A Love of Reading: A Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

On September 8, we celebrate International Literacy Day. This year is particularly meaningful: 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, first proclaimed by UNESCO in 1966.

This year's theme, “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity,” reminds us that literacy reaches far beyond the classroom. It opens doors to knowledge, opportunity, participation in society and lifelong learning.

At LEAP, we would also like to celebrate something incredibly important: the joy of reading.

For elementary-age children and teenagers, reading is naturally an essential part of academic life. They read textbooks, instructions, assignments, articles and increasingly complex material across every subject.

But some of the most meaningful reading happens when nobody has assigned it.

It happens when a child becomes so absorbed in a story that they don't want to put the book down. When a teenager discovers an author they love. When a young reader becomes fascinated by mythology, space, history, sports, animals, mysteries or another subject and suddenly wants to know everything about it.

That desire to keep turning the page is powerful.

1.     When Reading Becomes a Choice

There is an important difference between knowing how to read and becoming a reader.

As children become stronger readers, they gain access to an extraordinary amount of knowledge and experience. Books can take them into another century, across the planet, inside an imaginary universe or into the mind of someone whose life looks nothing like their own.

And when children choose what they read, reading becomes connected to something

particularly valuable: curiosity.

One book leads to a question. A question leads to another book, another idea or another discovery. Gradually, children learn that they don't always need someone else to teach them. They can seek out knowledge themselves.

That is the beginning of lifelong learning.

2.     Reading for Pleasure Has Real Benefits

The wonderful thing about reading for pleasure is that while children are enjoying themselves, they are also developing important skills.

Regular reading exposes young people to richer vocabulary and increasingly complex language. It strengthens comprehension and gives them repeated opportunities to interpret ideas, follow arguments, make connections and draw conclusions.

Research consistently finds a relationship between reading for enjoyment and stronger academic performance. Students who read frequently for pleasure tend to perform better in reading, although many factors contribute to academic achievement.

But the benefits reach far beyond grades.

A novel asks us to imagine what another person might be thinking. A biography introduces us to a life completely different from our own. Historical fiction can make another period suddenly feel real. Science and nonfiction can transform an everyday observation into a fascinating question.

Reading helps young people build knowledge about the world while expanding the number of worlds they can imagine.

3.     There Is No One Right Way to Love Reading

One of the best ways to encourage children to become readers is to give them opportunities to discover what they actually enjoy reading.

For one child, that may be a long fantasy series. For another, graphic novels. Someone else may love biographies, mysteries, manga, sports, science, history, poetry or books filled with fascinating facts.

And that's okay.

Reading for pleasure doesn't have to look like reading for school.

A child who is deeply interested in a book is practicing reading, building vocabulary and developing comprehension without necessarily thinking about any of those things.

They are simply enjoying the experience.

And sometimes, that is exactly what we want.

4.     Keep Reading Social

As children grow older and begin reading independently, adults often stop participating in their reading lives.

But we don't have to.

Ask them what they're reading—not as a quiz, but because you're interested.

“What's happening in your book?”

“Who is your favorite character?”

“Would I like it?”

“What should I read next?”

Share books with them. Talk about something interesting you have read. Visit the library or bookstore together. Recommend a childhood favorite—and be prepared for them not to like it nearly as much as you did!

Reading can be independent without being solitary.

When books become part of family conversations, children see reading not simply as something students are required to do, but as something people continue doing throughout their lives.

5.     Let Curiosity Lead

At LEAP, we believe that some of the richest learning begins with curiosity.

A child who loves dinosaurs may eventually become fascinated by evolution. A mythology enthusiast may discover ancient history. A fantasy reader may become interested in folklore and cultures around the world. A teenager who loves science fiction may begin asking questions about technology, ethics or the future. We don't always know where a child's interests will lead. That's part of the beauty of it.

Our role as educators and parents isn't only to teach children what they need to know. It is also to help them experience the pleasure of discovering something they want to know.

And books remain one of the most extraordinary ways to do that.

This International Literacy Day, we celebrate strong readers—but we also celebrate curious readers, enthusiastic readers, reluctant readers who haven't found their book yet, and young people discovering just how much the written word has to offer.

Because when a child develops a genuine love of reading, we give them something they can carry far beyond the classroom: a way to keep learning, imagining and discovering for the rest of their lives.