All is not lost for the practice of reading books. The Harry Potter phenomena should remind us that “the market” for readers–young and old–is still there. However, the “classics” of previous generations usually aren’t the “bestsellers” of the newer generation. Bring the kids to any of the 30 public library outlets in St. Louis City and St. Louis county. Turn ‘em lose and wait. You’ll be gratefully suprised.

bill olbrich
government information librarian

Great column again this week, Aisha. I would hope my two boys will grow up with some passion for reading but I think you hit the nail on the head with there being too many alternatives for ones time. And quite frankly, television sometimes is the only practical answer for settling the kids down. I know, I know, horrible…but I’m guilty.

We usually make a weekly trip to the library on Tuesdays, and my oldest is allowed to pick out a few books and a movie. He loves it. I love it cause it makes me feel like we are shopping for things for them, when in fact we don’t have to pay for any of it!!! Each night, he gets to pick out a book and we read it before bedtime. For a kid under 4, I think that’s about what you can expect.

Bill brings up a great point about Harry Potter. I’ve never seen anything like the Potter mania in my 30+ years that had kids and grownups literally standing outside of stores at midnight for their copy - of a BOOK! It got so bad - and competitive - with my wife on who could read the book first, that we had to buy two copies, one for each of us. Neither of us could read too far ahead or else we’d be in trouble with the other. It was awesome! And a BOOK no less! Sad, though, I also know of families that prevented their kids from reading the Potter series because of all the ”witchcraft” and stuff.

Looking back, I don’t think I got much into reading books until later in my 20’s. Like Aisha mentioned in her column, I too grew up with Ms. Pacman, Atari, Nintendo and the greatest line of cartoons to hit television. I only read when forced to. It wasn’t when I finally graduated from Mizzou and had the dreaded 9 to 5 job that I started taking pleasure in reading. I read more trade/specialty magazines and news print than books, now. I may get in 2-3 books a year - my last conquest was Stephen King’s The Stand… all 1200 pages. Took me almost all year, but I got it done.

I think as long as books/reading are in the environment, kids will pick up on it…eventually. May be 20 years later, but I think it will have an effect. I just don’t feel too guilty about the tv and other alternatives, as long as they are educational…or cool.

Definitely let your kids become regular visitors at the library. When they’re old enough, I think it’s age five, have them get their own library card.

Let your kids see you reading. They watch you all the time.

Teach them that reading can be pleasurable; that it’s not just for school or work.

Even comic books and magazines are good things to read. Have your child lead aloud to you. You can observe the progress of their reading skills and they will be so thrilled that you want to listen to them.

My husband and I, like Brian, had to buy two copies of the Harry Potter books because neither of us were willing to wait for the other to finish. I don’t recall my parents pushing books on us as children or weekly trips to the library, and I watched my fair share of cartoons as a child. I also was an insatiable reader, and still am. It kills me that I don’t have all the time I used to for reading since the birth of my son. I guess that is a trade-off. Before he was born I would read an average of 20 books a summer. That’s not an exaggeration.

I read to my son, who just turned 2, every day. I also let him watch TV. I believe there can be a reasonable balance. He loves his books and he loves his Blues Clues. I will make sure that reading is an enjoyable experience for him as he grows up. I know it is still an achievable goal. I have a 13 year-old nephew who loves to read. He chewed through the Harry Potter series and is now addicted to the Warrior books. He also likes to play video games, because he’s 13. It hasn’t rotted his brain yet.

I think J.K. Rowling did a great service to young readers. She allowed them to enjoy reading without being ostracized by their peers. It was the ones NOT reading the books that were out of the loop. She also ignited that love of reading in people that didn’t have it before. We can only hope that the trend continues.

I am a life-long compulsive reader, so I would much rather be without TV.I usually have several books and/or magazines that are in progress at any given moment.I played Pacman once back in the ’80’s and that was plenty.My daughters(ages nine and four) seem to be taking after me, while my teenage son is more like their dad and only reads to learn how to do something or read the news,although he was into the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings books.My daughters and I very much enjoy the American Girl books and incorporate them into history studies(we homeschool), as well as computer games like Oregon Trail,which requires a fair amount of reading.Sometimes watching movies inspires interest in reading the book,at least for me.I remember seeing Gone With the Wind, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Ivanhoe as a teen, then reading the books,and I hope that will work with my kids.My older daughter is starting to read Indiana Jones books after seeing the movies,so maybe it’s working.I also read historical romance novels as relaxation reading( my guilty pleasure), but not as often as I used to.I think my perfect job would be book reviewer or proofreader!

My parents have also given magazine subscriptions as gifts to the older kids.They were excited to get mail in their own names, so it encouraged them to read the magazines.We encourage that kind of gift and discourage many of the other less educational stuff.Unfortunately,we don’t get to the library often, but are regulars at Border’s, and check thrift stores often for used books.I have at least nine bookcases brimming with books, as well as bookcases in each of their rooms, so there is no shortage of reading material at our house.Now I need to thin out the stuff we don’t need anymore to make room for new books!

I find that a child has to find that one book that makes them realize the magic of reading. You cannot push them to love reading more than just emulating the behavior (read in front of them) and taking them to the library so that they can find that one book that changes their philosophy.

You can limit TV viewing. I read in a book on closed captioning the other day that a father limited TV, but would double it if they also watched with the closed captioning on for the program. He felt that, when they were younger, it improved their reading skills.

As far as a choice of watching TV or reading…well, that’s a rather sophomoric question. Both are there and serve their purpose. I would not want to rid myself of either. And, if you eliminate on–especially the TV–that just makes the attraction of it that much brighter.

Almost ten years ago I got rid of my TV. Plain and simple: I have no regrets.

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You must read to your child every single day since the day they are born. You must turn off the TV and show them this is how you spend your free time. You must talk to them about what they are reading and show and interest. Readers do well in school and go farther in the world. It opens up worlds to them they would never get to experience in real life.

If I had to choose between television and books, the t.v.would go. My child was/is very much a night person. Long before he could read, I tucked two books of his choice in the crib with him every single night. I explained that if he was not ready to go to sleep, than he could look at the pictures quietly until he fell asleep. I never once had a problem with him asking to get up during the night, per our agreement. And now at age 21, he still carries a great book with him wherever he goes, as he always has. Yes, we can create a new generation of voracious readers by giving them a few minutes every night to select a couple of books to read (or just look at) until they drift off into dreamland.