Diana Gerald: Relax and read this summer

Published on: 02 August 2015 Author: Diana Gerald

It's August, and as you're reading this I hope that you, like I, are at some point enjoying some time away from the day-to-day: the school run, the day job and the other responsibilities that we seem to accumulate as the years go by.

Summer has always been a time for rest, relaxation, but it is also a great time for refocusing, for building plans. A holiday, however short, gives us space to breathe, to think, to recalibrate, and to identify what's not working (as well as hopefully work out how to fix it).

But the summer is also a time for reading - whether it's wonderfully fat beach-reads bought at the airport, or finally tackling the pile of books by the side of you bed. Reading has been shown over and over again to be tremendously relaxing, and there is no better way to decompress than to get utterly lost in a story.

There is also no better time to get children excited about reading and stories. Audio books are a tried and tested method of keeping children calm (and adults sane) during long drives to visit relatives; picture books can be shared in the playground or on the beach in the shade when the sun gets too much; whilst independent readers can experience exciting adventure whilst not straying from their room (if at home) or their beach towel (if away).

Just ten minutes of reading (or being read to) every day is enough to create a habit that will last a lifetime; a love of reading that will bring children happiness, that will boost their life chances, and that will give them more strength and confidence to face all of life's challenges.

Let us help you find your next book - our bookfinder has over 9,000 books for babies, adults and children. Get lost perusing our bookfinder, then get lost in your chosen book.

Enjoy the summer, and happy reading!