Children’s Reading

[ardcarp]

I don't think one can be prescriptive about what age children should stop being read to. It depend entirely on family dynamics, needs and abilities. But I think we can all agree that parents reading to small children, from babyhood even, is vitally important.

[teamsaint]

Storytelling , for people of all ages, is a very vibrant area of activity. It’s power has been neglected, or perhaps worse, for way too long.

https://sfs.org.uk

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I believe that relatively few people also read books on science and similar subjects - I’d even include economics here. Philosophy is slightly different, but still not fiction. I may be wrong - and I’d be glad to be told that.

I suppose it depends upon how anyone defines "relatively few" - there is a considerable market (I'm sure ts will be able to provide some better idea of sales) for popular science nd history titles - and the success of Dora Sobel's Longitude twenty-odd years ago has created a sub genre mixing biography, history and science (I mentioned Proust & the Squid earlier, which is another example. They don't have the blockbuster sales figures of a Dan Brown, but they do sell very well.

So should children be encouraged to read books on science and engineering - even art and music? If so, how?

Yes - and in the same ways that they are encouraged to read fiction.

[ardcarp]

Dora Sobel's Longitude

Dava Sobel?

Yes, that was a real hit. It was only a slim volume, but so well written; and involving a bit of science, a bit of geography, but above all the struggle of a brilliant self-educated man (Harrison) to win the prize-money.

As a kid (around 12 I think) I discovered Nansen's Farthest North in a remote corner of our public library. It consisted of two heavy volumes*, and I seem to remember some persuasion being needed to be allowed to 'borrow' it, and the problem of getting it home on my bike...along with a euphonium! It was in English (fortunately) and not an especially readable work, but I was riveted by the sheer struggle of Nansen and Johansen to survive an Arctic winter having left The Fram frozen in the ice. I recall my amusement that the two men always addressed each other by their surnames despite living cheek by jowl for months on end on an ice floe. I've subsequently visited The Fram in its museum in Norway.

* Just found pics of the identical volumes: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/B...xoC0mEQAvD_BwE

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Dava Sobel?

Yes, that was a real hit. It was only a slim volume, but so well written; and involving a bit of science, a bit of geography, but above all the struggle of a brilliant self-educated man (Harrison) to win the prize-money.

Yes; she's good, too! (Equally good books on Galileo and on Copernicus, too.)

As a kid (around 12 I think) I discovered Nansen's Farthest North in a remote corner of our public library. It consisted of two heavy volumes*, and I seem to remember some persuasion being needed to be allowed to 'borrow' it, and the problem of getting it home on my bike...along with a euphonium! It was in English (fortunately) and not an especially readable work, but I was riveted by the sheer struggle of Nansen and Johansen to survive an Arctic winter having left The Fram frozen in the ice. I recall my amusement that the two men always addressed each other by their surnames despite living cheek by jowl for months on end on an ice floe. I've subsequently visited The Fram in its museum in Norway.

* Just found pics of the identical volumes: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/B...xoC0mEQAvD_BwE

[greenilex]

I’ve been enjoying “Tamed: ten species that changed our world” by Alice Roberts.

There is a good deal of excellent pop science being written at the moment.

[doversoul1]

I don't think one can be prescriptive about what age children should stop being read to. It depend entirely on family dynamics, needs and abilities. But I think we can all agree that parents reading to small children, from babyhood even, is vitally important.

No, there is no prescribed age but since reading at bedtime is not just about stories being read but is part of children’s growing up process (for parents too for that matter), it does come to a natural end when children reach a certain stage of maturity even if parents are willing to go on reading to them. I think this is why we treasure this particular family activity as much as we do. Never too late to start does not apply to bedtime reading.

[oddoneout]

While I believe that reading literary works of fiction is to be encouraged, I believe that relatively few people also read books on science and similar subjects - I’d even include economics here. Philosophy is slightly different, but still not fiction. I may be wrong - and I’d be glad to be told that. Apart from the usefulness of people reading and learning about things which may be of practical use, I feel that although some literary fiction does address issues - for example poverty and social justice (Dickens and others) sometimes coming to these deliberations more directly, without trying to see them through the eyes of an author, may be more desirable.

So should children be encouraged to read books on science and engineering - even art and music? If so, how?

As has already been mentioned the example set by the adults and the availability of suitable material will make non-fiction 'normal'. I have seen some excellent science based books for young children and the mainstays of my children's non-fiction reading - Usborne and Dorling Kindersley - are still with us, and cover a very wide range of subjects at various levels. Their large format books stuffed full of pictures(illustrations and photos) are attractive in their own right and don't rely on reading ability for enjoyment, but the addition of straightforward text caters to those who can and wish to read. Heck, I still enjoy them!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Heck, I still enjoy them!

- the Dorling-Kindersley publications are marvellous.

I was never greatly impressed with the Horrible Histories series, but they were very popular in the Primary schools when I was a Supply teacher - and there's the Horrible Science series, too.

[doversoul1]

- the Dorling-Kindersley publications are marvellous.

I was never greatly impressed with the Horrible Histories series, but they were very popular in the Primary schools when I was a Supply teacher - and there's the Horrible Science series, too.

May they (Dorling-Kindersley) last forever.

I think Horrible Histories are the sort of books that children find themselves. I wouldn’t stop children reading them but I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend them to children. The series can encourage some children to go on reading ‘proper’ history books but that probably is an exception/minority.

I know Amazon is a dodgy organisation in many ways but for those who want to look for books for children, it is a miracle. More socially correct (?) book search can be done here. I find the site awkward to use but very useful nonetheless.
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/reviews*

* I have no vested interest in the company

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

May they (Dorling-Kindersley) last forever.

The series can encourage some children to go on reading ‘proper’ history books but that probably is an exception/minority.

I don't know if that is correct or not - but, even if it is, does that matter? Isn't "some" (even if they are "an exception/minority") better than "few" or "none"? As I said, I'm don't rate the books in themselves, but seeing clusters of state school primary kids swapping gory details from history - and in about half-a-dozen schools across Bradford - suggests that they'd done their job. Few may have gone on to study History at University (but then, that isn't the point of reading - it's fostering informed, imaginative, and "happier" individuals) - but still more than would have been the case, I suspect/reckon, without them.

[doversoul1]

I don't know if that is correct or not - but, even if it is, does that matter? Isn't "some" (even if they are "an exception/minority") better than "few" or "none"? As I said, I'm don't rate the books in themselves, but seeing clusters of state school primary kids swapping gory details from history - and in about half-a-dozen schools across Bradford - suggests that they'd done their job. Few may have gone on to study History at University (but then, that isn't the point of reading - it's fostering informed, imaginative, and "happier" individuals) - but still more than would have been the case, I suspect/reckon, without them.

I agree with you. Now that I am older and (somewhat) wiser, I’m all for ‘any book is better than no books’. Although I still wish more adults would take seriously the idea of quality in children’s books (as well).

[ed.]
World Book Day
…. the number of books borrowed from public libraries in England has plummeted by almost 100m since 2011.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/mar/07/world-book-day-2019-libraries-tom-watson

I bet the number of books borrowed from children’s libraries has dropped even more. How many members of this forum can say ‘we have a children’s library with a trained children’s librarian in our area’? If you have such thing as a children’s library at all. And we call this nation a developed country.

All the same, I wish they would stop going on about this. What do they mean by success in education?
...reading for pleasure is the single most important factor in giving children success in education.

[Stanfordian]

I agree with you. Now that I am older and (somewhat) wiser, I’m all for ‘any book is better than no books’. Although I still wish more adults would take seriously the idea of quality in children’s books (as well).

[ed.]
World Book Day
…. the number of books borrowed from public libraries in England has plummeted by almost 100m since 2011.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/mar/07/world-book-day-2019-libraries-tom-watson

I bet the number of books borrowed from children’s libraries has dropped even more. How many members of this forum can say ‘we have a children’s library with a trained children’s librarian in our area’? If you have such thing as a children’s library at all. And we call this nation a developed country.

All the same, I wish they would stop going on about this. What do they mean by success in education?
...reading for pleasure is the single most important factor in giving children success in education.

Obviously that doesn't include the many libraries that have shut.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I was a pushy parent and taught my children to read before they went to school.

My son was less pushy with his daughter and she’s a great reader at 7. I gave her a year’s subscription for Aquila magazine for Christmas. She loves it.

[ardcarp]

World Book Day
…. the number of books borrowed from public libraries in England has plummeted by almost 100m since 2011.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/20...ies-tom-watson

I bet the number of books borrowed from children’s libraries has dropped even more. How many members of this forum can say ‘we have a children’s library with a trained children’s librarian in our area’? If you have such thing as a children’s library at all. And we call this nation a developed country.

But on the bright side, as I set off to 'work' today I passed a crocodile of...er...crocodiles, lions, zebras, donkeys and sundry other animals. Hazily ruling out having overdosed on anything last night, it occurred to me that our local primary school was celebrating World Book Day. Quite heartening, especially as animals seemed to predominate, and I didn't spot any Daleks or Darth Vaders.

I did spare a thought for Mums and Dads...especially those with several kids....for whom this annual ritual means a lot of lateral thinking in the fancy dress department; and an even bigger thought for those whose little Freddie said, the night before, "Oh by the way we've got to dress up tomorrow". (I wonder if online sales have a boom week?)