Bad Language/Poor Grammar in Children's Books

[Lisa]

Abigail wrote: "I'd hate to return to the days when certain subjects were swept under the rug, and considered "unfit" for children's literature. I think that would be as harmful as a constant diet of disturbing... "

Yes, those were my days, and it was devastating for my generation. I love all the literature that's out there today! From picture books to ya.

[Lana]

Cheryl, do you mind if I ask what your son reads? Or, to be more specific, what he likes to read?

I've been reading a lot of blog posts lately about how there isn't enough good boy YA fiction out there, which drives teenage boys to read adult books sooner. The other interpretation of the phenomenon is that boys prefer adult books at an earlier age than girls and these preferences result in less demand (therefore less publication) of boy YA books. Often a potential YA boy book is marketed as an adult book for this very reason (according to some). Other people say boys this age simply don't like to read very much, but studies apparently show otherwise.

So . . . I'm interested in knowing what a 14-yr-old action-adventure-type male reader actually reads. Do you mind sharing?

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

I don't mind sharing at all. It's hard to predict, and even remember, what single books he's enjoyed lately, but he's into all the expected series. He's read the Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief series twice, and Everworld Search for Senna.

He tried to get me to read the Artemis Fowl series, and he also like Colfer's The Supernaturalist. Not surprisingly, he read all of Harry Potter.

Oh, and he liked the Chronicles of Chaos trilogy Orphans of Chaos and the Silverwing series Silverwing.

Um, and The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again and I, Robot. I plan to encourage him to read more of Asimov's Robot Stories, and some Del Rey and classic Bradbury too.

And he likes some poetry, like Shel Silverstein, E.A. Poe, Carl Sandburg and Sharon Creech Love That Dog. Just today we had fun with God Went to Beauty School.

And he heard me laugh out loud to Finally so he's reading that right now.

There's more, but I'd have to interrupt him to remember and I won't do that, because he's still not as avid a reader as I would like him to be. I'll look at his shelves when we get home. (I wish I could talk him into joining GR!)

[Lana]

Thanks Cheryl. Sounds like he's starting to delve into adult books a little while reading some great kids' books. BTW if your son likes Eoin Colfer he should read Airman. I think it's my favorite of Colfer's books.

After my last post, I was thinking that it's not unheard of for teenage girls to read adult books. I know a lot of girls who like Jodi Picoult.

[Lana]

Abigail wrote: "Those sound like great selections, Cheryl! I think, once our Diary of a Wimpy Kid discussion gets going, that I might put up a thread in the Themes folder, to discuss books that will ..."

Great idea, Abigail. I'd love to see a thread like that. I also think I read more teen books now than I did as a teen. Of course, both the quality and quantity of teen books has improved since I was a teen, WAY back in the day. My daughter once asked me if I had electricity when I was growing up. :)

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

I will join that thread - my son did remind me of a few more books he's been enjoying, but you'll have to join me over there to find out what they are.... .

Colfer's *Airman* is on our to-read list. I liked Benny and Omar but my son didn't. Benny and Babe is next on my pile.