Deathly Hallows Book Discussion **LoTs Of Spoilers** - Page 15

Gemini Cricket · 07-26-2007, 09:00 AM

Are kids really reading more or are there just a whole lot of kids reading Rowling?

Also, when I was working at Borders, I noticed a lot of kids reading Manga. I didn't see them anywhere else.

BarTopDancer · 07-26-2007, 09:12 AM

I think every generation has its genre. We had Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins/High, Christoper Pike, RL Stein and VC Andrews.

Not sure what was before that - but it seems to come in waves. RL Stein started writing for younger kids and the older kids turned to what seemed to be sci-fi and fantasy.

Of course, I could be wrong since I work neither in a library nor a bookstore. Just my observations of wandering the youth section of bookstores and seeing what is in your face.

LSPoorEeyorick · 07-26-2007, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

I think every generation has its genre. We had Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins/High, Christoper Pike, RL Stein and VC Andrews.

Though we're in the same generation, BTD, I didn't read those (though I did spend a small portion of time reading Babysitters Club.) I did, however, spend much time in libraries (summer programs, anyone) reading mostly books that'd been around for awhile. A long while in some cases. E. B. White's Charlotte's Web, Trumpet of the Swan, Stuart Little... John Bellaire's youth mysteries... anything and everything Samuel Clemens... L'Engle and her various tesseract books... weird old books of fairy tales that were falling apart... strange adaptations of Robin Hood... From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler... The Westing Game...

None of these came out when I was actually reading them, but all of them have stood the test of time. I hope that the kids today are still encouraged to pick them up, even if there aren't midnight releases with costume contests and scavenger hunts and parties for them.

Snowflake · 07-26-2007, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Though we're in the same generation, BTD.....

God, I feel old, really old...... I was reading Beverly Cleary when they wre relatively new. I did love the Madeleine L'Engle books, but I came to those much later, in fact, I was in my late 20's when those were pointed out to me.

I tried and tried and tried to read Tolkein, never could get through them.

I was reading EB White, of course, and many classics, never a Nancy Drew crossed my threshold. I did read anything I could get my hands on, thank god we had a good library, I wore out my card.

The Potter books have been enormous fun for me, and I'm happy if one kid learns to love reading from them.

BarTopDancer · 07-26-2007, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Though we're in the same generation, BTD, I didn't read those (though I did spend a small portion of time reading Babysitters Club.) I did, however, spend much time in libraries (summer programs, anyone) reading mostly books that'd been around for awhile. A long while in some cases. E. B. White's Charlotte's Web, Trumpet of the Swan, Stuart Little... John Bellaire's youth mysteries... anything and everything Samuel Clemens... L'Engle and her various tesseract books... weird old books of fairy tales that were falling apart... strange adaptations of Robin Hood... From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler... The Westing Game...

None of these came out when I was actually reading them, but all of them have stood the test of time. I hope that the kids today are still encouraged to pick them up, even if there aren't midnight releases with costume contests and scavenger hunts and parties for them.

Completely agree. Those books cross generations. I read all those too. As well as Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and Choose Your Own Adventure. Those books have been around for decades and will hopefully be around for forever more.

I was talking more about the passing trends. The books I listed from back then (yes, they are still around but not nearly as popular - how often do you hear of kids forming their own Babysitters Club these days?) and HP of today. Hopefully HP stands the test of time. They are children's books. Yes, they had a huge impact on our culture. It is great that adults can read them and enjoy them. But they are kids books. When I have kids I'll be making sure that along with Charlottes Web, A Wrinkle in Time and Stuart Little they also read Harry Potter.

Alex · 07-26-2007, 09:27 AM

Hard for me to say, to me it doesn't seem there is much more reading. But then where I'd put the bar is probably really skewed from reality.

According to a study in 2002 less than half of all adults had read even one book (novel, short story, play, or poem) in the previous 12 months. It was a survey based on self reporting so the real number is probably even less.

So if 80% of kids who read Harry Potter grow up to read one book a year that would be a significant boost over average.

But it wouldn't even show up on my radar. I can't imagine going 12 hours without having a book in front of me at some point let alone months at a time. So I think my perception of what constitutes "a reader" is just too high.

BarTopDancer · 07-26-2007, 09:29 AM

MSNBC has an article with more information [that was not included in the epilogue] about where everyone is in life. There is stuff about Luna too.

Click me

Morrigoon · 07-26-2007, 09:40 AM

Ah, ya beat me to it, I was just coming in to post that

Morrigoon · 07-26-2007, 11:52 AM

I read all the Beverly Cleary/Judy Blume books when I was little. Picked up my first steamy supermarket romance at 13.

Always had a thing for books about witches though. There are a surprising number of them.

Nephythys · 07-26-2007, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

I read all the Beverly Cleary/Judy Blume books when I was little. Picked up my first steamy supermarket romance at 13.

Always had a thing for books about witches though. There are a surprising number of them.

I used to have a book collection about witches and magic- loved them but can not- for the life of me- recall their titles. Simple, paperback......details of the stories come to me but not titles. Very frustrating.

I hope that they are buried in my parent's basement somewhere!

On edit- Mom's are wonderful.

The author is Ruth Chew.

One of the other titles I loved was "The Littlest Witch"

She thinks the books are gone- but not sure where. They are on Amazon and I may start to re-collect them.

07-26-2007, 09:00 AM	#1
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	Are kids really reading more or are there just a whole lot of kids reading Rowling? Also, when I was working at Borders, I noticed a lot of kids reading Manga. I didn't see them anywhere else.
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07-26-2007, 09:12 AM	#2
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	I think every generation has its genre. We had Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins/High, Christoper Pike, RL Stein and VC Andrews. Not sure what was before that - but it seems to come in waves. RL Stein started writing for younger kids and the older kids turned to what seemed to be sci-fi and fantasy. Of course, I could be wrong since I work neither in a library nor a bookstore. Just my observations of wandering the youth section of bookstores and seeing what is in your face. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
	Submit to Quotes

07-26-2007, 09:27 AM	#6
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Hard for me to say, to me it doesn't seem there is much more reading. But then where I'd put the bar is probably really skewed from reality. According to a study in 2002 less than half of all adults had read even one book (novel, short story, play, or poem) in the previous 12 months. It was a survey based on self reporting so the real number is probably even less. So if 80% of kids who read Harry Potter grow up to read one book a year that would be a significant boost over average. But it wouldn't even show up on my radar. I can't imagine going 12 hours without having a book in front of me at some point let alone months at a time. So I think my perception of what constitutes "a reader" is just too high.
	Submit to Quotes

07-26-2007, 09:29 AM	#7
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	MSNBC has an article with more information [that was not included in the epilogue] about where everyone is in life. There is stuff about Luna too. Click me __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
	Submit to Quotes

07-26-2007, 09:40 AM	#8
Morrigoon I throw stones at houses Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Location: Location Posts: 9,534	Ah, ya beat me to it, I was just coming in to post that __________________ http://bash.org/?top "It is useless for sheep to pass a resolution in favor of vegetarianism while wolves remain of a different opinion." -- William Randolph Inge
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07-26-2007, 11:52 AM	#9
Morrigoon I throw stones at houses Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Location: Location Posts: 9,534	I read all the Beverly Cleary/Judy Blume books when I was little. Picked up my first steamy supermarket romance at 13. Always had a thing for books about witches though. There are a surprising number of them. __________________ http://bash.org/?top "It is useless for sheep to pass a resolution in favor of vegetarianism while wolves remain of a different opinion." -- William Randolph Inge
	Submit to Quotes