Anna Staniszewski

Yesterday I was reading an article by Jon Scieszka about his two years as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. It was interesting to hear about his experiences and to get a breakdown of some of the advice he’s been giving people about children and reading over the past two years.

Overall the advice is very similar to what his website, guysread.com, has been advocating for quite some time:

-Let each child choose what she or he wants to read. I’ll never forget my own son’s reaction reading Little House on the Prairie (a favorite of many readers): “Are they really going to spend this whole chapter making a door?”

This might shock some adults: “Let children read whatever they want? But what if they don’t know what’s appropriate for them?” Kids might not care about reading levels, etc., but they do know what interests them. If we’re talking about reading for fun then children should have a say in what they want to read, shouldn’t they? Otherwise, they’ll see reading as a chore.

-Expand the definition of “reading” to include non-fiction, humor, graphic novels, magazines, action adventure, and, yes, even websites. It’s the pleasure of reading that counts; the focus will naturally broaden. A boy won’t read shark books forever.

Often parents who aren’t big book readers themselves try to push their children to read books because it’s “good for them.” While I love reading books and wish everyone else did, it’s true that there are many other kinds of reading out there. Graphic novels, for example, are a slightly different form of reading, but it’s no less complex than that of traditional books.

-If a kid doesn’t like one book, don’t worry about finishing it. Start another. The key is helping children find what they like.

This is something I’ve been struggling with for most of my life. When I start a book, I feel like I should finish it. Only recently have I allowed myself to put an unfinished book aside and start another one. Again, if we’re talking about reading for fun then why should children be forced to finish books they’re not enjoying? They’ll have plenty of that to look forward to in school.

-Be a good reading role model. Show kids what you like to read, what you don’t like to read, how you choose what you read. Let them see you reading.

Going along with what I said above, it’s so important to lead by example. If you don’t read but expect your children to, is that really fair? However, if you truly value reading then you might be able to pass on some of your reading habits to your children.

-Avoid demonizing television, computer games, and new technologies. Electronic media may compete for kids’ attention, but we’re not going to get kids reading by badmouthing other entertainment. Admit that TV and games can do things books can’t. Talk about how reading can make a world in ways that movies and games can’t.

This one is so important. I feel like books have been almost pitted against TV, video games, etc., and it’s a fight they can’t win. I watch TV and that’s okay. But I also make sure to limit my TV time and do other things to stimulate my mind. As long as you have a bit of variety,  there’s no need to demonize any one activity. Some kids can spend hours on end reading, but is it realistic to expect that from all of them?

Of course, since I don’t have children of my own, this is all highly theoretical, but the things Scieszka lists sound pretty reasonable. What are your thoughts on this approach to reading? Are there other things we could be doing to encourage children (and adults, for that matter) to read?