Do you know Tim Bowler ?, He is a young adult writer who won the Carnegie Medal for “River Boy”; He is also the author of "Apocalypse", "Walking with the dead" or "Shadows", among other novels; You can find more information on their professional website. Among the interviews they have done, I especially liked one published in the culture section of El País.
It affirms in it that the sector of the population it is aimed at is difficult to attract, and also that adolescents cannot be forced to read, in fact it is not necessary because they themselves develop an attachment to reading. He points out that adults may need to remind girls and boys that they can continue reading, while engaging in other activities such as the use of technology. For our part, and as Children's Book Day is approaching, we wanted to delve a little into literature for adolescents, but without offering overly specific recommendations.
It is true that if when they are younger you read to them and pamper the habit, children can end up being good readers; It is also true that there comes an age in which their interests change and are defined. Coupled with this, there is the de-idealization of the parents, and at the same time the identification / integration with their peers. I have gone through all these stages, but my educational orientation is close to non-interventionism, that is why I understood and accepted that the child who read 200 pages in 2 days fluently, understanding and knowing how to express them, all of a sudden, i don't want to open a book.
They know what they want: don't force.
Adolescents have access to information, and their tastes are clear, tastes that - on the other hand - may change, and this is part of development. Even though times have changed a portion of the youth will continue to read adventures, everyday gang stories, mystery and humor. However, writers and publishers must know how to truly capture the attention of this curious and demanding public at the same time.
That is why the sagas triumph: of dramas, heroines who lead society after an apocalypse ("The Hunger Games", "Divergent"), sirens, eroticism. As a whole, literature for adolescents occupies a small percentage of the sector, but it is growing. Our girls and boys also read the volumes written by their favorite youtubers, they start in transmedia reading, they download chapters on their smartphone, and they alternate digital reading with paper.
Fantasy and dystopia are also all the rage
Differences by age.
Early and middle adolescence, advanced adolescence: they do not read the same thing, not only because of tastes, but also because of knowledge, or simply because at 17 they have had more experiences than at 13. The youngest adore fantastic themes, and the stories of protagonists with their ages who have 'heavy' teachers and 'controlling' parents 🙂 (as it happens to them). Older people start with stories with a certain drama and with highly erotic content ('nothing new under the sun', I would say).
Can we do something as parents?
Oh! here if you have 'caught' me 😉; actually yes: if we are interested in reading, there are books, comics or newspapers at home, if we take them from time to time and let them wander around the bookstore... especially if we allow them to choose (Don't panic!)… We are already doing. Another thing is that our strategies work. But do not take it as a strategy, because you lose naturalness and you will not be credible.
And since we are talking about doing, let's also say what not to do: in addition to forcing, as I have mentioned, we should stop projecting our interests or expectations onto them. What we like they may not like, what makes us excited, they cause rejection. They must have the same freedom as us when choosing, otherwise we are going astray.
What if they are forced into the Institute?
I understand the claims of the teachers, and I know the benefits of reading, but it is not a good way to force to read without taking into account the tastes or characteristics of each student (that would be a difficult task, no doubt). It was not so when I was in secondary school, in fact I remember perfectly that I refused to read "La Regenta" during the course, and I finished it between July and August! (what does not have pressure); I clarify that I was a good student, and that I have been / am a very good reader.
I don't have the perfect formula (if I did, I would give it to my son's Spanish and English language teachers); but I know that many good decisions are born from freedom
Image - (Second) martinak15