articles do not employ any methodology.

The target groups of the studies presented in the articles vary from minors to adults. Nevertheless, it appears that reading for pleasure research focuses mainly on children and the young, as half of the articles investigate this target group, and one fifth (n = 4) deal with both minors and adults. This means that only one third of the articles (n = 7) discuss reading for pleasure in relation to non-minor population: two of them specifically address librarians and library professionals (Merga and Ferguson, 2021 ; Ramírez-Leyva, 2016 ), while the other five are about university students. Some of the studies used existing data sets or data originally collected for other purposes (e.g., Sullivan & Brown, 2015 ). The size of the data varies depending on the characteristics of the data, ranging from under twenty to thousands of participants.

There is a wide range in the age of the groups studied, with some studies focusing on specific age groups, such as children or teenagers (e.g., Retali et al., 2018 ; Wilhelm, 2016 ), while others include a more diversely aged population (e.g., Kavi et al., 2015 ; Kucirkova et al., 2017 ). In most cases, the data concerned participants that were over 15 years old: secondary or high school students and second language learners at a university. Accordingly, a wide majority of articles (n = 15) relate to the educational context: primary and secondary schools and universities.

The analysis shows that very few studies identified reading groups according to their reading attitudes. One of the studies explicitly concentrated on investigating good readers (Thissen et al., 2021 ), and another (Wilhelm, 2016 ) focused on readers who were marginalised in a sense that they did not read the materials approved or used in school. It is somewhat surprising that weak or reluctant readers were not targeted as an object of study, as the articles seem to concentrate on using good or average readers as models for reading for pleasure. The only article that calls for pedagogy as well as for materials adjusted for the diverse readers (Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ) does not refer to any specific target group. Other than that, the only target group with challenges in reading were the second language readers (e.g., Arai, 2022 ; Ro & Chen, 2014 ).

Understanding of Reading, the Digital Dimension and the Social Aspect of Reading

Over half of the articles (n = 13) define reading in a sense that exceeds the traditional idea of reading the verbal printed books. They talk about ‘multimodal approaches to reading’ (e.g., Kavi et al., 2015 ; Ramírez-Leyva, 2016 ; Vanden Dool & Simpson, 2021 ), and ‘wide reading’ (McKnight, 2018 ), and use a more inclusive repertoire of genres, not habitually read in schools, such as comics, graphic novels and song lyrics (Reedy & De Carvalho, 2021 ; Retali et al., 2018 ; Wilhelm, 2016 ), as well as various (literary and non-literary) digital formats, which blur the lines between texts and films, text and games, and text and music, thus offering the reader more choice and potentially a more personal and pleasurable reading experience (Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ). Except for underlining the importance of self-chosen nature of the texts, most articles do not limit the type of literature appropriate for reading for pleasure. However, there is a noticeable albeit implied emphasis on narrative and fiction, that is, texts which tell stories of lived experience (Barkhuizen & Wette, 2008 in Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ).

The digital dimension is mentioned in half of the articles (n = 11), mostly when referring to reading material. One research examines the interaction the readers experience with media texts (Burnett & Merchant, 2018 ), another deals with how gamified reading might improve the reading interests and feelings of pleasure (Li & Wah Chu, 2021 ), Chireac et al. ( 2022 ) investigate the effects of creating videos on reading for pleasure, and Kucirkova and Cremin ( 2018 ) emphasise how the digital libraries, applications and digital storybooks allow for a more personalised reading experience.

The social aspect of reading in terms of its collective and shared experience is addressed in half of all the reviewed articles (n = 11), mainly published after 2018. This can partly be attributed to the digitalisation of the reading experience they refer to, which has a more pronounced social dimension. However, reading aloud, collective reading and discussion with others on what was read may all form part of pleasure experience with the printed text as well. According to Kucirkova et al. ( 2017 ), reading for pleasure is a social practice in a sense that the reader’s pleasure from engaging with a narrative is increased through the possibility of sharing this experience with others. With digital books, this engagement can be even expanded and intensified as readers can share their insights with others both remotely and/or immediately. Kucirkova and Cremin ( 2018 ) consider participation, defined as shared and sustained reading for pleasure engagement, as one of the six facets of children’s reading for pleasure engagement, which are particularly brought to the fore by digital books (together with affective, creative, interactive, shared and sustained engagement).

Despite being referred to in half of the articles, the social dimension in reading is more thoroughly examined only in a few of them: see McKnight ( 2018 ) for ‘new and participatory media forms’; Mahasneh et al. ( 2021 ) for ‘community-based reading intervention’, Kucirkova and Cremin ( 2018 ) for ‘community-oriented interactive space’, and Burnett and Merchant ( 2018 ) for ‘affective encounters’.

The Meaning of Reading for Pleasure

More than half of the articles (n = 14) include definitions of reading for pleasure, while eight of them do not. In four cases reading for pleasure is explained only via synonyms (Ghalebandi & Noorhidawati, 2019 ; Li & Wah Chu, 2021 ; Ro & Chen, 2014 ; Sullivan & Brown, 2015 ), which we did not count as a definition, in the other four articles, that do not define reading for pleasure, its meaning is either implied (e.g., as in contrast to reading from textbooks in Willard & Buddie, 2019 ), or the term is used without further explanation (Sénéchal et al., 2018 ; Willard & Buddie, 2019 ). The concept is addressed evenly in research and theoretical articles.

The articles can be divided in two groups according to the level on which they try to grasp the notion of reading for pleasure. The first can be labelled as descriptive, loose and instrumental, and as such closer to the already discussed Clark and Rumbold’s broad understanding of reading for pleasure ( 2006 ), emphasizing free choice and free will, experience of engagement, availability of various materials, and the context of leisure, entertainment and engagement. There are seven articles that can be categorized as such (among others: Mahasneh et al., 2021 ; Merga & Ferguson, 2021 ; Vanden Dool & Simpson, 2021 ). The other seven articles employ a more analytical approach, taking the above outlined idea of reading for pleasure as a basis, but opening it up to a more complex scrutiny, trying to detect different types of reading for pleasure, as well as various dimensions of pleasure and components of the reading experience that may affect it (e.g., Arai, 2022 ; Thissen et al., 2021 ; Wilhelm, 2016 ). The potential of environmental and material aspects of pleasure-reading is addressed, especially in relation to the digitization (Burnett & Merchant, 2018 ; Chireac et al., 2022 ; Reedy & De Carvalho, 2021 ). Rather than settling for one monolithic idea of reading for pleasure, these authors talk about the personalized pleasure-reading experience and emphasize the role of children’s agency and choice (Arai, 2022 ; Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ; Reedy & De Carvalho, 2021 ; Wilhelm, 2016 ).

Three of the reviewed articles offer a comparatively more in-depth approach to reading for pleasure. Thissen et al. ( 2021 ) discuss how different experiential dimensions of fiction reading—a sense of presence, identification, feeling of suspense and cognitive involvement—relate to pleasure, and suggest that flow is what integrates them all together, making it the strongest predictor for reading pleasure. “Flow is not only a key predictor of the pleasures of reading narratives but also modulates other important dimensions of the fiction reading experience, such as a sense of being present in the story world, identification with protagonists, feelings of suspense, cognitive involvement with the story, and text comprehension” ( 2021 , p. 710). Similarly, Arai ( 2022 ) defines pleasure as flow experience and relates it to the perceived book difficulty. Burnett and Merchant ( 2018 ) discuss the notion of the affect and enchantment in reading for pleasure in the context of digital reading and everyday literacy. They present reading as inextricably entangled not just with the text but also with other people, places and things, and describe the enchantment as an affect generated in the relations between these various elements. Their examples show the complex and diverse ways in which reading and pleasure are entwined, and that can range from immersive to ephemeral, individual to collective, and encompass anything from momentary hilarity to deep engagement.

All these (7) articles that delve deeper into the understanding of contemporary reading for pleasure tend to apply it to new media. The new media affect the nature of pleasure, especially when it comes to the young, which is why methods of reading motivation have to be adjusted to digital media environments. Being new and relevant they are more likely to engender feelings of pleasure in young people. Chireac et al. ( 2022 ) for example suggest creating videos (in which readers explain why they have chosen to read a certain book) as a support reading-related activity in order to boost pleasure and enhance reading comprehension.

Another aspect that characterizes the more in-depth discussions on reading for pleasure in the reviewed articles is the pronounced attention on the reader and on the pursuit of a personalized version of pleasure reading. Reedy and De Carvalho ( 2021 ) state that children’s agency must be fostered in order to create a pathway towards reading for pleasure; they present a number of case-study examples illustrating this practice with a special emphasis on the children’s co-creation of the reading setting. Kucirkova and Cremin ( 2018 ) talk about fostering reading for pleasure with personalized library managements systems, which can recommend book titles through algorithmic analysis of available titles and users’ past engagement with texts. They see huge potential in both—personalized books (print and digital) and in personalized response to text. Wilhelm ( 2016 ) also focuses on the perspective of the reader and analyses where s/he gets the pleasure from when reading voluntarily. In responses of avid adolescent readers, he detects five distinct types of pleasure: the immersive pleasure of play, intellectual pleasure, social pleasure, the pleasure of functional work, and the pleasure of inner work, underlining the pleasure of play, that is, the pleasure of living through a story, as the most important one.

These analytical articles reveal that reading for pleasure is a complex concept that should be explored in depth, in order for its various layers to be understood and translated into practically useful pedagogical approaches in the contemporary contexts.

The Need for Reading for Pleasure Pedagogy

Reading for pleasure pedagogy is addressed in nine out of 22 articles. It is usually not specifically defined and mainly refers to different practices and approaches of implementing reading for pleasure in the school curricula. The concept is more or less equally present in research as well as in more theoretically inclined articles. While the majority of research and intervention-based articles in our review describe various tools and techniques on how to incite reading for pleasure in the educational context, there are also a few that offer a more in-depth insight on the topic and build up on professional knowledge, developing a specific type of pedagogy, that is, reading for pleasure pedagogy (Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ; McKnight, 2018 ; Vanden Dool & Simpson, 2021 ; Wilhelm, 2016 ).

A common finding of the articles regarding reading for pleasure in general and reading for pleasure pedagogy in particular is that more opportunities should be afforded to include reading for pleasure in the school curricula (e.g., McKnight, 2018 ; Reedy & de Carvalho, 2021 ), or—as Wilhelm puts it: “the power and potential of pleasure suffers from a degree of neglect in schools, teaching practices and in research base” ( 2016 , p. 31). If nothing else, students should be able to choose the texts themselves or at least have more frequent possibilities to do so. Next, there is an evident consensus that too much focus is placed on reading as a technical and functional skill, framing it as a measurable result rather than a lived experience and process. In contrast to reading competence, reading for pleasure is not assessed and is frequently side-lined by high-profile focus on reading instruction, decoding and comprehension. This is reflected in the fact that more articles (n = 10) view reading for pleasure primarily as a means to achieve better literacy and literacy-related benefits, rather than as a goal that brings other, unmeasurable positive outcomes (n = 7). Four articles refer to both sides, and one article refers to neither option. Even so, the authors generally agree there should be a balance between the ‘skill to read and the will to read’.

Another common thread of discussion regarding reading for pleasure pedagogy is a call for working on a better understanding of pleasure and on what brings pleasure in the context of reading, since this is a base for a successful transaction between the reader and the text. In order to achieve this, several components should be acknowledged: a broad understanding of reading; personalized approach, adapted to the individual reader; attention to contextual elements (the setting, time and place of reading, atmosphere), and social dimension, that is, potential for interaction. An effective reading for pleasure pedagogy should therefore take into account new and participatory media forms, that would correspond to twenty-first century reading practices, and acknowledge a reader’s individualized interest (reflections, attitudes and lived experience) and his/her own perception of pleasure. It should involve an active role of the teacher as a reader and create an authentic teacher–child dialogue (Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ; McKnight, 2018 ). However, in practice, curriculum constraints and time limitations very much impede the effective reading for pleasure pedagogy, making it heavily dependent on individual teacher’s endeavours and beliefs (Chireac et al., 2022 ; Vanden Dool & Simpson, 2021 ), rather than on explicit knowledge of a reading for pleasure pedagogical framework, which is why a greater professional understanding of reading for pleasure pedagogy should be ensured.

Apart from confirming the reputation of reading for pleasure as “a fuzzy concept” (Burnett & Merchant, 2018 , p. 62), being loosely rather than exactly defined, this study also shows the concept has been expanding to include a wider range of reading materials, such as e-books and comics (e.g., Kavi et al., 2015 ; Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ; McKnight, 2018 ; Ramírez-Leyva, 2016 ; Retali et al., 2018 ; Reedy & De Carvalho, 2021 ; Vanden Dool & Simpson, 2021 ; Wilhelm, 2016 ). As more children are exposed to digital media, it is important to understand how these materials can be used to motivate children to read and encourage a love of reading (Kucirkova & Cremin, 2020 ). Studies also highlight reading in a second language, traditionally observed merely as a language learning activity, as a possible pathway towards reading for pleasure.

The loose definition of reading for pleasure makes it difficult to compare and fully understand the results of different studies. It is important to gain further knowledge on the nature of pleasure and on where the pleasure may come from, in order to be able to evoke it in the context of reading and develop effective reading for pleasure approaches. As observed, some of the examined articles address these very issues and try to detect the different components or criteria contributing to pleasure reading. The two most underlined notions in this regard refer to the importance of personalisation and to the acknowledgment of material and social dimension of reading. As already implied, by personalisation we think of approaches that encourage reading by taking in consideration the specifics of an individual reader, his or her interests, needs, wishes and choices. This does not exclude the foregrounding of the social dimension of reading as the latter is exactly what many readers need, and besides, personalized approach often results in grouping readers with similar agenda, which in itself could incite motivation.

The experience of pleasure may vary with individuals, and it is important to study and try to understand where the pleasure for different individuals comes from and then try to link it to reading. The personalised reading approach addresses intrinsic motivation and may as such also help encourage the reluctant readers, who have been rather side-lined in the examined selection of texts, as well as narrow the gender gap, a challenge that—despite being very foregrounded in the PISA and PIRLS results—is surprisingly not very explicit in the reviewed articles.

Reading for pleasure pedagogy plays a crucial role here. It refers to teaching methods and approaches that aim to promote reading for pleasure among students and typically involves a wide range of reading materials to choose from, encouraging students to read for enjoyment and personal fulfilment. Reading for pleasure pedagogy can take many forms and practices, including social reading environments, reading aloud, independent reading and informal book talks (Safford, 2014 ). It implies studying the specific characteristics of texts and materials that are most likely to be engaging and enjoyable for students, and provides guidelines on how teachers can use these materials to encourage reading for pleasure. However, there is a need to further investigate reading for pleasure pedagogy in order to better understand the specific strategies and approaches that are effective in promoting pleasure-reading among students.

We need new ways of contextualizing reading for pleasure that would fit with the range of practices emerging in an increasingly digital age. We have to pay attention to the environmental and interactive dimension of reading encounters. In short, we need to grasp reading for pleasure as personalised, embedded and situated phenomenon and ensure the conditions for practicing it. On the basis of the above observations a solid standardised methodology for ‘measuring’ reading for pleasure, or rather for measuring the efficacy of reading for pleasure pedagogy, can and should be created. What we need is an integration of a more detailed knowledge and practice, which would help educators and policy makers gain a deeper understanding of how to promote a love of reading.

The real actor in the pedagogy of reading for pleasure, however, is the teacher. Teachers’ knowledge of children’s and young adult literature and other texts, of their reading practices, of reading for pleasure itself and of pedagogical approaches with concrete tools and equipment is the key factor in promoting reading for pleasure. In line with the need to develop personalized methods and relational approaches, we need to equip teachers with professional knowledge and also with enough time to get to know the readers and develop appropriate and tailored strategies to integrate reading for pleasure into the curricula. This requires systematic support and cannot depend on individual teachers.

One of the ways in which it would be possible to help the teachers and other reading mentors getting to know the readers is creating the methodology for profiling the readers according to their skills, practices and attitudes, on the basis of which a more thorough personalisation could be made. This is even more important since there is a pronounced need for a more targeted research on poor and reluctant readers, which are the least represented in the research, the hardest to reach, and for whom reading for pleasure is more difficult to experience.

Apart from that and in order to provide support for the often over-burdened teachers we believe schools could benefit from cooperation with the external ‘reading motivators’, properly educated and school-unrelated librarians, that would take over a set of reading for pleasure-related workshops, tailor-made on the basis of the profiles and the related reading pathways, as well as on individual interaction. Also, bringing somebody from ‘the outside’ could help create a more relaxed, less ‘schoolish’ atmosphere and contribute to a more effective pursuit of reading for pleasure.

So far, what seems to have been achieved through research on reading for pleasure is a recognition of the importance of reading for pleasure; now we need to ensure it finds its regular place in everyday contexts. Despite the obvious emphasis on children and the young in school context, we have to keep in mind that reading for pleasure needs to be fostered also in relation to other populations, not necessarily linked to educational institutions.

In this study, we conducted a narrative review of a selection of articles published between 2014 and 2022 that focused on reading for pleasure. The review analysed articles on reading for pleasure published in various disciplines, mainly in education and in literacy, reading and language research, but including also library and information science, and psychology. Most of them are traditional research articles using qualitative methodology. Research on reading for pleasure has been conducted in various countries and continents, indicating that there is a widespread interest in understanding the benefits and promoting this activity. As the majority of the articles were published after 2017, the trend might be indicating a growing interest in the topic. The target groups of the articles varied, with a majority focusing on minor readers (e.g., Ghalebandi & Noorhidawati, 2019 ; Kucirkova et al., 2017 ; Vanden Dool & Simpson, 2021 ), although there was a wide range in the ages and sizes of the populations studied. Participants in the research were mostly fluent readers, that is, good and average high or secondary school and university students (Sullivan & Brown, 2015 ; Thissen et al., 2021 ; Willard & Buddies, 2019 ), which indicates the centrality of educational context in the discourse on reading for pleasure. This is also reflected in the fact that more articles consider reading for pleasure primarily as means to achieve better reading skills and literacy-related benefits, rather than in connection to other positive outcomes (e.g., Arai, 2022 ; Kavi et al., 2015 ; Li & Wah Chu, 2021 ). A good half of the reviewed texts considers a broad understanding of reading, including digital media forms, and acknowledges the importance of the social dimension in reading for pleasure (e.g., Burnett & Merchant, 2018 ; Kucirkova & Cremin, 2018 ; McKnight, 2018 ).

Referring to our initial research questions, we could summarize that the articles focus on the benefits of reading for pleasure, present practical examples of reading for pleasure promotion, especially in relation to the digital environment, analyse perceptions and attitudes towards reading for pleasure, discuss the nature of pleasure, and the role of schools and libraries in ensuring reading for pleasure. The findings suggest that reading for pleasure has a positive impact on various aspects of education and personal development (e.g., Sullivan & Brown, 2015 ; Willard & Buddie, 2019 ), and that it is important to promote and encourage this activity. Almost two thirds of the articles in some way or another define reading for pleasure, almost one third analyse it in more detail and over one third specifically address reading for pleasure pedagogy. What stands out is a noticeable endeavour for a better, in-depth understanding of what brings pleasure in reading, the focus on the reader and a personalized approach of reading for pleasure, as well as the articulated need of developing reading for pleasure pedagogy.

Limitations

A relatively small number of the articles under examination limits the representability of our review results, however, we believe that we have nevertheless identified the current trends and challenges, as well as signalled potential solutions and thus in a small way contributed to the empowerment of reading for pleasure.

For the PISA and PIRLS results documentation see https://www.oecd.org/pisa/data/ and https://www.iea.nl/studies/iea/pirls .

According to PISA definition, reading engagement refers to time spent reading for pleasure, time spent reading a diversity of material, high motivation and interest in reading (Kirsch et al.: Reading for change, results from PISA 2000). In 2019 PISA survey, the definition of reader engagement was complemented in line with OECD 2016 broader conception of reading, which recognizes the existence of motivational and behavioural characteristics of reading, in addition to cognitive ones, stating that engaged readers find satisfaction in reflecting on the meaning of the text and are likely to want to discuss the texts with others.

Abimbola, M. O., Shabi, I., & Aramide, K. A. (2021). Pressured or pleasure reading: A survey of reading preferences of secondary school students during COVID-19 lockdown. International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology, 11 (2), 7–21. https://doi.org/10.5865/IJKCT.2021.11.2.007

Article   Google Scholar  

Arai, Y. (2022). Perceived book difficulty and pleasure experiences as flow in extensive reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 34 (1), 1–23.

Google Scholar  

Baker, L., & Wigfield, A. (1999). Dimensions of children’s motivation for reading and their realations to reading activity and reading achievement. Reading Research Quarterly, 34 (4), 452–477. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.34.4.4

Barkhuizen, G., & Wette, R. (2008). Narrative frames for investigating the experiences of language teachers. System, 36 , 372–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2008.02.002

Becker, M., McElvany, N., & Kortenbruck, M. (2010). Intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation as predictors of reading literacy: A longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102 (4), 773–785. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020084

Boyask, R., Harrington, C., Milne, J., & Smith, B. (2023). “Reading Enjoyment” is ready for school: Foregrounding affect and sociality in children’s reading for pleasure. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 58 , 169–182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40841-022-00268-x

Boyask, R., Wall, C., Harrington, C., & Milne, J. (2021). Reading for pleasure for the collective good of Aotearoa New Zealand . National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356790046_Reading_for_Pleasure_For_the_Collective_Good_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand

Burnett, C., & Merchant, G. (2018). Affective encounters: Enchantment and the possibility of reading for pleasure. Literacy, 52 (2), 62–69. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12144

Chireac, S. M., Morón, E., & DevísArbona, A. (2022). The impact of reading for pleasure—Examining the role of videos as a tool for improving reading comprehension. TEM Journal, 11 (1), 225–233. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM111-28

Clark, C., & Rumbold K. (2006). Reading for pleasure: A research overview . National Literacy Trust. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED496343.pdf

Collins, V. J., Dargan, I. W., Walsh, R. L., & Merga, M. K. (2022). Teachers’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of a whole-school reading for pleasure program. Issues in Educational Research, 32 (1), 89–104.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991). Literacy and intrinsic motivation. In S. Graubard (Ed.), Literacy: An overview by fourteen experts (pp. 115–140). The Noonday Press.

Csikszentmihalyi, M., Abuhamdeh, S., & Nakamura, J. (2005). Flow. In A. J. Elliot & C. S. Dweck (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation (pp. 598–608). The Guilford Press. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://academic.udayton.edu/jackbauer/csikflow.pdf

Cullinan, B. E. (2000). Independent reading and school achievement. School Library .

Department for Education. (2012). Research evidence on reading for pleasure . Retrieved February, 2023, from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284286/reading_for_pleasure.pdf

Garces-Bascal, R. M., Tupas, R., Kaur, S., Paculdar, A. M., & Baja, E. S. (2018). Reading for pleasure: Whose job is it to build lifelong readers in the classroom? Literacy, 52 (2), 95–102. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12151

Ghalebandi, S. G., & Noorhidawati, A. (2019). Engaging children with pleasure reading: The e-reading experience. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 56 (8), 1213–1237. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633117738716

Greaney, V. (1980). Factors related to amount and type of leisure reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 15 , 337–357. https://doi.org/10.2307/747419

Guthrie, J., Schafer, W., & Huang, C. (2010). Benefits of opportunity to read and balanced instruction on the NAEP. The Journal of Educational Research, 94 (3), 145–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220670109599912

Jennifer, J. M., & Ponniah, R. J. (2015). Pleasure reading cures readicide and facilitates academic reading. i-Manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 5 (4), 1–5.

Kavi, R., Tackie, S. N. B., & Bugyei, K. A. (2015). Reading for pleasure among junior high school students: Case study of the Saint Andrew’s Anglican Complex Junior High School, Sekondi. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal), paper 1234. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1234/

Kirby, J. R., Ball, A., Geier, B. K., Parrila, R., & Wade-Woolley, L. (2011). The development of reading interest and its relation to reading ability. Journal of Research in Reading, 34 (3), 263–280. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2010.01439.x

Kirsch, I., de Jong, J., Lafontaine, D., McQueen, J., Mendelovits, J., & Monseur, C. (2002). Reading for change. Performance and engagements across countries. Results from PISA 2000 . OECD Publishing. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://www.oecd.org/education/school/programmeforinternationalstudentassessmentpisa/33690904.pdf

Krashen, S. (2004). The power of reading . Libraries Unlimited.

Kucirkova, N., & Cremin, T. (2018). Personalised reading for pleasure with digital libraries: Towards a pedagogy of practice and design. Cambridge Journal of Education, 48 (5), 571–589. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2017.1375458

Kucirkova, N., & Cremin, T. (2020). Children reading for pleasure in the digital age . Sage.

Kucirkova, N., Littleton, K., & Cremin, T. (2017). Young children’s reading for pleasure with digital books: Six key facets of engagement. Cambridge Journal of Education, 47 (1), 67–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2015.1118441

Lau, K. (2009). Reading motivation, perceptions of reading instruction and reading amount: A comparison of junior and senior secondary students in Hong Kong. Journal of Research in Reading, 32 , 366–382. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2009.01400.x

Li, S., & Wah Chu, S. K. (2021). Exploring the effects of gamification pedagogy on children’s reading: A mixed-method study on academic performance, reading-related mentality and behaviours, and sustainability. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52 (1), 160–178. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13057

Mahasneh, R., von Suchodoletz, A., Larsen, R. A. A., & Dajani, R. (2021). Reading for pleasure among Jordanian children: A community-based reading intervention. Journal of Research in Reading, 44 (2), 360–378. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12342

Mak, H. W., & Fancourt, D. (2020a). Longitudinal associations between reading for pleasure and child maladjustment: Results from a propensity score matching analysis. Social Science & Medicine . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112971

Mak, H. W., & Fancourt, D. (2020b). Reading for pleasure in childhood and adolescent healthy behaviours: Longitudinal associations using the Millennium Cohort Study. Preventive Medicine . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105889

Manzo, A. V., & Manzo, U. C. (1995). Teaching children to be literate . Harcourt Brace College Pub.

Martin, T. (2003). Minimum and maximum entitlements: Literature at key stage 2. Literacy, 37 (1), 14–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9345.3701004

McGeown, S. P., Norgate, R., & Warhurst, A. (2012). Exploring intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation among very good and very poor readers. Educational Research, 54 (3), 209–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2012.710089

McKenna, M. C., Kear, D. J., & Ellsworth, R. A. (1995). Children’s attitude toward reading: A national survey. Reading Research Quarterly, 30 (4), 934–956. https://doi.org/10.2307/748205

McKnight, L. (2018). Sponsors of pleasure: Wide reading re-imagined through social curation. Changing English. Studies in Culture and Education, 25 (3), 300–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/1358684X.2018.1460581

Media Research , 3, 1–24. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol3/SLMR_IndependentReading_V3.pdf

Merga, M. K. (2016). ‘I don’t know if she likes reading’: Are teachers perceived to be keen readers, and how is this determined? English in Education, 50 (3), 255–269. https://doi.org/10.1111/eie.12126

Merga, M. K., & Ferguson, C. (2021). School librarians supporting students’ reading for pleasure: A job description analysis. Australian Journal of Education, 65 (2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944121991275

Mol, S., & Jolles, J. (2014). Reading enjoyment amongst non-leisure readers can affect achievement in secondary school. Frontiers in Psychology . https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01214

Möller, J., & Schiefele, U. (2004). Motivationale Grundlagen der Lesekompetenz. In U. Schiefele, C. Artelt, W. Schneider, & P. Stanat (Eds.), Struktur, Entwicklung und Förderung von Lesekompetenz (pp. 101–124). VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-81031-1_5

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Nell, V. (1988). The psychology of reading for pleasure: Needs and gratifications. Reading Research Quarterly, 23 , 6–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/747903

Nurmi, J.-E., Aunola, K., Salmela-Aro, K., & Lindroos, M. (2003). The role of success expectation and task-avoidance in academic performance and satisfaction: Three studies on antecedents, consequences and correlates. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 281 , 59–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0361-476x(02)00014-0

OECD. (2020). Do boys and girls differ in their attitudes towards school and learning? In PISA 2018 results: Where all students can succeed (Vol. II, ch. 8, pp. 157–175). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/f54b6a75-en

OECD/UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2003). Literacy skills for the world of tomorrow: Further results from PISA 2000 . OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264102873-en

Book   Google Scholar  

Paris, S. G., & McNaughton, S. (2010). Social and cultural influences on children’s motivation for reading . Routledge.

Petscher, Y. (2009). A meta-analysis of the relationship between student attitudes towards reading and achievement in reading. Journal of Research in Reading, 33 (4), 335–355. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2009.01418.x

PIRLS results. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://www.iea.nl/studies/iea/pirls

PISA results. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/data/

Powell, S. (2014). Influencing children’s attitudes, motivation and achievements. In T. Cremin, M. Mottram, F. Collins, S. Powell, & K. Safford (Eds.), Building communities of engaged readers: Reading for pleasure (pp. 128–146). Routledge.

Ramírez-Leyva, E. M. (2016). Encouraging reading for pleasure and the comprehensive training for readers. Investigación Bibliotecológica: Archivonomía, Bibliotecología e Información, 30 (69), 95–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibbai.2016.10.018

Reedy, A., & De Carvalho, R. (2021). Children’s perspectives on reading, agency and their environment: What can we learn about reading for pleasure from an East London primary school? Education 3–13, 49 (2), 134–147. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2019.1701514

Retali, K., Hatzinikita, V., & Manoli, P. (2018). Students’ attitudes toward reading for pleasure in Greece. The International Journal of Literacies, 25 (2), 15–26. https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-0136/CGP/v25i02/15-26

Ro, E., & Chen, A. (2014). Pleasure reading behaviour and attitude of non-academic ESL students: A replication study. Reading in a Foreign Language, 26 (1), 49–72. https://doi.org/10125/66687

Ross, C. S., McKechnie, L. E., & Rothbauer, P. M. (2018). Reading still matters: What the research reveals about reading, libraries, and community . Libraries Unlimited. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://publisher.abc-clio.com/9781440855771/

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25 (1), 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1020

Safford, K. (2014). A reading for pleasure pedagogy. In T. Cremin, M. Mottram, F. M. Collins, S. Powell, & K. Safford (Eds.), Building communities of engaged readers: Reading for pleasure (pp. 89–107). Routledge.

Schaffner, E., Schiefele, U., & Ulferts, H. (2013). Reading amount as a mediator of the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation on reading comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 48 (4), 369–385.

Schiefele, U., Schaffner, E., Moller, J., & Wigfield, A. (2012). Dimensions of reading motivation and their relation to reading behaviour and competence. Reading Research Quarterly, 47 (4), 427–463. https://doi.org/10.1002/RRQ.030

Sénéchal, M., Hill, S., & Malette, M. (2018). Individual differences in grade 4 children’s written compositions: The role of online planning and revising, oral storytelling, and reading for pleasure. Cognitive Development, 45 , 92–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.12.004

Sherry, J. L. (2004). Flow and media enjoyment. Communication Theory, 14 (4), 328–347. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885-2004.tb00318.x

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology. An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104 , 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039

Stanovich, K. E. (1986). Matthew effects in reading: Some consequences of individual differences in the acquisition of literacy. Reading Research Quarterly, 21 (4), 360–407. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.21.4.1

Sullivan, A., & Brown, M. (2015). Reading for pleasure and progress in vocabulary and mathematics. British Educational Research Journal, 41 (6), 971–991. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3180

The Reading Agency. (2015). Literature review: The impact of reading for pleasure and empowerment . BOP Consulting. Retrieved January, 2023, from https://readingagency.org.uk/news/The%20Impact%20of%20Reading%20for%20Pleasure%20and%20Empowerment.pdf

Thissen, B. A. K., Menninghaus, W., & Schlotz, W. (2021). The pleasures of reading fiction explained by flow, presence, identification, suspense, and cognitive involvement. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 15 (4), 710–724. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000367

Thorne, S. (2008). Interpretive description . Left Coast Press.

VandenDool, C., & Simpson, A. (2021). Reading for pleasure: Exploring reading culture in an Australian early years classroom. Literacy, 55 (2), 113–124. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12247

Wang, J. H., & Guthrie, J. T. (2004). Modeling the effects of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amount of reading, and past reading achievement on text comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 39 , 162–186. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.39.2.2

Wang, X., Jia, L., & Jin, Y. (2020). Reading amount and reading strategy as mediators of the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation on reading achievement. Frontiers in Psychology, 11 , 586346. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586346

Wigfield, A., Eccles, J. S., Fredricks, J. A., Simpkins, S., Roeser, R. W., & Schiefele, U. (2015). Development of achievement motivation and engagement. In M. E. Lamb & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science: Socioemotional processes (pp. 657–700). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118963418.childpsy316

Wilhelm, J. D. (2016). Recognising the power of pleasure: What engaged adolescent readers get from their free choice reading, and how teachers can leverage this for all. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 39 (1), 30–41.

Wilhelm, J. D., & Smith, M. W. (2014). Reading unbound. Why kids need to read what they want – and why should we let them . Scholastic.

Willard, J., & Buddie, A. (2019). Enhancing empathy and reading for pleasure in psychology of gender. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 43 (3), 398–403. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684319845616

Download references

We received no funding.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Faculty of Arts (Department of Sociology & Department of Library and Information Science & Book Studies), University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ana Vogrinčič Čepič

Faculty of Education, Università di Urbino, Urbino, Italy

Tiziana Mascia

Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

Juli-Anna Aerila

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Vogrinčič Čepič .

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest.

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

The topic of our article does not require any specific approval from the ethics committee nor informed consent or any other specific statement.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Vogrinčič Čepič, A., Mascia, T. & Aerila, JA. Reading for Pleasure: A Review of Current Research. NZ J Educ Stud (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40841-024-00313-x

Download citation

Received : 11 September 2023

Accepted : 13 February 2024

Published : 22 March 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s40841-024-00313-x

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Reading for pleasure
• Reading motivation
• Reading for pleasure pedagogy
• Digital environment
• Social dimension of reading
• Personalisation
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

• Our Mission

The Benefits of Reading for Fun

There’s a powerful academic impact, new research reveals, when students are voracious, voluntary readers.

Mrs. Mason was “the perfect reading ambassador,” said Sandra Martin-Chang, recalling an early reading role model, her high school English and drama teacher. “She encouraged me to read excellent books with great storylines. We read The Handmaid’s Tale , and it was fabulous.… We’d envision it first and then think about how to enact it and bring it to life.”

Now a professor of education at Concordia University, Martin-Chang studies how reading storybooks and novels influences cognitive development.

In a new study published in Reading and Writing , she and her colleagues found significant differences between students who read for pleasure outside of class—immersing themselves in fantasy novels or spy thrillers, for example—and those who primarily read books to satisfy school assignments. Not only was there a powerful link between reading for fun and stronger language skills, but students who disliked reading frequently attributed their negative outlook to experiences they had in classrooms. Too much emphasis on analyzing the compositional nuts and bolts of texts and reading merely to absorb information came at a psychological cost, the researchers found, as students disengaged from voluntary reading.

In the study, Martin-Chang and her colleagues surveyed 200 university undergraduates, asking them about their reading interests, how often they read for pleasure, what motivated them, and what experiences helped shape their attitudes toward reading. They were also asked to identify authors they had read in the past—a proxy for measuring how many books they had read. The young adults then took a series of tests to gauge their reading ability.

“We found that often children’s experience in elementary school is far more positive, and then it drops in high school,” said Martin-Chang. While children in kindergarten and early elementary school tend to read storybooks as they develop their reading skills—often sharing the experience with an adult—by high school, the nature of reading changes as students are expected to read a steady diet of more challenging, information-rich texts. Somewhere during that transition, a love of reading seems to fade.

In the study, 35 percent of students pinpointed a specific reason: They didn’t enjoy reading because “being asked to analyze books in high school made it less pleasurable.”

But analyzing the elements of good writing—how persuasion works, how figurative language can elevate texts—is essential to teaching kids the full range of their expressive potential, and Martin-Chang isn’t suggesting that we read only for fun. “Competence is very, very important. We can’t skip straight to books children love without teaching them how to do it right,” she said. She likens reading to eating a well-balanced diet: “The people who say chocolate is good for you don’t recommend eating it to the exclusion of all other things.” Focusing primarily on analyzing texts and gathering information—a shift that tends to occur in middle and high school—can send the signal that reading is merely a utilitarian undertaking, robbing it of its powerful connection to human imagination, passion, and creativity, making it a lot less desirable.

We need to take reading for fun as seriously as we take academic reading, if we’re going to sustain voluntary reading through middle school and high school, and into adulthood.

Expand Their Options

For Martin-Chang, reading for pleasure isn’t a diversion from rigorous academics—it’s a gratifying form of cognitive exercise, one that is both enjoyable and intellectually beneficial.

“We don’t just want kids exercising in gym class, we want them to continue to exercise when they get home,” said Martin-Chang. “So it’s the same with reading. In school, we want to show them a range of things that hopefully they’ll pick up, go home, and continue to do on their own time.”

Even light reading provides a host of benefits, increasing verbal and creative skills, nourishing our capacity for empathy, and even reducing prejudice against stigmatized groups—all skills that are developed as readers become accustomed to inhabiting unfamiliar worlds, seeing things from new perspectives, and contemplating how a chain of events can lead to unforeseen outcomes.

Yet reading for fun—particularly the kinds of books that aren’t part of classical literature or that don’t carry literary prestige—is often considered less useful. “It’s a false dichotomy,” said Martin-Chang. “People feel like we either let the kids be creative, do what they want, and we give them choice, or we get serious about things and they excel and they’re a good student. It’s serious or it’s fun. And that dichotomy is completely misguided.”

That’s why providing students with a rich and varied reading diet can make a difference. “Offer more choice,” said Martin-Chang. Introduce students to Romeo and Juliet , but give them the option to read The Fault in Our Stars as well; let them read comic books and manga, sports writing and plays, sci-fi and horror novels. In other words, it seems clear that if we want students to build literacy skills, it’s better for them to consume dozens of texts that they love, connect with, or feel inspired by, instead of grudgingly reading one because it’s assigned.

While children’s literacy skill development begins at home, teachers play a profoundly important part in encouraging students to love reading, a point that Martin-Chang makes clear when she’s training preservice teachers.

“People will either talk about teachers that loved reading, encouraged them as readers and really lit a fire, or they’ll talk about teachers who did the exact opposite,” said Martin-Chang. “They'll talk about teachers that took something that was once pleasurable and diminished it, or they’ll talk about teachers that didn’t seem to like reading themselves, or made them feel like less of a reader.”

In the study, Martin-Chang points to research on preservice teachers showing that “over half reported receiving little to no enjoyment from reading.” The teachers often attributed their disinterest to experiences they had in school, a finding that Martin-Chang and her colleagues called “especially concerning,” alluding to the cyclical nature of reading habits. “Teachers carry immense power in influencing students’ attitudes toward reading,” the researchers concluded.

So part of Martin-Chang’s mission is to convince teachers—and everyone else—that there’s tremendous value in giving students more choice in what they read, including books that may appear to be self-indulgent or have little intellectual merit.

In the classroom, said Martin-Chang, model a love of reading—go beyond grammar and meaning and inhabit the narrative worlds on the page. Emphasize choice, and give students opportunities to read and share during class time. Teachers have shared their own strategies to promote choice: Expand your classroom library beyond the traditional literary canon, and make sure it includes books that reflect students’ backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and passions . Offer plenty of ungraded ways for them to think about their reading: To ensure that they do the reading without the pressure of grades, pair kids up as reading accountability partners ; to enliven and dramatize books, let them act out scenes ; to build a thriving community of readers, set up book clubs or book tastings . Avoid rote or mechanical exercises like reading logs , which can create the impression that reading is a chore to be completed and then quickly set aside.

And if books aren’t normally a part of your curriculum, you can still show an interest in what your students are reading by making connections to a lesson. Start a science experiment by referencing Harry Potter , for example, or use dystopian novels to discuss totalitarianism, propaganda, or human rights.

“It’s important to teach children how to read,” said Martin-Chang. “And once we do that, we need to make it worthwhile. We’ve got to give them a reason. We’ve got to give them a view once they climb that mountain.”

• The Open University
• Guest user / Sign out
• Study with The Open University

My OpenLearn Profile

Personalise your OpenLearn profile, save your favourite content and get recognition for your learning

Reading for pleasure: exploring the concept

Defined by the International Literary Association (ILA, 2018) as the opportunity to read freely, voluntarily, and with delight, reading for pleasure does not include response sheets or tests – it is choice-led reading primarily for enjoyment.

Find out more about The Open University's Early Years courses and qualifications .

In England, where reading for pleasure is mandated (DfE, 2013), the term is often used interchangeably with ‘reading for enjoyment’ or developing a ‘love of reading’. Such reading can involve any kind of text: novels, magazines, poetry, comics or non-fiction for example, in electronic as well as in printed form. 

It can take place anywhere: at home, at school, in a café, on a bus (or any form of transport), on a beach, in a park (or any  leisure location) – literally anywhere. At the core of reading for pleasure is the reader’s volition, their agency and desire to read, their anticipation of the satisfaction gained through the experience and/or afterwards in interaction with others. Historically, reading has often been characterised as a personal solitary experience conducted in privacy, yet more recent research has revealed the profoundly social nature of reading, of being a young reader and of reading for pleasure.

Different terms are used internationally to capture the dispositions and motivations of those children and young people who choose to read and do so regularly. Such reading is often described as ‘free voluntary reading’, or ‘independent reading’, in order to capture the reader’s sense of agency and choice (Krashen, 2004). It has also been described as ‘recreational reading’ (Ross, McKechnie and Rothbauer, 2006; Schugar and Dreyer, 2015), reading undertaken for the personal satisfaction of the reader, in their own free time.

Synonyms for pleasure include desire, preference, wish, choice and liking – all of which speak to the reading for pleasure agenda and young people’s agency as readers.

Exploring the notion of ‘pleasure’ 

Reading for pleasure as a concept within education is potentially problematic; it is open to multiple interpretations and can create confusion for educators who work to make all the reading undertaken – in English lessons, in projects and in cross curricula and extra curricula contexts – pleasurable. But in order to foster reading for pleasure in schools, homes and community contexts, conceptual clarity is essential, alongside awareness of the  subtle differences between reading for pleasure, pleasure in reading and their synergies. Children and young people’s perceptions of reading for pleasure also deserve attention.

Reading for pleasure is increasingly recognised as a ‘purposeful volitional act with a large measure of choice and free will’ (Powell, 2014). Whereas pleasure in reading refers to pleasure in the experience, regardless of whether the reader was able to exercise agency in the context. For instance, listening to a bedtime story read by a parent may well be a highly enjoyable and valuable experience, although it will not necessarily lead to the child choosing to read in their own time, that is reading for pleasure. Likewise, finding pleasure in school-led extrinsically set reading tasks may or may not lead to children choosing to read in their own time.

Conceptual clarity over reading for  pleasure, is essential for fostering it in schools, homes and communities.

As discussed more fully in a later section of the review, intrinsic reading motivation (reading for its own sake), is more positively associated with reading for pleasure, with reading frequency and enhanced reading outcomes than extrinsic reading motivation (e.g.  Scheifele et al., 2012; Troyer et al., 2019). The latter refers to reading for recognition, for reward or to please teachers/parents. Research also indicates that the relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading skills develops at the early age of 6 years (McGeown et al., 2015) and that children can be both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated at the same time (McGeown et al., 2012).

The positive connotation of the word ‘pleasure’ also deserves nuancing when examining young people’s volitional engagement in reading. The experience itself may evoke a wide range of feelings and responses, including for example, sadness, irritation, anger, and discomfort as well as joy. Nonetheless if the reader sustains their engagement, they are likely to be reading for some form of satisfaction, in response to their own  goals. While it has been suggested that reading for pleasure can be defined as ‘Non-goal-oriented transactions with texts as a way to spend time and for entertainment’ (BOP consulting, 2015), children do choose to read for diverse personal purposes and goals, consciously and unconsciously. Their own goals and motivations shape their reading choices and may lead them to read different text types (McGeown et al., 2015, 2020). For example, they may read in order to satisfy their curiosity and understand more about dinosaurs, space, their football team, or women in history, or may read in order to relax, or may seek the enjoyment of revisiting familiar characters in a book or comic series. Many will also value the opportunity to connect to and experience others’ lives (fictional and real), and in the process find emotional succour in reflecting upon their own. As Sanacore observes, when individuals read for pleasure frequently, they ‘experience the value of reading for efferent and aesthetic processes, thus, they are more likely to read with a sense of purpose’ (2002:68).

Some studies focus on the nature of the pleasure experienced by those young people who choose to read in their own free time. Several of these studies draw on data from the OECD Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA), which regularly assesses the reading attitudes and attainment of 15 year olds. In one such study, Cheung (2016) claims that fondness for reading (defined in his work as readers who follow their hearts), aspiration for reading, and being good at reading are seen as salient elements of readers’ engagement which affect their reading performance.

In a study of the reasons for reading offered by 9–10-year-old readers (n:33), the dominant drivers the children reported linked to their affective engagement in texts; the feelings and emotions triggered by reading and the opportunity to become immersed in texts (McGeown et al., 2020). Another study of avid adolescent readers’ perceptions of free reading (n:29), suggests that such choice-led reading, including the reading of genres typically marginalised in school (e.g., romance, fantasy, vampire, dystopia and horror) offers teenagers five distinct kinds of pleasure (Wilhelm, 2016). These include:

• The immersive pleasure of play : e.g., getting lost in a book and living through the text.
• Intellectual pleasure : e.g., finding out about issues of interest in the world and solving problems in narratives.
• Social pleasure : e.g., belonging to a community of readers and connecting to others through reading as well as identifying as a reader.
• The pleasure of functional work : e.g., using reading to learn, think, and act in different ways, and using reading to shape one’s writing.
• The pleasure of inner work : e.g., using reading to learn about oneself, to imagine oneself in different situations and consider options.

However, this study of the young  people’s perceptions, indicates that only their intellectual pleasure was directly fostered in school. Wilhelm (2016) urges educators to recognize the central role of pleasure and its linked compatriot – choice – in developing lifelong readers. It is surely a professional responsibility to nurture readers who engage deeply, creatively and critically with the meanings and possibilities offered.

Reading engagement and reading for meaning

Reading engagement, a multidimensional construct studied in settings such as home, school, and the workplace is frequently associated with the concept of reading for pleasure. Engaged readers are those who want to read, who regularly make time for reading, and who find satisfaction through the process of thinking about the text’s meaning. Such readers tend to be motivated, display positive attitudes to reading, are sufficiently assured to make in-depth  meanings and are likely to want to discuss texts with others. This summary aligns well with the OECD’s (2016) broadened conception of reading which acknowledges that there are motivational and behavioural characteristics of reading, as well as cognitive ones. Their re-conceptualisation of reading, first used in the 2019 PISA survey, complements the OECD’s current definition of reader engagement.

A person who is literate in reading not only has the skills and knowledge to read well, but also values and uses reading for a variety of purposes. It is therefore a goal of education to cultivate not only proficiency, but also engagement with reading.

Engagement in this context implies the motivation to read and comprises a cluster of affective and behavioural characteristics that include an interest in and enjoyment of reading, a sense of control over what one reads, involvement in the social dimension of reading and diverse and frequent reading practices. (OECD, 2019, p.29)

A depiction of this developed by the National Literacy Trust (see Figure 1) summarises some of the key affective processes and reading behaviours of readers who not only can, but who do choose to read and read regularly.

Through the motivated process of finding, making and thinking about meaning, engaged readers develop their understanding and capacity to reflect upon and evaluate what they read, and at the same time they nurture their desire to read. Engaged readers are not only motivated to make connections, which might be intra-personal (within person), inter-personal (between people), or inter-textual (between texts) (Smith, 2005), but are often socially interactive and keen to discuss their views and understandings with others – friends, family, teachers and peers. This deep engagement in the processes of making, sharing and developing meaning through reading and discussion, is intrinsically motivating, and affords many benefits to young people who choose to read for pleasure regularly in their own time. It is to the myriad benefits associated with reading for pleasure which this review now turns.

To reference this article: Cremin, T. Hendry, H. Chamberlain, L and Twiner, A. (2022)

• ABOP Consulting (2015) ‘Literature Review: The impact of reading for pleasure and empowerment’ The Reading Agency
• Cheung, K., Mak, S., Sit, P. & Soh, K. (2016) ’A typology of student reading engagement: Preparing for response to intervention in the school curriculum’ Studies in Educational Evaluation 48, 32-42
• Clark, C & Teravainen, A. (2017) ‘What it means to be a reader at age 11: valuing skills, affective components and behavioural processes: An outline of the evidence’ National Literacy Trust
• Cremin, T., Mottram, M., Collins, F., Powell, S. & Safford, K. (2014)  Building Communities of Engaged Readers: Reading for pleasure. Routledge
• Department for Education (2013) ‘English programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2: National curriculum in England’ Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/g overnment/uploads/system/uploads/atta chment_data/file/335186/PRIMARY_nati onal_curriculum_-_English_220714.pdf
• International Literary Association (2018) ‘The Case for Children’s Rights to Read’ International Literary Association
• Krashen, S. (2004) The Power of Reading. Heinemann and Westport: Libraries Unlimited
• Merga, M., McRae, M. & Rutherford, L. (2018) ‘Adolescents’ attitudes toward talking about books: implications for educators ’ English in Education 52(1), 36- 53
• McGeown, S., Bonsall, J., Andries, V., Howarth, D. & Wilkinson, K. (2020) ‘Understanding reading motivation across different text types: qualitative insights from children ’ Journal of Research in Reading 43(4), 597-608
• McGeown, S.P., Osborne, C., Warhurst, A., Norgate, R. & Duncan, L.G. (2015). Understanding children’s reading activities: Reading motivation, skill and child characteristics as predictors. Journal of Research in Reading, 39(1), 109–125. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467- 9817.12060
• McGeown, S., Johnston, R., Walker, J., Howatson, K., Stockburn, A. & Dufton, P. (2015) ‘The relationship between young children’s enjoyment of learning to read, reading attitudes, confidence and attainment’ Educational Research 57(4), 389-402
• McGeown, S., Norgate, R., Warhurst, A. (2012) ’Exploring intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation among very good and very poor readers’ Educational Research 54(3), 309-322
• OECD (2016) PISA 2015 Assessment and Analytical Framework: Science, Reading, Mathematic and Financial Literacy, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/978926425542  5-en
• OECD (2019) PISA 2018 Assessment and Analytical Framework, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b25efab8-en
• Powell, S. (2014) Influencing children’s attitudes, motivation and achievements’ In T. Cremin, M. Mottram, F. Collins, S. Powell & and K. Safford (Eds.) Building Communities of Engaged Readers: Reading for pleasure. (p.128-146) Routledge
• Ross, C., McKechnie, L. & Rothbauer, P. (2006) Reading Matters: What research reveals about reading, libraries and community. Westport: Libraries Unlimited
• Sanacore, J. (2002) ‘Struggling literacy learners benefit from lifetime literacy efforts’ Reading Psychology 23(2), 67-86
• Schiefele, U., Schaffner, E., Moller, J., & Wigfield, A. (2012) ‘Dimensions of Reading Motivation and Their Relation to Reading Behavior and Competence’ Reading Research Quarterly 47(4), 427- 463 
• Schugar, H. R., & Dreher, M. J. (2017).  U.S. fourth graders’ informational text comprehension: Indicators from NAEP. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 9(3), 523-552. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1134190
• Sellers, C. (2019) ‘‘Fitting In' and 'Standing Out': The Peer Group and Young People's Development of Reader Identity’ British Journal of Sociology of Education 40(7), 938-952  
• Smith, V. (2005) Making Read Mean. UKLA
• Troyer, M., Kim, J. & Hale, E. (2019) ‘Relations among Intrinsic and Extrinsic Reading Motivation, Reading Amount, and Comprehension: A Conceptual Replication’ Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal 32(5), 1197- 1218
• Wilhelm, J. (2016) ‘Recognising the power of pleasure: What engaged adolescent readers get from their free-choice reading, and how teachers can leverage this for all’ Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 39(1), 30-41.  

Explore the topic of reading further...

Literacy and Social Justice Hub

Welcome! Delve through a range of resources to support you in widening your knowledge and understanding of literacy, language, literature and social justice.

Reading and motivation: focusing on disengaged readers

To help students who lack motivation to read, argues Teresa Cremin, teachers need to aim to make the experience of reading for pleasure ‘authentic, real, and personally and socially relevant to each young reader’.

Reading communities: why, what and how?

In this article, Professor Teresa Cremin considers the long term aim of developing readers for life and challenges us to consider effective strategies and practices to genuinely achieve this.

Engaging with children and young people

This free course, Engaging with children and young people, explores how police engage with children and young people and how this can be approached differently.

Developing Reading for Pleasure: engaging young readers

It is widely recognised that supporting children to become capable and engaged readers plays an important role in their future success. Reading empowers; it facilitates education and employment, and it enriches one’s personal life and growth. Learning to read is therefore a key goal of primary or elementary education, and high-quality literacy ...

Exploring books for children: words and pictures

Many people have fond memories of the stories they encountered in childhood, perhaps especially of those wonderful picture books and illustrated tales which fired our young imaginations and transported us to magical worlds. To an adult’s eye, some picture books may seem remarkably simple, even oversimplified. However, in this free course, ...

Become an OU student

Ratings & comments, share this free course, copyright information, publication details.

• Originally published: Monday, 27 November 2023
• Body text - Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 : The Open University
• Image 'Figure 1: Top-level tripartite conceptualisation of what we mean by “reading”' - Copyright
• Image 'Exploring books for children: words and pictures' - Copyright: Courtesy of Jackie Tuck
• Image 'Developing Reading for Pleasure: engaging young readers' - Copyright: ©The Open University
• Image 'Reading and motivation: focusing on disengaged readers' - Copyright: Teresa Cremlin
• Image 'Reading for pleasure: exploring the concept' - Copyright: Teresa Cremlin
• Image 'Engaging with children and young people' - Copyright free
• Image 'Reading communities: why, what and how?' - rawpixel under Creative-Commons license
• Image 'Literacy and Social Justice Hub' - https://pixabay.com/en/books-pages-story-stories-notes-1245690/ under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

Rate and Review

Rate this article, review this article.

Log into OpenLearn to leave reviews and join in the conversation.

Article reviews

For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.

Class 8 7.Speech Writing : PLEASURES OF READING

Some people get pleasure from picnics and tours. Others like to discuss various topics and find pleasure in it. But the reading of books provides us with such pleasure as we do not get from any other activity. Great is the blessing of books. In the light of above stated statement draft a speech on the topic “Pleasures of reading”.

 Ans.                                                           PLEASURES OF READING

Books are written by learned persons. They contain the best experiences and thoughts of their writers. Literature is said to be the mirror of society. Writers put in their books not only their own ideas and feelings, but also what they observe and find in society. The books of the past reflect the condition of the times in which they were written. By reading books written by great thinkers, we come in contact with their minds. Books enable us to know the best of different countries. So, if we want to keep abreast of the great minds of all ages, we must read books. When we are alone, books are our best friends. They entertain us in our spare moments. Good novels, books on poetry and short stories, give great enjoyment. At times we become so absorbed in our books that we forget even our important engagements. Loneliness is no trouble for a reader.

If we are in a cheerful mood, our joy is increased lack of reading. When we are m a depressed and dejected mood, boo, console and soothe our troubled minds. They provide it with the best advice and guidance in our difficulties. Indeed books are our best friends as they help us in our need. Books contain grains of wisdom. They give us sound moral advice:, That is why all great men of our country have liked to read the Cita and the Ramayana.

 It was the English author Bacon who said that reading makes a man complete. No one can question the truth of this saying. But we cannot derive full advantage from reading, if our choice is not good. Some books are such that instead of doing any good; they do positive harm to the readers. Such hooks must be avoided. Cheap books. Not in cost but in, contents, should net he read, even if they provide some amusement and entertainment it is the reading of good hooks alone which bestows upon us the maximum benefit.

Download the above Speech in PDF

SOME SAMPLES AND EXAMPLES OF SPEECHES ARE:

1.Child Labour 2.’Brain-Drain’ 3.”Beauty contests are degrading” 4.Role of Women 5.Importance of English Language 6.”Food adulteration is a rising problem in India” 8.”The Importance of Hindi language” 9. ‘Ragging’ 10. Courteous Behaviour 11. Corporal Punishment 12. `Reservation in Educational Institutes’ 13.’Capital Punishment’

Related Posts

• Website Inauguration Function.
• Vocational Placement Cell Inauguration
• Media Coverage.
• Certificate & Recommendations
• Privacy Policy
• Science Project Metric
• Social Studies 8 Class
• Computer Fundamentals
• Introduction to C++
• Programming Methodology
• Programming in C++
• Data structures
• Boolean Algebra
• Object Oriented Concepts
• Database Management Systems
• Open Source Software
• Operating System
• PHP Tutorials
• Earth Science
• Physical Science
• Sets & Functions
• Coordinate Geometry
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Statics and Probability
• Accountancy
• Business Studies
• Political Science
• English (Sr. Secondary)

Hindi (Sr. Secondary)

• Punjab (Sr. Secondary)
• Accountancy and Auditing
• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology
• Automobile Technology
• Electrical Technology
• Electronics Technology
• Hotel Management and Catering Technology
• IT Application
• Marketing and Salesmanship
• Office Secretaryship
• Stenography
• Hindi Essays
• English Essays

Letter Writing

• Shorthand Dictation

English Essay on “Pleasures of Reading” complete Paragraph and Speech for School, College Students, essay for Class 8, 9, 10, 12 and Graduation Classes.

Pleasures of reading.

Pleasures of reading are pleasures of ever. One who enjoys pleasures of reading needs no other pleasures. One who is the friend of books needs no other friend. Books are our nearest and dearest friends. They are our kith and kin. We can depend upon books for the right advice at all times and climbs of life. There is nothing superior to the pleasures of reading, whether a person is young or old.

Milton said, “A book is a bloodless substitute of a man.” That means a book is a full friend only it has no body and bones. But it has brains. It can give you the best and the brightest piece of an advice under any difficult circumstance. As another poet said :

My days among the dead are past, Around me I behold, Wherever these casual eyes are cast, The rightly minds of old; My never-failing friends are they, With whom I converse day by day.

To a truly educated man, books provide the greatest of pleasures. Unfortunately, most of the people today are not properly educated. They are just literate, not educated. They have no love for books. They begin to hate books after they get through the examinations, by hook or by crook, by fair or by foul means. But they are only educated fools.

Reading of books broadens the horizon of our knowledge and deepens our outlook on life. It eliminates our narrow prejudices and illumines our minds with truth and knowledge. Books are our truest and bluest friends. They never desert us in our difficulties. They keep our company in all our trials, troubles, toils, turmoils and tribulations. They never leave us in the lurch at any time. Books make a lasting impression on our minds.

Books make our world bright and light up our souls with brilliant ideas. They embody the wisdom of the ages. The sages of all ageshave left behind their foot-prints on the sands of time through the books. By reading immortal books of immortal authors we feel imported into kingdoms of new joy and adventure. We become free from all worries and cares. A sweet forgetfulness overtakes our minds and souls.

It is through books that we become acquainted with great minds like those of Kalidas, Patanjali, Lord Krishna, Shakespeare, Shelly, Keats and others Our Vedas embody the wisdom of thousands of years. By reading these books we may say to have lived for thousands of years ourselves. Life is nothing but the sum total of experiments and experiences. Only our ideas and results of our actions go with us when we shuffle off the mortal coil. Everything else is left behind. Reading is the best means of spending your leisure. It is the pleasure of leisure and the leisure of pleasure. Every great book is a treasure of leisure and pleasure. The books like Bhagwad Gita can be read again and again with the greatest pleasure and you find new meaning in its verses and slokas as you brood and think over them. Books are our best friend both in poverty and prosperity. Books alone are dependable when all other friends become undependable. They give us the best company at home and are our fellow travellers on our journeys at home and abroad.

“A good book”, said Milton rightly, “is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit embalmed and treasured upon purpose to all life beyond life.”

About evirtualguru_ajaygour

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Quick Links

Popular Tags

Visitors question & answer.

• Anska on Hindi Essay on “Parishram Saphalta ki Kunji Hai” , ”परिश्रम सफलता की कुंजी है ” Complete Hindi Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
• TEJAS on Hindi Essay on “Manoranjan Ke Adhunik Sadhan” , ” मनोरंजन के आधुनिक साधन” Complete Hindi Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
• Hania Shakeel on Hindi Essay on “Yadi mein Adhyapak Hota”, “यदि मैं अध्यापक होता” Complete Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 Students.
• Keshav on Hindi Essay on “Ekta me Shakti” , ”एकता में शक्ति” Complete Hindi Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
• Fucker on Short Story ”A Faithful Dog and its Master” Complete Story for Class 10, Class 12 and other classes.

Download Our Educational Android Apps

Latest Desk

• Samkaleen Bhartiya Mahilaye  “समकालीन भारतीय महिलाएं” Hindi Essay, Nibandh 1000 Words for Class 10, 12 Students.
• Nijikarn – Gun evm Dosh  “निजीकरण: गुण एवं दोष” Hindi Essay, Nibandh 1200 Words for Class 10, 12 Students.
• Bharat mein Mahilaon ke Rajnitik Adhikar  “भारत में महिलाओं के राजनीतिक अधिकार” Hindi Essay, Nibandh 700 Words for Class 10, 12 Students.
• Bharat mein Jativad aur Chunavi Rajniti “भारत में जातिवाद और चुनावी राजनीति” Hindi Essay, Nibandh 1000 Words for Class 10, 12 Students.
• Example Letter regarding election victory.
• Example Letter regarding the award of a Ph.D.
• Example Letter regarding the birth of a child.
• Example Letter regarding going abroad.
• Letter regarding the publishing of a Novel.

Vocational Edu.

• English Shorthand Dictation “East and Dwellings” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Haryana General Sales Tax Act” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Deal with Export of Goods” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Interpreting a State Law” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.

Watch CBS News

Biden says democracy "begins with each of us" in speech at Pointe du Hoc D-Day memorial

By Kathryn Watson

Updated on: June 7, 2024 / 7:28 PM EDT / CBS News

President Biden on Friday drew on the heroism of the U.S. Army Rangers who scaled the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc on D-Day in 1944, urging Americans to think of their nation's cause as greater than themselves and cautioning against isolationism. 

The president spoke against the backdrop of the cliff, a heavily fortified German position captured by the Rangers during the invasion of Normandy  in World War II. Mr. Biden drew a connection between the Allied powers' fight for freedom 80 years ago and supporting Ukraine amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's war. 

"Does anyone doubt that they would want America to stand up against Putin's aggression here in Europe today?" Mr. Biden asked his audience. "They stormed the beaches alongside their allies. Does anyone believe these Rangers would want America to go it alone today? They fought to vanquish a hateful ideology in the '30s and '40s. Does anyone doubt they wouldn't move heaven and earth to vanquish hateful ideologies of today?" 

Warning against isolationism and emphasizing the cost of not standing up to dictators has been a recurring theme this week for Mr. Biden. He's in France to observe the 80th anniversary of D-Day , the massive seaborne invasion that put the allies on the road to ending World War II. 

Biden's speech at Pointe du Hoc

"When we talk about democracy, American democracy, we often talk about the ideals of life, liberty, pursuit of happiness," Mr. Biden said Friday. "What we don't talk about is how hard it is. How many ways we're asked to walk away, how many instincts are to walk away. The most natural instinct is to walk away — to be selfish, to force our will upon others, to seize power, never give it up. American democracy asks the hardest of things — to believe that we're a part of something bigger than ourselves.

"So democracy begins with each of us, begins when one person decides there's something more important than themselves," the president continued. "When they decide the person they're serving alongside of is someone to look after. When they decide the mission matters more than their life. When they decide that their country matters more than they do. That's what the Rangers at Point du Hoc did. That's what they decided. That's what every soldier, every Marine who stormed these beaches decided."

During the U.S. assault on the Omaha and Utah beaches on D-Day, U.S. Army Rangers scaled 100-foot cliffs and seized German artillery that could have targeted American troops as they landed. The operation's success came at a high cost — out of the 225 Rangers deployed on the mission, fewer than 75 were still in fighting condition by its end — but the assault resulted in a successful defense against Germany's counterattacks.

"All they could hear was the crack of bullets hitting ships, sand, rocks, hitting everything," Mr. Biden said. "All they knew was time was of the essence. They had only 30 minutes, 30 minutes to eliminate the Nazi guns high on this cliff, guns that could halt the allied invasion before it even began." 

The World War II Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument was built to honor those men. 

"The Rangers who scaled this cliff didn't know they would change the world, but they did. I've long said that history has shown that ordinary Americans can do extraordinary things when challenged," Mr. Biden said. "There's no better example of that in the entire world than right here at Pointe du Hoc. ... They came to a shoreline that none of them would have picked out on a map. They came to a country many of them had never seen, for a people they had never met. But they came. They did their job. They fulfilled their mission, and they did their duty.

"I stand here today as the first president to come to Pointe du Hoc when none of those 225 brave men who scaled this cliff on D-Day are still alive, none," Mr. Biden continued. "But I am here to tell you that with them gone, the wind we hear coming off this ocean will not fade. It will grow louder. As we gather here today, it's not just to honor those who showed such remarkable bravery on that day, June 6, 1944. It's to listen to the echoes of their voices. To hear them. Because they are summoning us. And they're summoning us now. They ask us, what will we do? They're not asking us to scale these cliffs. But they're asking us to stay true to what America stands for."

Biden's trip to Normandy

Ukraine has been a key focus for Mr. Biden, both in his speech and as he meets with world leaders in France. 

"The price of unchecked tyranny is the blood of the young and the brave," Mr. Biden said in a speech at Normandy on Thursday. "In their generation, in their hour of trial, the Allied forces of D-Day did their duty. Now the question for us is, in our hour of trial, will we do ours?"

Mr. Biden met Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was at Omaha Beach for an international event commemorating D-Day.

"The unity that defines history," Zelenskyy tweeted Thursday. "Today in France, alongside our allies, we honored the bravery of the Allied forces who landed in Normandy 80 years ago. We remember. We thank them. We uphold the values of the defenders of life."

As they met Friday, Mr. Biden issued his first public apology to the Ukrainian people for the months of uncertainty over whether $61 billion in additional U.S. assistance for Ukraine's war effort would actually come. That aid was held up by conservative Republican members of Congress attaching domestic border issues to the foreign assistance package, which finally passed at the end of April and was quickly signed by Mr. Biden .

The U.S. president also announced a new $225 million assistance package for Ukraine, which the State Department said in a statement would including "urgently needed weapons and equipment" to help Zelenskyy's forces repel Russia's offensive around the northeast Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. 

The State Department said the package would include "air defense interceptors, artillery systems and munitions, armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and other capabilities." 

"We will move this new assistance as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine's defense of its territory and its people," the State Department said.

Mr. Biden assured Zelenskyy that the American people were committed to standing with Ukraine in the face of Russia's aggression for the long haul, telling him: "We're still in. Completely. Thoroughly." 

"It's very important that in this unity, United States of America, all American people stay with Ukraine like it was during World War II," Zelenskyy told the U.S. leader. "How the United States helped to save human lives, to save Europe. And we count on your continuing support in standing with us, shoulder to shoulder."

Mr. Biden was expected to discuss the future of support for Ukraine with French President Emmanuel Macron later during his state visit to France. 

Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.

More from CBS News

Biden warns about "price of unchecked tyranny" as he vows to help Ukraine

Biden lauds vets 80 years after D-Day, warns of new threat to democracy

Biden calls France "our first friend"during state visit in Paris

One U.S. D-Day veteran's return to Normandy: "We were scared to death"

'The eyes of the world are upon you': Eisenhower's D-Day order inspires 80 years later

Gen. eisenhower's order of the day on june 6,1944 is among history's most inspiring military addresses. "the eyes of the world are upon you," read the order, given to troops ahead of the invasion..

In addition to overseeing plans for the D-Day invasion, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower also spent months writing a message to encourage troops at the outset of the invasion.

Eisenhower's Order of the Day , which he had begun writing in February 1944, started off with, "You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months.

"The eyes of the world are upon you," continued the order, copies of which were given to the 175,000 member expeditionary force on the eve of the invasion as they boarded ships, planes and otherwise prepared for combat, according to the  National Archives .

"The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world," it read.

Return to Normandy: On D-Day, they changed the world. 80 years later, an incredible journey takes them back.

Eisenhower also recorded a  radio broadcast version and a message to be broadcast to those living in German-held Europe. It started off with “People of Western Europe! A landing has been made this morning on the coast of France …"

In this address, Eisenhower also instructed “patriots” outside of recognized resistance groups to continue "passive resistance," but he added, "do not needlessly endanger your lives; wait until I give you the signal to rise and strike the enemy," wrote  Tim Rives , the deputy director and supervisory archivist of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas.

Read the full text of Eisenhower's Order of the Day for D-Day

SUPREME HEADQUARTERSALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

Courtesy of the National Archives.

Canada’s Extremist Attack on Free Speech

A bill making its way through the Canadian Parliament would impose draconian criminal penalties on hate speech and curtail people’s liberty in order to stop crimes they haven’t yet committed.

Listen to this article

Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

In 1984 , George Orwell coined the term thoughtcrime . In the short story “The Minority Report,” the science-fiction author Philip K. Dick gave us the concept of “precrime,” describing a society where would-be criminals were arrested before they could act. Now Canada is combining the concepts in a work of dystopian nonfiction: A bill making its way through Parliament would impose draconian criminal penalties on hate speech and curtail people’s liberty in order to stop future crimes they haven’t yet committed.

The Online Harms Act states that any person who advocates for or promotes genocide is “liable to imprisonment for life.” It defines lesser “hate crimes” as including online speech that is “likely to foment detestation or vilification” on the basis of race, religion, gender, or other protected categories. And if someone “fears” they may become a victim of a hate crime, they can go before a judge, who may summon the preemptively accused for a sort of precrime trial. If the judge finds “reasonable grounds” for the fear, the defendant must enter into “a recognizance.”

A recognizance is no mere promise to refrain from committing hate crimes. The judge may put the defendant under house arrest or electronic surveillance and order them to abstain from alcohol and drugs. Refusal to “enter the recognizance” for one year results in 12 months in prison.

This is madness.

The proposed law, the result of efforts that began in 2019 after a terrorist attack in New Zealand, does many other things too. One section concerns the obligations of online platforms to police content. Another bears on the worthy goal of protecting children from viewing pornography and stopping the distribution of child-sexual-abuse material, raising the odds that the bill will pass with too little attention to its worst provisions. (In February, it passed its first reading in the House of Commons. Becoming law would require a second and third reading in that body, where amendments can be proposed; passage in the national Senate; and approval by the governor general .)

Even the bill’s most Orwellian sections have powerful supporters. Justin Trudeau’s government brought the bill before Parliament. Arif Virani , Canada’s minister of justice and attorney general, is championing it. “We need the ability to stop an anticipated hate crime from occurring,” he declared last week. “The Conservatives need to get on board. Now.” According to The New York Times , some version of the bill is likely to pass, because “Trudeau’s Liberal Party has an agreement with an opposition party to support government legislation.”

Ali Breland: The MAGA internet calls for war

Just countries do not punish mere speech with imprisonment, let alone life imprisonment. Just countries do not order people who have not committed and are not even accused of a crime to be confined to their home or tracked with an ankle bracelet. I have reasonable grounds to fear that the Trudeau government is going to trample on the civil rights of Canadians. That is hardly sufficient to secure the house arrest of its officials.

Earlier this year, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association urged substantial amendments to the legislation. “The broad criminal prohibitions on speech in the bill risk stifling public discourse and criminalizing political activism,” it warned. “The bill imposes draconian penalties for certain types of expression, including life imprisonment for a very broad and vaguely defined offence of ‘incitement to genocide,’ and 5 years of jail time for other broadly defined speech acts. This not only chills free speech but also undermines the principles of proportionality and fairness in our legal system.”

But amendments would not go far enough. No one who favors allowing the state to imprison people for mere speech, or severely constraining a person’s liberty in anticipation of alleged hate speech they have yet to utter , is fit for leadership in a liberal democracy. Every elected official who has supported the unamended bill should be ousted at the next opportunity by voters who grasp the fraught, authoritarian folly of this extremist proposal.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

White House Memo

Forty Years Later, Biden Seeks to Echo Reagan’s Legacy of American Leadership

At Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, President Biden plans to follow one of the former president’s most iconic speeches with his own testimonial to democracy and the need to resist isolationism.

By Peter Baker

Peter Baker has covered the past five presidents, including a previous presidential visit to Normandy, and will travel with President Biden to Pointe du Hoc on Friday.

The aging American president facing a re-election campaign came to the Normandy coast of France to pay tribute to the daring Army Rangers who scaled the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, offer a paean to democracy for which they sacrificed and perhaps even wrap himself a little bit in their reflected glory.

That was 1984, and the president was Ronald Reagan, who delivered an ode to heroism and patriotism that would become one of the most iconic moments of his presidency. Forty years later, another aging president facing re-election plans to return to the same spot Friday to honor the same heroes and effectively align himself with Mr. Reagan’s legacy of leadership against tyranny.

President Biden will not be the first president to try to walk in Mr. Reagan’s footsteps in Normandy, and it is a risky gamble. To many in both parties, Mr. Reagan’s speech remains the gold standard of presidential oratory and none have matched it at Normandy since. But like Mr. Reagan, Mr. Biden wants to use the inspiring story of the Rangers at Pointe du Hoc to make a case for American alliances in the face of Russian aggression — and, implicitly, for himself.

If there is something audacious about Mr. Biden, a staunch Democrat who was no friend of Mr. Reagan’s in the 1980s, summoning the spirit of the Republican legend, it speaks to the up-is-down, black-is-white nature of politics in today’s America. When it comes to international relations, the 46th president essentially is arguing that he has more in common with the 40th president than the current head of the Republican Party does.

He will not name former President Donald J. Trump, but the contrast will be clear. While Mr. Biden leads an international alliance against Russian aggression in Europe, as Mr. Reagan did, Mr. Trump as president came close to pulling out of NATO and was friendlier toward President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia than to America’s traditional European allies.

Since leaving office, Mr. Trump has not been a supporter of providing military aid for Ukraine to defend itself against Russian invaders. The former president even publicly declared that he would “encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” against NATO members that do not spend enough on their militaries.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .