by James Dreyer

Created on: March 26, 2010

Many avid hunters look forward to hunting season.  There is a season for ducks, for geese, for deer, for antelope, for elk, and on and on.  There is fishing season, planting season, growing season, skiing season, football season, basketball season, and baseball season.  We have the four seasons:  winter, spring, summer, and fall; and we have The Four Seasons starring Frankie Valli.  I am intimately familiar with each of these seasons.  However, I am not familiar with reading season.

Reading is a year round activity, and should be promoted as such.  Too many of our young people today are more interested in television and video games rather than in reading.  The imaginations of far too many of our young people are not being exercised and utilized because they are living what they see on a screen rather than living it within their minds.  Children don’t have to imagine what a fire breathing dragon looks or sounds like; they can see it in vivid, animated color.  Yes, that is marvelous and very entertaining, but it is also quite detrimental.

It is obvious that when someone inquires as to what is the best season for reading books that the reference is to summer, fall, winter, and spring.  Due to weather factors it may be assumed that one or more of these seasons may be more conducive to reading, as when the weather does not permit outdoor activities, thus making reading may be a viable choice.  Once again, though, it must be pointed out that in today’s technologically oriented world there are a myriad of other activities that can be found.  The televisions, CDs, DVDs, video games, and such; the season really has no major impact as far as reading is concerned.

Therefore, rather than asking what season is best for reading books, one should ask what time is best for reading books.  And the answer to that should be – anytime.  Parents, teachers, employers, friends, neighbors, each and every one of us, should make a concerted effort to show our young people that reading is important and that any time is a good time to read.  The past few generations are more of the video gamer genre rather than the reading genre.  Some video gaming is fine; it is quite entertaining.  But reading is so very important and it is being neglected by our young people today.  These youngsters are going through the seasons of their lives without the benefit of a good reading foundation.  It is tragic.

Perhaps someday the video gamer generation will pick up a good book and read it.  And then perhaps he or she will pick up another and read it.  Whether they snuggle up by the fire with a good book in the winter, enjoy the sun and a book on the beach in the summer, feel the autumn breeze on their face as they relax with a book on a fall day, or are intoxicated by the fragrance of wildflowers as they enjoy a novel while sitting in a meadow during the spring; each generation should have an appreciation of good books should take time to read.

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