Drop Everything and Read Day

Drop Everything and Read Day is an annual global holiday dedicated to reading. It encourages you to drop everything and immerse yourself in your favorite book. It is observed on April 12. This day is intended to revive the waning trend of reading printed works, as more and more people turn to electronic resources and completely abandon physical books.

History

Drop Everything and Read Day is a relatively recent phenomenon. It gained widespread attention in 2006 when it was established by HarperCollins Children’s Books with the help of several schools. Among other things, it commemorated the 90th anniversary of Beverly Cleary’s birthday.

A similar practice of integrating book reading into the educational process was used in American schools as early as the 1960s. Its goal was to teach children to enjoy reading literature. It was quite effective. The creators of this holiday encourage people to treat reading as a school lesson and to devote at least a few hours a day to reading books, without distractions like social media. The focus should be solely on you, the book, and the world created by the author.

Interesting Facts

• Compared to 2000, people in the 2020s read 40% less frequently.
• Speed reading is challenging for many, but it reduces eye strain by 20%.
• It is known that Napoleon could read 2,000 words in one minute.
• The largest collection of books can be found in the Library of Congress, which houses about 115 million books on its shelves.

How to Celebrate

On Drop Everything and Read Day, take the time to read books. Reread your favorite works and explore new genres.

Share the holiday on social media. Ask others how often they read books, what their favorite works are, and what genres they prefer.

When is Drop Everything and Read Day in 2025?

Drop Everything and Read Day is observed on April 12 each year.

Observations