Our readings this week were about books for teenagers. This made me think about: when is the transition from childhood to adolescence and then the transition from adolescence to adulthood? Starting in middle school or sometimes even earlier kids starts to go through puberty, which is an awkward time for everyone. When girls and boys start feeling and thinking differently they sometimes resort to literature to learn about what is happening to their body. I think it is important that this information is taught in the science curriculum but to force children to read books about it and discuss it is pushing the limit on their comfort zone. If they want to read these books they will on their own. So after this stage of books the topics just get more mature, usually more so about real world topics.
So what I am confused about is what makes a book for high school or college students and what makes it for adults. The ability level is basically the same and people in their early twenties do not like to read books about puberty so do they automatically jump to adult literature? I feel like most of the time people our age are either reading books that are below or above their maturity.
I am in the same boat as you; a little confused as to where you draw the line. When I finished reading The Book Thief I was thinking to myself "there is no way a child can read this book!" I assumed since this class is Children's Literature that we would be focusing solely on children's books. When it comes to topics of books for different age group I think that will differ greatly. When I was in middle school I was interested in reading about personal issues. I enjoyed reading A Child Called It and books similar to it. However, there are some young students who will feel uncomfortable reading about such heavy topics. I think books are created for all ages and everyone can choose for themselves which age level they enjoy reading.
ReplyDeleteI was a child who liked to read about personal issues, it helped me get through those awkward times, they made me feel not alone, knowing that others go through it to,without actually talking to people about it. When I was in middle school I looked to literature as an aid,it helped me get through the bad and the good. Now that I am older I am also stuck to what I am suppose to read. I do read a lot of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult, I really enjoy them, but so does my mother who is 42. I'm confused where the line is and if there is one.
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