Utah Governor Spencer Cox took a break from the legislative session to promote reading at a book drop event in Salt Lake City. Joined by bestselling author John Schu, the initiative aimed to boost youth literacy amid declining national reading scores. Students received copies of Schu's novel and heard messages on the transformative power of books.
On February 27, 2026, Utah Governor Spencer Cox paused the frenetic pace of the ongoing legislative session to participate in a "book drop" at Bryant Middle School in Salt Lake City. The event, sponsored by Operation Literacy, sought to encourage reading among middle schoolers at a time when national reading scores are declining. Cox and first lady Abby Cox have prioritized literacy as a key initiative.
Students filled the assembly hall, where each participant received a copy of Louder Than Hunger, a novel-in-verse by John Schu. The bestselling author, known for his high-energy presentations, shared his personal journey from struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression as a teenager to becoming a teacher, school librarian, author, and professor at Rutgers University. Hospitalized for two years during his youth, Schu credited his grandmother, teachers, libraries, stories, and reading for his recovery. "Reading aloud is love," he said, noting that the book's protagonist, Jake, reflects his own experiences in a harrowing yet hopeful narrative. Schu urged the audience to reveal their truths through stories, emphasizing that telling one's story can save lives.
Governor Cox, who admitted he did not enjoy reading as a child, stressed its profound benefits. "Reading has the ability to change everything in your life," he told the students. He explained that daily reading rewires the brain positively, improves school performance, leads to higher earnings, greater happiness, stronger families, and better outcomes overall. Despite distractions like cellphones and video games, Cox challenged the students to start with just a few minutes of reading each day, promising that books would soon draw them in. He encouraged choosing any subject and focusing on positive aspects of life amid national divisions. "You can’t do that if you can’t read," Cox concluded, highlighting reading's role in improving Utah and the country.
The event underscored the Department for Education’s National Year of Reading 2026, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, to reverse the decline in reading for pleasure and reconnect communities with its daily benefits.
