Alongside the ongoing conversation about the literacy crisis in the US, we’re starting to hear a parallel concern from those in the field: “Kids aren’t reading books anymore!” These ‘alarm bells’ were first raised when an Atlantic article titled “The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books” made its rounds. Educators report that it’s becoming more and more rare to see a student with their head in a book rather than scrolling social media; in classrooms, excerpts are favored in curriculums for testability purposes. We’re even seeing declines year over year—a 2022 study showed “48.5 percent of adults reported having read at least one book in the past year, compared with 52.7 percent five years earlier” (arts.gov).
Let’s pause and examine the moment, though. Analog hobbies are on the rise. Younger generations are rediscovering a love for books largely thanks to BookTok and TV/film adaptations. Looking deeper into media habits, many kids prefer watching streamers or YouTube over traditional TV shows, highlighting the preferred consumption of short-form content and a heightened awareness of parasocial relationships.
This tells us that people are craving connection, and what better way to connect than with books? Whole books—novels, audiobooks, eBooks—require empathy by inhabiting a character’s perspective. Following a character’s development and questioning their decision-making provides a space for critical thinking. World-building and genre-based fiction give us an escape, one which many of us vehemently crave right now.
Throughout the summer, this series will explore the importance of reading whole books through a variety of articles and essays. The following is new material:
- Carol Jago:
- When Reading, the Whole Is Much, Much More Than a Part
- Students are Starved for What Literature Can Offer
- Penny Kittle:
- Reading Must Remain Free
- Marilyn Pryle:
- In Defense of Whole Books: Choice & Ownership
Including excerpts from published titles:
- A Novel Approach: Why Are Whole Novels Hard to Teach?
- Book Love: Finding Books That Teach Life Lessons
- Leading Literate Lives: How to Read More: Find Just 10 Minutes a Day
- Literacy’s Democratic Roots: The Challenge of Sustained Reading (and Writing)
- Start Here, Start Now: Adopt a Critical Lens to Problematic Mandated Books
- Social Justice Talk: Issues-Based Texts to Examine Historical Contexts
- The Teaching Life: Requirements for Independent Readers
Check back regularly for new posts, and follow along on social media for accompanying material!
What’s the last good book you read?
