The article argues passionately for letting students read whole books, rather than slicing literature into fragmented digital snippets. The author, drawing on personal teaching experiences and striking statistics from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, insists that the complete act of reading fosters deep comprehension, self-discovery, and genuine emotional engagement—a process that cannot be replicated by mere summaries or mediated content. While modern educational trends and digital media encourage brief, disconnected learning segments, the piece makes a compelling case that sustained, undiluted reading is essential for cultivating critical thinking, textual interpretation, and even ethical debates in students. This thoughtful critique calls educators to preserve the analog beauty of print books and the immersive journey they offer.

Key points:

• Reading an entire book is portrayed as an act of love that deepens understanding and critical thinking.
• Recent NAEP statistics indicate a worrying decline in literacy skills among students.
• The article criticizes current educational trends that favor intertextuality, multimedia, and summary-based approaches over thorough reading.
• Emphasizes the importance of connecting emotionally and intellectually with texts, something that digital shortcuts often fail to achieve.
• Calls for a reaffirmation of traditional book reading to support rich, multi-layered language arts education.

Funny joke: Looks like if our students keep getting chapter summaries instead of full books, the only "novel" they'll ever experience is when they finally discover a new TikTok dance!
Link to Article