An online campaign launching today will again encourage Kiwis to pick up a book and share their reading this summer.
NZ Summer of Reading is a light-hearted campaign to share and promote reading for relaxation and pure fun. Now in its second year, it will run until the end of January.
Read NZ Te Pou Muramura wants to remind everyone of the pleasures of a good book and the wider benefits of reading.
The campaign will consist of a series of activities and book giveaways, largely shared on social media with the hashtag #NZSummerOfReading.
Also on offer will be reading lists, fun quizzes and a NZ Summer of Reading bingo challenge for sharing on social media or printing out for the fridge.
NZ Summer of Reading will complement the organisation’s annual children’s online reading challenge, launching on Monday December 12.
Read NZ’s 2021 National Reading Survey showed another drop in New Zealanders’ reading habits.
The number of New Zealand women reading remained the same since 2018 but men’s reading rates continued to drop, with 79% picking up a book in the past year, compared to 81% in 2018 and 84% in 2017.
42% of respondents who had read none or just a few books in the past year said their barrier to reading was lack of time, mostly due to work and whānau responsibilities. But respondents who did pick up a book said that reading brought pleasure and enjoyment and helped them to relax after a busy day.
Read NZ Te Pou Muramura CEO Juliet Blyth says that whether you’re an occasional or avid reader, opening a book is one of the best ways to relax.
“Picking up a book this summer can only be good for you. Research even says that people who read can live longer than their non-reading counterparts!
“If it’s been a while since you read a book, don’t despair – just ten minutes a day will help create a reading habit. We think all reading is good reading and we hope our summer campaign inspires you to make a start.”
Find more information about the challenge, including the bingo cards and other resources here.
***ends*** About Read NZ Te Pou Muramura
Established in 1972, Read NZ Te Pou Muramura has been inspiring readers for 50 years.
As Aotearoa’s national agency dedicated to reading for pleasure, it seeks to build a strong reading culture by advocating for the transformative power of reading and its ability to improve social, cultural, and economic outcomes for everyone.
It does this by delivering programmes in schools and communities, including Writers in Schools. www.read-nz.org
