As I reflect on the 2011 Melinda Awards, I find myself wanting to write a witty review flush with hip teen terms like shizzle (Yes, I do know what shizzle means.), dope, and the bomb, but the words won’t come, at least not as shrewdly and fluently as I would like. That’s because I was awestruck, not by the event itself, the tech-savvy production, the books, or even the authors, but rather by the readers. The members of the Eva Perry Mock Printz Book Club spoke with the passion, intelligence, and eloquence of seasoned readers--and they certainly are. But, how did they become accomplished readers? This question led me to an inquiry into my middle school-aged daughter’s perception of reading and literature, which went like this:
Me: What is your favorite book?
K: Huh?
Me: I asked, what is your favorite book?
K: Dunno.
Me: I though you liked Maniac Magee?
K: Yeah.
Me: Well, what do you read in English class?
K: English class?
Me: Language arts.
K: I just read Wait until Helen Comes.
Me: Did you like it?
K: I guess.
Me: What did you like about it?
K: I don’t know.
Me: What do you like about reading?
K: (silence)… I don’t like reading.
Me: Why not?
K: It’s boring.
Me: Don’t you like getting lost in a good book?
K: I don’t like getting lost at all.
Me: (in my head: The snarkiness comes from her father’s side.) What do you do when you text with your friends and spend hours on Gmail?
K: I talk to my friends.
Me: No you don’t. You read, and you said reading is boring.
K: Well, I read about myself.
Me: You can read about yourself in a book.
K: There’s a book written about me? (Sarcasm again)
Me: There’s a book written about everybody.
This exchange, as brief as it was, started the old hamster wheel spinning. I realized that perhaps young adults who don’t like reading just haven’t been reading the right books. My daughter’s explanation made me wonder if one of the more important aspects of YA literary quality is for a reader to be able to find him or herself on the pages. If this is the case, is it the educator’s responsibility to choose the right novels for teens? The answer is likely yes, but how do we find books that appeal to all teen readers? Some of the responses from the Eva Perry bibliophiles included finding novels with good plots and authors whose voices resonate with their young readers. Certainly these things are important, but we must dig deeper to engage our students.
Interviewing your inhouse teen was brilliant, Maureen! And she gave you just the answers you need to lead you deeper into this exploration of how to create the conditions for young adults to "be the book," as Jeff Wilhelm describes what needs to happen. I'm beginning a series of interviews of past Eva Perry Club members to see what they can tell me about how the club made a difference in their literate lives. I have a hunch that we need to think about the "inherently social aspect of literacy" as Gordon Wells calls it. For those readers who haven't learned to read so they find themselves in a book, can we model via a book club experience so they understand what it feels like?
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking really vital questions . . .
My teens definitely fall into the avid reader category. I used to easily find books they would enjoy reading. As they have gotten older, they are now 15 and 18, that has become more difficult. Sometimes, I think I've found the perfect book yet they have no interest in it. The Melinda's proved to be a similar experience. The big winners, Rot & Ruin, Card Turner, and Nothing, had very sophisticated themes. I was especially surprised by how they embraced Card Turner and Nothing. Sometimes I forget that teens are already dealing with really adult issues. I think books that address difficult issues head on in creative ways appeal to teens. Like you, I read to escape. However, my kids read to immerse themselves in an issue and sort it out.
ReplyDelete"K: Well, I read about myself.
ReplyDeleteMe: You can read about yourself in a book.
K: There’s a book written about me? (Sarcasm
again)
Me: There’s a book written about everybody."
Inspiring conversation! It rassures us about the importance of voice in YAL. Adolescents seek finding archetypal images in their reading. If they fail to hear those captivating voices, their whole relationship with books would fail. The question is: How can we reconcile them with 'themselves' (the 'intimate' books undiscovered yet)? How can we engage those teenagers who have been victims of a bad choice or even a lack of choice?