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Poll Shows Kids Reach for "Fun" Reading Material
Reading Is Fundamental offers tips for encouraging reading during Reading Is Fun Week, May 15-21
WASHINGTON—To mark Reading Is Fun Week, May 15-21, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is encouraging families across the country to pick up the habit of reading for pleasure-no matter what the reading source.
Though fiction still appeals most to children, more and more young people are turning to other non-traditional reading materials. In fact, a recent online poll of more than 7,000 kids ages 6 to 17 by KidzEyes, C&R Research’s online kids panel, shows that the top 10 genres that kids read most often include reading sources such as magazines, joke books, short stories, comic books, non-fiction, and sports. Other sources on the list include fiction, which claimed top honors, along with mysteries, fantasy, and novels.
"Personal reading of any kind is extremely important to our children," said Carol Rasco, RIF president and CEO. "Families should remember that everything a child reads-not just novels and literature-can help develop and sustain strong literacy skills and create a lifelong appreciation of learning."
To show support for reading of all types and to put a strong emphasis on fun, RIF has partnered with the National Cartoonists Society, where more than 30 syndicated and regional artists will promote reading in their strips during Reading Is Fun Week. Among the nationally syndicated features participating are: Chip Sansom’s "Born Loser," Greg Evans’ "Luann," Ron Ferdinand and Marcus Hamilton’s "Dennis the Menace," Peter Guren’s "Ask Shagg," and Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman’s "Zits."
"Getting involved with RIF and motivating children to read is a very natural fit for cartoonists," said Rick Kirkman, secretary of the National Cartoonists Society and co-creator of "Baby Blues." "Many children’s early reading exposure is with the comics, and we as cartoonists have a real opportunity to show them early on that reading can be a fun, engaging experience."
Though Reading Is Fun Week lasts only seven days, families can make reading a fun activity any day. To support and encourage children’s reading outside the classroom, RIF offers these tips:
- Make reading a part of things you already do as a family every day. Read a story at bedtime; check labels and fliers on trips to the grocery store; or even review different recipes as you make dinner.
- Tie reading into other activities your child enjoys. From baseball games, to summer camp, to swimming lessons, every activity is an opportunity to expose children to words, a broader vocabulary and reading.
- Remember that everything a child reads can help sustain reading skills. This includes books (both fiction and nonfiction), magazines, comic books, websites, and anything else that carries language.
- Allow kids to select what they read. Choice plays an important role in getting kids excited about reading.
- Let the children in your life see you reading. Be a role model who inspires good reading habits.
Click here for more activities and resources to celebrate RIF Week, including day-by-day activity calendars, and to encourage kids of all ages to spend time reading.
Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF), founded in 1966, motivates children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, RIF provides 4.6 million children with 15 million new, free books and literacy resources each year. For more information and to access reading resources, visit RIF’s website at www.rif.org.
Discover the Joy!
Formed in 1946, the National Cartoonists Society is a professional organization of over 600 of the world’s top cartoonists. For more information, including biographical information of members, visit www.reuben.org.
Creative & Response Research (C&R): Based in Chicago, C&R Research is a leading market research firm. KidzEyes, one of C&R’s specialized services, is a panel consisting of more than 18,000 kids ages 6 to 17. Other KidzEyes services include a variety of traditional quantitative and qualitative approaches, including monthly online omnibus services, the sibling TeensEyes panel, and the Momnibus panel of moms. To request more information about KidzEyes, call 1-800-KidzEyes (1-800-543-9393) or visit www.crresearch.com or www.kidzeyesomnibus.com.
For more information, contact:
Layla Wright-Contreras,
Media Relations Manager
202-536-3528
lwright@rif.org
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