Kids and reading!

[JoeEllison]

I came from a family of professors and both my father and grandfather had small libraries. I read anything I felt like and was never told there was something I should not read. My father had some subversive Alan Ginzberg-ish stuff that I found fun.

As for kids, it really depends on the kid. My oldest, now 15, began reading at 5. he read the entire first harry Potter book in one night during first grade. He was, and still is, very introspective and rational and I've always felt he could read anything or watch (almost) any movie without any problem. I caught him watching a very gory slasher movie when he was 7 and he said "c'mon dad, its just special effects. Its not real". He won that argument.

On the other hand, I have a 7 yr old today who is very emotional and inclined to be totally sucked in by whatever he reads or sees on TV. He only reluctantly admits that Spongebob is not "real". He reads very well, but I would not give him free reign to read any book on the bookshelves becuase he is so impressionable.

So, you cannot simply say "by age X kids should be allowed to read Y". Kids' ability to read, analyze and understand what they are reading varies too much from kid to kid. Some kids should be given a free pass to the library for any book they want, some need a bit more guidance.

And I was a mix between though two ends of the spectrum. I could read before I was talking(long story), and at the same time I was terrified of scary stuff. I remember reading Cujo when I was 8-9 years old, and being screwed up for weeks.

That, and that old Native American guy crying about pollution... I could read before I turned 5, but I shouldn't have been left alone at the TV for another 6 years.

 

[Steve]

When it came to reading my parents were exact opposites. My mother was and is an avid reader. I have never seen my father read a novel or anything else for pleasure. He reads newspapers, manuals, etc for information only. Fortunately I took after my mother and was reading fluently prior to my 6th birthday. I frequented both libraries and bookstore in my childhood and I do not ever recall my choices of reading material being restricted by my parents. My wife is also an avid reader.

Our daughter, who will be 6 in November, has just entered 1st grade. She has some learning difficulties due to prenatal exposure to street drugs and alcohol and is not yet able to read a word. She loves books however. She has a library of well over a hundred books in her room and is constantly looking through them. I read to her at least once every day. She will not go to sleep without a bedtime story, and will often bring a book to me or her mother at other times of the day and ask for a story. We are hopeful that with the proper assistance she will catch up to her peers and soon begin to read for herself. We will certainly do all we can to encourage her love of books.

Regarding her future choice of reading material, I would try to not place any restrictions. There is certainly nothing on our home bookshelves that I would not want her to read, and our ability to control what is available to her outside of our home is necessarily very limited. We would encourage her to read what she wishes and emphasize that we are always willing to discuss her reading material if she needed any explanations. To some degree the type of material younger persons choose to read will be self-limiting by way of their ability to comprehend what they are reading. As noted in some posts above, the world is not always a pleasant place. Being able to read about, and discuss with us, the more unsavory aspects of life is a relatively safe way to learn about the world that she is, and will be, living in.

 

[Garrette]

Just got back from the Amazing Adventure 2. The cruise was amazing but the best part was the discussions. One guy was telling me about a series of books called....well I can't quite read my notes, but they are by Phillip Pullman, "The Golden Compass", "The Suttle Knife", and "The Amber Spyglass". He says they are young adult books, far more gripping than the Harry Potter stories. Anyone else recommend them?

Susan

I have not read them, but my 15 year old, who has been reading voraciously since he was five and who is very discerning, says "The Golden Compass" is one of the best out there. (His absolute favorites are Hitchhiker's Guide and the Discworld books, but he also loved Dune).

 

[-Fran-]

Our daughter, who will be 6 in November, has just entered 1st grade. She has some learning difficulties due to prenatal exposure to street drugs and alcohol and is not yet able to read a word. She loves books however. She has a library of well over a hundred books in her room and is constantly looking through them. I read to her at least once every day. She will not go to sleep without a bedtime story, and will often bring a book to me or her mother at other times of the day and ask for a story. We are hopeful that with the proper assistance she will catch up to her peers and soon begin to read for herself. We will certainly do all we can to encourage her love of books.

Sounds like a good strategy

Regarding her future choice of reading material, I would try to not place any restrictions. There is certainly nothing on our home bookshelves that I would not want her to read, and our ability to control what is available to her outside of our home is necessarily very limited. We would encourage her to read what she wishes and emphasize that we are always willing to discuss her reading material if she needed any explanations. To some degree the type of material younger persons choose to read will be self-limiting by way of their ability to comprehend what they are reading. As noted in some posts above, the world is not always a pleasant place. Being able to read about, and discuss with us, the more unsavory aspects of life is a relatively safe way to learn about the world that she is, and will be, living in.

Yeah, shielding kids from hearing about all that is bad in the world, is impossible anyway, better to teach them how to cope with it instead, and be there to "cushion the blows" so to speak.

 

[eir_de_scania]

Just got back from the Amazing Adventure 2. The cruise was amazing but the best part was the discussions. One guy was telling me about a series of books called....well I can't quite read my notes, but they are by Phillip Pullman, "The Golden Compass", "The Suttle Knife", and "The Amber Spyglass". He says they are young adult books, far more gripping than the Harry Potter stories. Anyone else recommend them?

Susan

I found them boring, but other find them absolutely captivating. Thankfully, one of my best friends totally agreed with me, so I didn't feel like I was the only one lacking Good Taste. Still, I think you should try "The Golden Compass" and see what you think!

You can also try Jonathan Stroud's "Bartimeus Trilogy" (The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye and Ptolmeny's Gate). Like Pullman, Stroud writes modern fantasy that while being labeled "YA" just as well could go in the "Adult" section.

Fran, I was four when I learned to read, more or less by myself! I've been an avid reader since then, you know the kind who reads the text on shampoo bottles in the shower. I can't do that anymore, unless I want to shower with my glasses on, but I still read more or less anything I can get my hands on.

Like you, I had a mother who left school at fourteen, but always read books when she was relaxing. She, in her turn, had that from her father (who left school at an even younger age...). Never any pressure, but she read to me, took me to the local library in our home town and the places we visited on holidays, I got books for my birthday and Christmas. And of course I browsed my parents bookshelves!

Most people I knew as a child (including my relatives) didn't have books in their bookshelves. Not really true. There was some, but they almost disappeared among the ornaments and family pictures. I'm glad I grew up in a home with books on the shelves - my life would have been much poorer without books.

Oh, and putting Find Local Library among the first thing to do in a new place - of course it's vital!

 

[-Fran-]

Fran, I was four when I learned to read, more or less by myself! I've been an avid reader since then, you know the kind who reads the text on shampoo bottles in the shower. I can't do that anymore, unless I want to shower with my glasses on, but I still read more or less anything I can get my hands on.

You say something interesting here. Though I was a bit later than you in learning to read, I have no memory of anyone actually teaching me this. I think I pretty much figured it out by myself too.

Like you, I had a mother who left school at fourteen, but always read books when she was relaxing. She, in her turn, had that from her father (who left school at an even younger age...). Never any pressure, but she read to me, took me to the local library in our home town and the places we visited on holidays, I got books for my birthday and Christmas. And of course I browsed my parents bookshelves!

This seems to be a good strategy to make kids into avid readers Setting a good example, providing books, no pressure.

Most people I knew as a child (including my relatives) didn't have books in their bookshelves. Not really true. There was some, but they almost disappeared among the ornaments and family pictures. I'm glad I grew up in a home with books on the shelves - my life would have been much poorer without books.

It's the same here. Most of my relatives also used their bookshelves for ornament and picture shelves. There were mostly books in ours, though, yes.

 

[Susan Gerbic]

It's the same here. Most of my relatives also used their bookshelves for ornament and picture shelves. There were mostly books in ours, though, yes.

My bookshelves in places are two deep with books. Other places have books with a small picture frame in front of the book.

I have one picture frame that has a picture of my boyfriend reading a Harry Potter book with our orange cat curled up on his legs. And "yes" the picture is in front of the HP books.

Susan

 

[-Fran-]

My bookshelves in places are two deep with books. Other places have books with a small picture frame in front of the book.

I have one picture frame that has a picture of my boyfriend reading a Harry Potter book with our orange cat curled up on his legs. And "yes" the picture is in front of the HP books.

Susan

I can beat you on this My bookshelf is 3 or 4 books deep (depending on the size of the books) with all the books lying down in piles. I didn't have that much room to the sides, so I got myself a shelf that is extra deep (half a meter) and which goes all the way up to the ceiling. It does manage to store all my books, but it's a bit tricky when you want to find a certain book and it's furthest in against the wall.

 

[Susan Gerbic]

I can beat you on this My bookshelf is 3 or 4 books deep (depending on the size of the books) with all the books lying down in piles. I didn't have that much room to the sides, so I got myself a shelf that is extra deep (half a meter) and which goes all the way up to the ceiling. It does manage to store all my books, but it's a bit tricky when you want to find a certain book and it's furthest in against the wall.

Give me time.

Susan

 

[-Fran-]

Give me time.

Susan

I believe you