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Greatest Living British Author

I read this today:

A study just released by Scholastic and Yankelovich more or less gives statistical confirmation to what you probably already knew: Kids start losing their enthusiasm for reading as early as age 9, and the decline continues through age 17. Children of readers read more.

The release notes: "While nearly all kids surveyed enjoy reading books for fun, kids report that the number one reason they do not read more is that they cannot find books they like. Parents, on the other hand, say they think kids, especially the older ones, are not reading more because of too much homework."

It seems to me that we need more people who write books that kids like.
 
Doug Johnson said:
It seems to me that we need more people who write books that kids like.
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No, we need more parents to take a proactive approach to their childrens' reading and (even if they don't know, find out) make suggestions to their offspring.
 
Stewart said:
No, we need more parents to take a proactive approach to their childrens' reading and (even if they don't know, find out) make suggestions to their offspring.
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Too Right! When my kids were stuck on The Babysitter's Club, we didn't ban the daft things, but we made sure to guide them towards better material.
 
Doug Johnson said:
I read this today:

A study just released by Scholastic and Yankelovich more or less gives statistical confirmation to what you probably already knew: Kids start losing their enthusiasm for reading as early as age 9, and the decline continues through age 17. Children of readers read more.

The release notes: "While nearly all kids surveyed enjoy reading books for fun, kids report that the number one reason they do not read more is that they cannot find books they like. Parents, on the other hand, say they think kids, especially the older ones, are not reading more because of too much homework."

It seems to me that we need more people who write books that kids like.
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You are absolutely correct Doug. It is important to get kids wanting to read and the way to do that is through books they enjoy. Once you get them into reading then you can guide them, but not force them, into different types of books.
 
Kids start losing their enthusiasm for reading as early as age 9, and the decline continues through age 17.
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Interestingly (although perhaps not that interestingly), I only really started reading when I was 17, in the summer of 1990.

Children of readers read more.
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Again, just to counter the statistics, neither of my parents reads.

kids report that the number one reason they do not read more is that they cannot find books they like
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A lot of kids would also report that the reason they don't like school is because lessons are boring. Since when did we determine what was worth doing for kids by how much they liked it? Anyway, this doesn't mean there aren't any books they like, just that they can't (be bothered to) find them. My view is that if you make things so effortless and unchallenging for kids by constantly spoonfeeding them precisely what they know they already like, then they're more likely to grow up into the kind of adult who watches Big Brother than the kind who reads enthusiastically.

And this does not really address the issue from which this discussion sprang off, of adults who continue to read children's books after they have grown up.
 
Oh yay, another elitist, elitist-wannabe versus non-elitist argument. How did I miss this? :eek:

The elitists (well, why change a term that everyone knows) read good books. By that, I mean the writing is magnificent, the plots are mostly character-based.

The elitist-wannabes try to.

The non-elitists read books based on plots. To them, it doesn't matter what the language or characters are doing, as long as the plot's okay.

Elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist elitist

Just to make sure I win the award for the most amounts of the word "elitist" in a post. ;)

The elitists are never gonna come over to the non-elitists way of thinking, because they enjoy the "good" writing too much. The non-elitists may get tired of reading the same old plots and want to move on to the character stuff. That's why the elitists have to win this debate.

To be fair, as well, the elitists are right. Why do the non-elitists feel insulted if somebody doesn't agree with their choices of reading material?

It's hilarious. :D

I read from the start of the thread and Poppy, I think, said something about when you get older you don't care that the book you're reading is a children's book. I have to admit, I've got no intention of reading Harry Potter, because the plot doesn't really appeal mainly, but I am considering reading Holes by Louis Sachar.

As for the statistics: I don't remember reading less between 9 and 17, but maybe that's true. One of my parents reads, the other doesn't, but I don't think my sister has ever read a non set-text book. I know countless other examples of one sibling reading, and the other(s) not, too.

Moto, it's Yann Martel.

Oh, and ABC, nothing wrong with The Babysitter's Club lol
 
Now I'm confused as to which gang in the playground I should belong too. If I mix in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Boris Akunin with my Ibsen and Andrei Platonov does that make me bi-curious?
Oh well, if battle lines must be drawn up, put me down for whichever side likes to read whetever they want and thinks other people should be able to do the same without being looked down on.

Regards,

K-S
 
Kenny Shovel said:
If I mix in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Boris Akunin with my Ibsen and Andrei Platonov does that make me bi-curious?
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I don't know about Akunin, but Conan Doyle writes beautifully and much of his stuff, from Holmes to The Lost World, is strongly character-driven, so in steffee's terms, that makes you an elitist. Welcome!
 
Zolipara said:
I suggest swords or pistols at dawn.
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Considering the heat, can we make those water guns? Ya'll can come to my house since I have a huge backyard. Bring a covered dish and your favorite book:D
 
Kenny Shovel said:
Oh well, if battle lines must be drawn up, put me down for whichever side likes to read whetever they want and thinks other people should be able to do the same without being looked down on.
Regards,
K-S
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But that would make too much sense.
 
I reserve (and exercise) the right to look down on books that I think aren't good. But the only person who has a right to be insulted or defensive then is the author.

And if we're not allowed to criticise books we don't like, it's not much of a discussion forum.
 
Shade said:
I reserve (and exercise) the right to look down on books that I think aren't good. But the only person who has a right to be insulted or defensive then is the author.

And if we're not allowed to criticise books we don't like, it's not much of a discussion forum.
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As long as we're only criticising the book and not our fellow readers, I'm happy. Of course we're each going to have personal preferences. After debate gets heated, at some point we have to remind ourselves that the differences are what makes this forum and others like it, worth visiting. That's when we break out the water pistols and duke it out in style;)
 
Shade said:
And if we're not allowed to criticise books we don't like, it's not much of a discussion forum.
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Agreed, differing tastes are what make the world go round, and trying to sort the wheat from the chaff is a laudable thing.

However, and this is a general point not aimed at anyone in particular, if we get to the point where we think that better taste in books means we're a better person, then we've lost sight of what's important in life. I enjoy reading fiction, but for me it's not massively important, it's just a hobby.

Regards,

K-S
 
I agree with you Kenny. And it's a while since I've said that.

I should add that I don't think I've seen any behaviour of the type you mention here on B&R.
 
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