Does it matter what kids read?

My auntie Maureen gave me my first Enid Blyton book. I was reluctant to read it at first as I didn't think I could possibly relate to some of the characters in it. I stuck with it though, and I'm so glad I did. Although the characters did get on my nerves a bit, the adventures and locations were great to escape into. Some years ago, I gave the books away and I kind of regret that now. Kids today may not find the tales or characters appealing, but the books hold a special charm don't they? (notice I love typing the word "characters" :O) If I have kids one day, I wonder what books I would pass down? At fourteen I loved the books by Judy Blume (was that her name?) I'm not sure what I would make of them now, but at that age all my girlish fantasies were realised. Some of the stories were quite juicy! :O) As I don't have children, it was interesting reading the above posts. I think its nice that as parents, you try and offer them what you feel are great and inspiring books but I agree with your idea that children/teenagers will find there own style. My dad used to give me some really tough books to read and although I have re-read most of them and enjoy them, at the time it just felt like more homework. (if that makes any sense) reading is reading and it must give you a great feeling to see your own kids getting so much out of it. Liana, I liked the comment about your daughter reading the back of a shampoo bottle! To all above with kids, do any of them write and would you allow them to post on the site? (maybe they already have, I have not checked the young abctales site!) Sorry for the long post, but the thread really made me think of my own childhood and all the books I had read and since forgotton about.

yes, my daughter posts on youngabctales, as does a couple of other offspring from regulars here.....

Jess put a poem on, too...in Dutch and English.

Euch, Goosebumps. That was such a big thing when I was 9! Didn't like it then, don't like it now. You're right though, if they enjoy reading it then really it's nobody's business to stop them. :)

i think it's important that they read anything...just to gain a love of reading....they will tire of the shallow stuff...and want to explore more challenging stuff. I remember as a child....hanging out at a mobile library....every friday taking 4 or 5 books for the week...mostly enid blyton....but that put me on the path of a love of reading which has never abated...

i am with you liana ... the first things i bought when i was pregnant were not little bootees but books ... i am not sure what people DO with little kids if they don't read to and with them ... all my kids have been big readers and they haven't distinguished between what might be seen as "worthy" reads and other sorts ... they have just read whatever is to hand just as i did when i was a kid ... the boys have hit a difficult age for reading now ... there are so many competing temptations for their time ... and i think they are at a wildnerness spot in terms of reading too ... early to mid teens ... but they still do read tho not as much as when they were younger ... i am hoping they will come back to it later on as i feel a love for reading has been instilled in them ... i think it is hard for boys ... where are their reading role models? ... when i worked in lit promotion for library services there were several good promotions aimed at young men ... often they were linked to other interests such as sport or IT ... but rather relied on getting the boys into the library in the first place ... not easy when libraries suffer with such an image problem ... my daughter, like yours liana, reads all the time and i am constantly providing her with stuff to read ... as for snobbery ... who cares WHAT they are reading ... i dont rate the harry potter books myself as a reader but what i DO rate is the way that they have got kids reading who possibly weren't interested ...

Agree with all three above posts...

I learned to read from comic books. I had maybe 3-4 comic books as a little kid and mom would read them to me every day. I especially remember Turok, Son of Stone. After a while, I could associate the pictures, words, and what the words should sound like. There was no turning back after that. Then I was taught to use a dictionary. Then we progressed to the daily newspaper (not much of a progression from comic books when I think about it). The problem boys have with reading and art (ie, drawing, painting, etc) is that it is considered a sissy thing to do. It also requires a lot of patience and concentration, two items in rather short supply with most young boys. I used to hate art class in grade school. I could not draw a thing. it was more of a mental block, but still.... Today, I can doodle fairly well, but I've always kinda wished I'd been able to concentrate on the drawing and do something with it. I am probably more oriented to images and sounds than I am to words, but I've just had so much more practice with words. *sighs*

I agree, I think reading for readings sake is to be encouraged.. and the broader the range of material the better.. However I do find that I cringe when requested by my daughters to read stuff to them that I don't like.. Disneyfied classics.. are an example.. I would rather much read them the originals which are far more interesting and darker at times.. as opposed to the bland pap that Disney dishes out.. (I can hear the hordes howling how much they love 'Snow White...) As a parent I do find myself pushing to the girls things I particularly enjoyed (and still enjoy) when I was about their age.. Tintin, for eg.

...interesting point spider...i don't have kids but I do wander if kids would like books I loved as a child...my favourite was "The Silver Sword" Ian Serallier, a world war two story about families being split apart and ultimately reunited.... not sure if kids want to read about war now... others I read as a child might not be as readable now...all that secret 7 and famous 5 stuff that enid blyton wrote...I haven't re-read them as a grown-up but they probably relflect the times in a way which wouldn't sit right today....

You might have to be careful these days with stuff like Fu Manchu stories and all those spy things from the 60s where the villian was an evil genius hiding in a cave and causing havok around the world with his secret weapons, assassins, and unlimited wealth. They might think it was a documentary.

My daughter could say the word 'Shakespeare' at an early age. She also knows who Rudyard Kipling is and she has four versions of The Jungle Book. However, she also loves Scooby Doo, Princess Comics and Rupert the Bear annuals. She has shelves of books and drawers of comics; she feasts on words in any variety. Liana, you are very wise; I was greedy for books as a child and I read the printed word wherever I could find it. Of course, I will recommend books as she gets older but for now, a gentle push is all she needs. Imagination. Wonderful gift.

I read as much Enid Blyton as I could.... all the fantastic stories about wishing trees and flying chairs.... I'm sure my dad despaired, he handed me Gormenghast when I was about 10 years old... I loved it, went onto read the classics at a fairly young age also. I encourage my kids to read whatever takes their fancy.....covers are a good thing to judge by as a child I found...the Water Babies illustrations still seem magical to me even now... All the above are interesting posts..nice one!! Glad everyone agrees :o)