Binge watching TV is a common pastime for people wanting a break at the end of a long day or week. We can also apply this intensive style to our reading. Check out these 5 reasons for diving into a book and not stopping until we reach the last page.

• It trains our focus. The modern world is obsessed with multi-tasking, so it takes effort to pour ourselves into a single task. This reading mode pushes us to channel our attention so that we can perform better at more demanding mental tasks. It also helps us relax because we are less likely to get overwhelmed by distractions.
• It aids understanding and develops empathy. Getting lost in a good book means we can live in a parallel universe for a few hours, fostering deeper appreciation of the narrative and connection to the characters. This further nurtures our empathy as we become more capable of putting ourselves in others’ shoes.
• It motivates us to read more. The more you read, the easier it becomes to read and enjoy it. Reading requires a mental effort, and the brain works like a muscle. Only by reading do we get better at it. As the workload lightens, the joy increases and positive reinforcement kicks in.
• It helps us appreciate the short and sweet. More often than not, we see thicker books as better, leading us to miss out on gems just because they’re slimmer volumes. Looking for books to read all on one go opens the door to great literature in small packages.
• It saves time. Every time we leave and go back to a book, it takes time for us to pick up where we left off. If we never leave until we reach the end, we can achieve higher efficiency.

Book to get started with:

Book title: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Author/Publisher: Lewis Carroll/Penguin Books Ltd
Suitable for: P4 and above
Number of pages/Reading length*: 160 pages/4 hours and 40 minutes

Book title: Wonder
Author/Publisher: R. J. Palacio/Penguin Random House Children’s UK
Suitable for: P4 and above
Number of pages/Reading length*: 83 pages/1 hour 23 minutes

Book title: The Giver
Author/Publisher: Lois Lowry/HarperCollins Publishers
Suitable for: P5 and above
Number of pages/Reading length*: 240 pages/4 hours

Book title: The Little Prince
Author/Publisher: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry/Wordsworth Children’s Classics
Suitable for: P5 and above
Number of pages/Reading length*: 83 pages/1 hour 23 minutes

*Estimated by Reading Length based on a reading speed of 250 words per minute.