Just saw a meme about reading

[Marthe48]

"Children should learn that reading is a pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school." Beverly Cleary

I see my grandchildren often, and I see the books they are assigned. Neither of them like some of the assigned books and it is like pulling teeth to get them to read those books, even if the books contain lessons on morality, problem-solving, growth, and so on.

I wonder if the students could read the assigned books, and then tasked with finding other books with similar themes. Maybe books with a different viewpoint, maybe different characters solving the same sort of conflicts, in a different setting. Just a random thought.

At least so far, in their school, they are getting a wide-range of books and no protests from parents about content.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. My parents always read to us when we were toddlers, and we learned to read along.

Both my sister and I learned to read well early, and we picked out our own books. Not all Dr. Seuss stuff, either -- my inclination towards science started early. By the time we got to school, reading a book was no big deal. We also knew what we liked and didn't like, at least broadly. I don't remember being required to read that much in school, but we did plenty on my own. It didn't take any class in school to get us to read for the sake of enjoyment.

But reading a book for the sake of "lessons on morality, problem-solving, growth, and so on" sounds more like taking medicine than pleasure. To hold kids' attention, it needs that "spoonful of sugar" in the form of exciting adventure, humor, exotic locales, etc.; the lessons are slipped in beneath the radar.

If you want kids to lose interest in reading, just make it all work and no play, and that will do it.

[Marthe48]

2. The books they get don't preach

I meant underlying messages, like characters doing the right thing, even if it takes them awhile to get there. My daughter, her husband and I read to the kids, my daughter even before they were born
I used to read a lot, have a vision problem that makes it harder. Glad there are so many audio stories available.