Survey on Children's Literature

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As an English teacher one of my research interests is children's literature (the other is fantasy literature). I read a lot of children's literature, but now I'm wondering what CHILDREN are actually reading. =) If you have children, nieces/nephews, and/or godchildren, what are they reading??? What kinds of books do they prefer and why? What kind of books do you buy for or read to your children/nieces/nephews/godchildren? If you teach children what books do you assign your class?

Thanks in advance. =)

Comments

Tarie Sabido said…
Hi Kestrel! I was actually going to email you my question because I wasn't sure if you were going to read my "survey post." I like the Artemis Fowl series, I think it's exciting. =) How do your students like it? What is the "Children of the Lamp" series???
2:08 PM
Anonymous said…
I have a twelve year-old sister (she's still a child, isn't she?) and I see her and her friends read Mary-Kate and Ashley books (boooo.), Series of Unfortunate Events and the Shopaholic series or whatever you call it. Am I supposed to be scared of what they're getting from those books? :-o
4:03 PM
Tarie Sabido said…
Mary-Kate and Ashley books?! Oh no. Please tell your sister to stop reading those! No need to worry about The Series of Unfortunate Events (unless your sister starts getting overly pessimistic). But you should be afraid, very afraid about what your sis is getting from the Shopaholic books. They are all good fun, but I think your sister should ALSO be reading better/deeper books.
4:55 PM
fusenumber8 said…
I work in the finest children's room in America. No brag, just fact. So what are the kids reading? I was shocked to find that one of the can't-keep-em-on-the-shelf authors out there is.... Betsy Byars. Remember "Summer of the Swans" and "Midnight Fox"? Well they're as popular as ever. The usual Lemony Snickett and Eragon books go out with regularity, but the fact that I've had 10-year-olds checking out old Beverly Cleary teen romance novels from the early 1980s (I kid you not) alongside original paperbacks of "The Baby-sitters Club" is enough to make your head spin. Everything old is new again.
11:50 AM
Tarie Sabido said…
Hi fusenumber8! =) Yup, I remember Betsy Byars. =) Wow, so Beverly Cleary and the Baby Sitters' Club are still popular. That's great! =) "Classics." =) I find The Series of Unfortunate Events too depressing for myself. I love the Eragon books! And I was actually thinking of re-reading the Beverly Cleary books soon. I guess I still really do have the heart of a child. My taste is still certainly the same as children's. LOL. =D
4:01 PM
Jillian said…
Hello! And thanks for your kind comment on my blog. :)

Your question touches on a passion of mine, both as a writer and as a homeschooling mom!

My 14-year-old son is not an avid reader, though when he finds a book that he likes he can read for hours without stopping. Right now he is reading ERAGON, though he isn't loving it. Fantasy is not his favorite genre; he prefers mystery, which I am finding difficult to find at his age level (he loves the Hardy Boy mysteries but they are below his reading level now).

My 12-year-old daughter is a MAJOR BOOK WORM!! She loves fantasy. She read Lord of the Rings at age 10. She's also read The Hobbit, The Dark Hills Divide trilogy, Eragon and Eldest, The Princess and the Goblin, several of the Chronicles of Narnia (not her favorite), etc. Her non-fantasy reading has included Little Women, A Christmas Carol, Anne of Green Gables, etc.

My 10-year-old daughter is just blooming as a reader; she has been reluctant (perhaps because she was a little intimidated by her older sister...?). At any rate, she just read The Hobbit in less than a week and I gave her a chocolate bar! LOL

And right now I am reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe to my 7-year-old son (he loves it).

Obviously I'm a big influence on my kids because I love to read fantasy -- and am now writing it as well.

It's difficult to find YA books that aren't trashy these days!
7:25 PM
fusenumber8 said…
Oh! I run a homeschooler bookgroup at my library. Actually, I've found that homeschooling parents are probably some of the best bloggers out there today. This blog just reinforces that feeling. The kids in my bookgroup just read one of the "Freddy the Pig" books, but get a mix of fantasy tomes, old and new. I'm trying to convince them to read "How To Eat Fried Worms" soonish. THAT's a great book!
10:31 PM
Tin (ni Johann) said…
Back when I was in college, I decided to start buying books for my future children -- the first set I completed was Roald Dahl's books.

(Next set I'm looking at is Shel Silverstein's)

Johann wants our kid to love fantasy and scifi -- I think he has a list in mind already.
6:00 PM
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