Getting Reading on World Book Day

Happy World Book Day! I am very proud to say that I did something yesterday that I haven’t done for quite a while – finished a book… I’m an adult who loves reading, and even I am struggling to find time and motivation to pick up (and finish) a book. So imagine what the kids and young people in our lives are feeling! Reading regularly has been proven to improve young people’s development, but it’s not always easy to actually do it.

Reading is far less common nowadays, in kids and adults. There are a huge amount of reasons for this (and we could spend all day speculating on exactly what those are) but here’s the long and short of it:

Fewer young people are choosing to read for pleasure in their leisure time

BUT

There are many things we can do to encourage our young people (and ourselves!) to get back into reading!

Um, You’re Reading That?

The World Book Day website has written an article telling us a little bit about some of the reasons why children are choosing to read less, according to a study they did. One of the most important things they pointed out is having choice. It seems that children are feeling judged for the books that they would choose to read. On the post, one child described the kind of books they think adults want them to read – a.k.a “proper reading”

“Non-fiction, thick books, books with only words.”

Child in study on World Book Day website

Some kids love books like that, as do some adults. And they definitely offer some good things – at the very least, the more words you see, the more words you’ll be able to use. Non-fiction books also give us useful information about the world around us. But… they aren’t for everyone, all the time.

What about the people who want to read fiction? What about comic books, short stories, poems? Annuals (wait, do they even make annuals anymore?), magazines, fact books full of pictures? All of these types of texts can be great for a young reader (and an older one…) especially if it is something they will enjoy.

In some circles, there is a lot of judgement from adults about the types of text people choose to read. From the classroom, to the library, to the local book club where Bethany turns her nose up at anything from the “science fiction” category, being judged for doing something is, of course, going to make you less likely to do it. And as a kid, if you want to read something that an adult you trust doesn’t think is “proper reading?” I would imagine you are likely to end up not wanting to read anything at all.

That’s for kids!

Kids and young people might also feel ashamed about reading books that are aimed at a lower reading level than they are expected to be at. If your 15-year-old wants to read something, and then finds out that it is supposedly for ages 7-11, they may very well be put off. Some people might say:

“Well, if it’s at a much lower reading level then it’s probably not going to help their learning much anyway.”

To this, I have a couple of points:

1. So what?

Reading is a source of entertainment. If you enjoy it, then why not read it? We should all be allowed a bit of fun. Soaps and crime dramas and cartoons aren’t the most ‘high-brow’ kind of entertainment, but we all still watch them! The book may be comforting, calming, or maybe has characters and plots that speak to them at this moment in their life. There is never any shame in that.

2. It will help their learning!

A book at a lower reading level than they are ‘supposed’ to read might still contain things that will help to improve their reading. They might encounter words they haven’t seen before, structures they aren’t familiar with, characters that develop in a new and exciting way. It might make them interested in reading similar books that are written specifically for readers of their age. But overall, regularly reading for pleasure has been shown to improve brain development, test scores, and mental health in children – and it doesn’t matter what level those books are made for.

3. What does ‘reading level’ even mean?

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell what makes a book ‘suitable’ for a certain age range. At younger ages, it can be a bit clearer what the differences are. Picture books are generally aimed at very young children, who may then start to look at chapter books, and then on to novels. Books for small children might have shorter words with clearer meanings, more pictures, and straightforward storytelling. But does this mean that they are ‘easier?’

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a picture book recommended by the publisher for children aged 2-6. It has been incredibly popular for over 60 years. The gist of the story is that a young boy is sent to bed without supper, and goes on a wild adventure where he becomes king of a island full of creatures, before he gets lonely and decides to go back home. Looking deeper, though, it is a story about a young boy working through his feelings of anger, boredom, and frustration, and finding a way to accept the reality he lives in. Since it’s a picture book, we might assume it would be simple; but are any of these things – anger, fear, reality – simple?

Another aspect of ‘reading level’ is appropriateness. There will be different content at different levels depending on what is considered appropriate for certain ages of readers. There are certain things that many people will agree are not suitable for certain ages, but it’s more complicated than simply making a list and making sure the books tick the boxes.

Some younger readers will be able to appreciate and learn from stories with more “grown-up” themes, while some older readers won’t be interested in reading stories about death and romance and violence. There are books for teen readers which introduce more adult themes in a way that may be familiar to them, and address certain issues that come up surrounding them (John Green books come to mind). Many adults read ‘Young Adult’ fiction, and I myself have begun to read more books from a variety of reading levels and get a huge amount out of them. Not just enjoyment, but learning, motivation, and inspiration.

What Do We Do?

In the end, if your child or student is reading anything at all it is likely to provide them with some kind of benefit, even if that benefit is simply “I had fun!”. But they will only get that if they have the freedom to choose, and not be judged on, some key aspects of their reading habits. The World Book Day website suggests that children and students want control of what, where, and when they read. So, having discussions with your child/person/student about these types of things could be a way to begin to unlock an appreciation for reading.

Some things you can do to help your young person read more:

• Give them the choice of what they want to read, and don’t express judgement.
• Read together with them as bonding time.
• Ask them when and where they would like to read, and make that work for them if possible.
• Experiment with different styles of reading, like graphic novels, audiobooks, or kindles.
• Try to understand their preferences, and help them have access to what they need.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is apparently recommended for children aged 10-13, and as a 25-year-old it’s the first book I was able to finish since I left university. I look forward to hearing about all the amazing things you and your young readers are reading this World Book Day!

To finish off, here are a couple of recommendations for young people looking to get back into reading. To fit with what I’ve been saying above, I won’t be putting age ranges with these books, but I will describe the kind of content. This is not exhaustive, just some ideas from my own reading. Ask your reader what kind of thing they would like!

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Beautifully written, with some equally beautiful illustrations by Chris Riddell, I would recommend this book to literally anyone. After his family is suspiciously murdered, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where he finds a group of ghosts who decide to take him into their care. He grows up in the graveyard, surrounded by magic, learning how to grow up while always keeping an eye out for the man who murdered his birth family.
Content: death, some violence, magic, a little spooky at times, found family, coming of age

Storymaze Series by Terry Denton

These books are half comic book, half chapter book, which is perfect for those who like the structure of comics but want to dive into a bit of prose as well! Denton delves into sci fi, and also explores some traditional greek myths in a playful way, with delightful characters and the really fun comic strip portions. Just look at the blurb on the back to get an idea of his hilarious style.
Content: funny, aliens, greek myths, adventure, puzzle solving, some peril, best friends