So I’m reading The New York Times this morning and I come across an article, “Study Links Drop in Test Scores to a Decline in Time Spent Reading,” and I go, "Hmm, I should probably read this one, being a parent and an author and all that." And it begins, “. . .Harry Potter, James Patterson and Oprah Winfrey’s book club aside . . .” and I’m like, "Hey, is that James Patterson as in. . . !?"

Needless to say, I’ve read articles with less provocation than that, and it did end up being a thought-stirring piece. For the first time in my memory, smart people in the book industry are addressing the fact that it’s not just that young people are reading less, but that they “appear to be reading less for fun.”

Now there’s the under-rated concept of the new millennium—people do better with things when they’re having fun at them!

Of course it’s a wisdom good teachers, good parents, and good habit-changers of all kinds have always known.

It’s also why I created the PageTurner awards. They’re purposely not about identifying and giving money to folks who say reading is critically important for future success, but finding those teachers, booksellers, librarians, community volunteers and others who are communicating that reading is a joy. (If you know anybody like that—including yourself—please stop by the awards’ site and let us know about them.)

It’s important that we all realize that reading is a crucial habit. But being aware of that and knowing how to do something about it are two different things. One truth I think we can hold to be self-evident: The pursuit of happiness is a little harder for our children to undertake if they don’t see the happiness they can have in their “academic” pursuits.

More soon on how we can show kids the enormous happiness that can be found in books—but right now I’ve got to go finish off what I hope is a “fun” manuscript for my publisher.

Have a happy Thanksgiving.

JP