Why can't kids just read what they like?

oh my.  I think they should be turned loose in giant libraries with big cushy chairs and told to read ANYthing that tickles their fancy.  ANYthing. 

I was in the school library in 2nd grade trying to check out the little house on the prairie series and being told by the librarian that it was too sophisticated for me.   maybe I should read something else instead.  I rebelled and devoured every word.  I had to get special permission from my mom to be allowed to check those books out.  I loved my mom for saying I could read whatever I wanted and telling that librarian that I was smart enough too.  I still read things that are “way over my head” but how else is one supposed to learn something??? 

Yeh, am with you on this - let the kids read what they want! Am raising a bookworm who claims he had read everything worth reading in his school library - I guess they have quite a small collection, LOL! He loves adventure, history, scary stuff, football, how to's (magic, archaeology, making masks, kite flying, chess, moviemaking, graphics design, etc.).

I would never, ever want to go too far in the other direction and ban books for having disturbing content (or for any reason), but I'm a huge proponent of trusting kids' innate desire to learn and explore. My son was homeschooled/unschooled and not only is he a really well-read adult, but he completely trusts his own ability to learn things and find the information he wants and needs. And oh, Dawn, your story reminds me so much of him - I started reading The Hobbit to him/with him when he was 6yrs old and found him in the middle of the night up reading the book. Can't even imagine what he was making of it, what with the weird language and all, but he finished the book on his own. 

“My son was homeschooled/unschooled and not only is he a really well-read adult, but he completely trusts his own ability to learn things and find the information he wants and needs.”
It's all that isn't it,helping them develop the skills like reading to be able to discover this world on their own.
Moe started to read at four. People seemed surprised,I wasn't I think he wanted to read at one,playing with books,asking us to read to him all the time,which in itself is pretty cool since there are a kazillion books out there interesting to both parent and child.

I'm not for censorship or banning of any kind,I mean why,who are we suppose to be protecting anyways? Them,us?  It just sets up this really wacky dynamic reading in any form  should be celebrated.
Dawn I had all those Little House on the Prairie books Laura Ingalls Wilder,I also adored Anne of Green Gables,they read themselves :-)


Meenakshi Hemingway and Joyce were thrust upon me in school,I wanted to revolt but then would have missed out on some of the best reading I did there.
I still let friends thrust books upon me from time to time,it works and sometimes it doesn't,there is always a chance that I could discover something I wouldn't have on my own :-) well perhaps not thrust but a gentle nudge ;-)

I, too, had books thrust upon me in school that I would not have touched otherwise. Moby Dick comes to mind. What was great, more than the actual reading, was the discussions that followed, the helped me re-read, this time because I chose to!  
But, like with anything, I think we should do our best to respect the boundaries of all people, especially of young ones. As a society we spend so much time teaching them to disregard their boundaries and let others dictate to them (including ourselves, if we are parents). I think we need to give them as much support in recognizing and affirming their own boundaries as we can! Now, how that translates into a school curriculum is something I cannot say!  ; )

I guess I was lucky.  Not to brag, but when I was in the fourth grade, I was ahead of my class in reading, so my teacher put me in the back of the room and let me read whatever I wanted. The only condititon was I had to write book reports about every book that I read.  I think that being left to my own devices was what led to my becoming an avid reader.  I had a similar experience in the 5th and 6th grades.  The only difference was that I was in a class with several good readers, and we were given the opportunity to discuss the books that we had read and recommend books to one another.  At that point, I began to read many different types of books–not just fiction, which I had been reading before.

In later years, I had many different books foisted on me (including Moby Dick, which I confess that I never finished, but read Cliff Notes for the test).  I read those books because I had to, not because I wanted to.  However, I wasn't turned off to reading because by that time I knew that there was a whole wonderful world of books out there.

I know that I've been rambling, but what I really want to say is:  Children should be allowed to pursue their own interests and read what they want. 

You make a good point, Peace Seeker, we can’t be turned off books once we learn the magic they can hold for us! The trick is to let kids find that out.  Leaving them to their own devices is probably the best way to do it!

I was lucky, too. My  wonderful elementary school librarian, Lois Morales, saw what an avid reader I was and took the time to notice what I read. She then gave me a list of books I might be interested in, especially Newberry Award Winners. When I read through that, she got me special access to the High School library to read whatever I wanted there, even though I was only in 4th grade!

Hello Meenakshi,

You have a very valid point.   Schools should indeed revise their book shelf.   There are far too many children that have many fears that were initiated by bullies even teachers, for that matter.   They feel that they are alone in the universe and do not know how tho resolve such a problem.   This is but one of many fears and discomfort's that children go through. 
Books such as “The Rabbit Who Overcame Fear” by the Jataka Tale Series, which comes from  Dharma Publishing, is but one of many books for children.
It tells it in animal ways and has great insight into exploring the child's imagination as well as seeing things in a spititual way.
“The Cirlcle of Thanks” by Joseph Bruchac, is a book on Native American Poems and Song's of Thanksgiving;  “Loving the Earth”, by Fredric Lehrman is another Chidren's book;  “A Child's Garden Of Yoga”, by Baba Hari Dass, is a wonderful way to make gym class at school, a fun way of introducing children about the basic's of human values of their body and mind and that can  contribute to their every day functions.  The advantage's and insight of what different poses can do for them is not only fun but a necessity towards the bodily fuctions, such as 'chakra's, which a student body at school should also be made aware of and what they entail towards *good health*.   Even University  “Modern History ” is more fun than High-school History in any capacity and is far more rich with modern day flavors.
If the Public school system and these High Schools would only Start to be more on the ball' , they would see that a challenge of introducing knew ways into their curriculum status, would indeed be a benefit.

Look at what's being introduced so far!   The kindergardens are now learning computer.   The school systems are shoveling sooo much down the children's throat, due to the “out lay's” that teachers have to uphold, that it makes for a rushed learning event and not enough time to really enjoy or appreciate the conduct of what it is meant to accomplish.
There are some children that can float through this on a whim but the majority do indeed have a problem with this way of learning.
I remember seeing this article in the paper a few years back that a concerned parent had witten into.  It stated how upset she was that the 'public school had introduced *gambling* into the math curriculum, because they felt that this activity will enhance the children's little minds and would make “math” a fun thing to learn……..can you believe it!!!???  I just about flipped when I read that.  It wasn't to long after that -  that this place had a casino brought in.
It kinda makes a body 'sick', d'n it?
I hope that our topic on this discussion will make a difference.

I love your passion and concern.   Your Beautiful!

May God Bless.

Rita

I just wanted to offer anyone interested this connection - it's a program that pairs up adults with young readers and they get to exchange emails while they read the same books. It's a volunteer job you can do from home, that doesn't take much time and that encourages reading for kids. If anyone is so inclined!

my 12 yr old son has just stopped reading. He used to devour books. I never told him what to read or what not to read. He went through book after book… but now says his interests have changed - mainly to hiphop… I'm having to insist he reads at least a bit every day…

I told my kids that once they are *able* to read, there is no book in this house that is off limits - and we have some *really* cool books. Only one kid is an avid reader as of yet, the second oldest is trying to overcome his fear of chapter and *thicker* books which is a step in the right direction, two are learning to read, and the other two…well….we'll see in a few years…

I do hope they develop a love of it though, there is so much to know, and so much to challenge our ideas of what we think we know.

I balk at the idea of a “required reading list” Many of them are awful. I remember reading “The Great Gatsby” and “The Stranger” and thinking, these people are so SHALLOW, how do they expect ME to get involved in, or learn something, from THIS? I would have much rather read a million other things…

I'm with you wholeheartedly on this one Meenakshi!

Way Cool!!

There is  a small trick instead of pushing them to read, just leave around interesting books all around the house, they will automatically go and try to see what they are and later they will be reading without any push.

The comments to this blog are a wonderful resource. The book recommendations are great as is the link to in2books which I've bookmarked. Many thanks and blessings to everyone here!