We are living in a society where kids and teenagers alike are constantly hooked on their devices 24/7, scrolling through Tik Tok or any type of scrolling on social media. 

Our youth has been plagued by our phones and laptops demanding our attention. It has been proven that technology usage can decrease the mental health of kids and teens as they are always looking towards people online on what to think, what to look like, and how to act. 

It’s time for our generation to drop our devices and pick up a book every now and then. 

You might be wondering, what can young kids get from reading books? Well, it’s for enjoyment and simply to learn new things. Reading books benefits both their physical and mental health. 

MRI scans have proven that reading a novel and improving your reading ability helps the networks and signals in the brain get stronger, according to Healthline. 

Additionally, reading books can improve the vocabulary they may use in future essays. 

Reading books can also improve your inclusivity, according to Basmo, a book tracking app. It can help you be more open-minded and tolerant of opinions or ideas. When you relate to and understand someone’s story, it can improve your attitude towards a subject or a person. Books make you understand different aspects of life. 

They don’t even have to pick up a huge book or a long novel. It can be short stories, anything they can get their hands on. 

It’s time for our youth to take a break from our devices once in a while and pick up a book to read for just thirty minutes. You might be surprised at how well it works. The HHS Library has books in nearly every subject imaginable and are open most school days.