Why We Read More in the Summer

Ah, summer. After enduring weeks—nay, months!—of frigid winds, feet of snow and cloudy skies, I’m finally rewarded for my seasonal endurance.

☀️ Sunshine! Late sunsets! Sand between my toes! 🏖

Chances are, summer is your favorite season. It’s not mine (who doesn’t love spring?), but summer is a close second.

Summer is also our favorite season to read.

Think about it. Rather, get up from your chair and see it for yourself.

Step inside your local library and there are signs promoting their summer reading club. Drop into any bookstore and I guarantee there is a summer reading table or shelf.

Why so much fuss about reading in the summer? Because we actually have time to read.

Summer means school’s out, TV show reruns and week-long vacations to somewhere else. We have more time between traveling and lounging around the house to catch up on our reading. With longer days, even nine-to-fivers still have extra time before and after work for some serious (or light) reading.

True, there are new summer shows on TV. Netflix and Hulu Plus exist. And believe it or not, you can rent movies from your library—if you have a working DVD player.

Yet we still choose to turn the TV on less and to open a book more.

Sure, we say that winter is the best time to read. We all love the daydream of snuggling under a warm blanket by the fireplace with a good book.

But how popular are winter reading clubs? And how much reading do you really get done when the sun sets before dinnertime?

’Tis the season to give a book, but not to read it.

Winter is the season of giving and summer is the season of sharing. We share more meals outside with family and we share our time with our children by taking them to the beach or little leagues at the park. Heck, we even share our time with strangers by joining the local soccer team.

We read more in the summer because reading becomes a community event.

We join summer reading clubs so that we can share the experience of a good book with our neighbors. We pick up that paperback from the summer reading table in hopes that we can discuss the book with someone else.

Of course we read all year long. But summer celebrates the time to share that experience with other readers.

And who doesn’t love a good book?

Do you think we read more in the summer? Share your opinions below.