Summer holiday reading for pleasure pledge

Do you give yourself permission, space and time to read for pleasure? Let me help.

I recently created a double-sided postcard for a school I’m visiting next week, where I’ve been asked to focus on reading for pleasure. And I made the same postcard available to two librarian conferences I spoke at. Such was the demand for this postcard that I’ve made a pdf version (below), which anyone can use. Schools, families, individuals, will you take this challenge? I promise you won’t regret it!

My argument is as follows:

• Reading for pleasure is known to have loads of wondrous benefits, including feel-good ones as well as more long-term ‘worthy’ ones which I’d rather we didn’t think about so much
• Most people of all ages don’t do as much as they ideally should, because nowadays there’s too much else that tempts us
• Sometimes we feel that reading for pleasure is a luxury and we don’t give ourselves permission
• We also don’t give ourselves space and time
• We need to give ourselves and everyone we care about ‘permission, space and time‘ to read
• My postcard (and my work) will give you permission, by validating your choice to read (and your free choice to read what you want)
• You just have to give yourself space and time

And what better time than the summer holidays? None.

Here’s the copiable READING FOR PLEASURE PLEDGE – use it in the summer holidays and create a new habit for life. Print and share it as often as you like.

My pleasure.