Reading is FUUUUUN. I’ve never had a problem picking up a book and devouring page after page like a hungry word-eater. I’ve been a bookworm from the very beginning, folks. From The Boxcar Children (which I discovered in 2nd grade thanks to my teacher) to The Book Thief (also a teacher-recommended read) it’s been real.

But when a SCHOOL hands me a book and tells me to read it? It’s a completely different story. (Pun intended.)

Don’t get me wrong here. I am a firm believer that kids today, man, they need to read. In the age of technology, technology, technology, and video games and social media and so much more right at our fingertips, what would possess a kid to pick up a book anyway? Soooo lame. (Note the sarcasm.)

Take sixth grade for example. Yes, I was required to read books – nine books a quarter, which is nine books in nine weeks – books I got to choose. (I certainly wasn’t complaining.) But then – about halfway through the year, when I was relieved and felt sure I wouldn’t have to worry about school-required books – I was given this book. You might recognize the title? The Boy In The Striped Pajamas.

I had heard of it before, but I’m not sure when – if I hadn’t been required to read it in the sixth grade – I would have brought myself to pick it up. I had just gotten into book blogging and I wanted to read the latest YA debut. But then I begrudgingly began reading The Boy In The Striped Pajamas, and, my goodness. Boy am I glad I did! (Sort of. It was a terrible terrible book… but GOOD at the same time. Just read it and you’ll know what I mean!) 😉

I love that book, and I would have missed out on a lot if my teacher hadn’t made me read it. And then that gets me thinking about other kids – other kids who don’t even read on a regular basis like me. What if they’re handed a book for school and they don’t want to read it… but it opens them up to a world of books and turns them into a reader??

“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling

BUT THE THING IS… I still dislike the overall idea of school-required reading. In my home-school group this year and last, I have to read several books to write essays on. Examples: The Witch of Blackbird Pond; Carry On, Mr. Bowditch; The Phantom Tollbooth; The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe… some of them I enjoyed (The Witch of Blackbird Pond), and some of them I still didn’t. (Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.)

And the thing is, we need school-required reading. I’m all for it. But ARE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT? In my sixth grade Language Arts class, I remember we read several Greek myths among other folktale type stories and we answered a 10-question page about the story… and moved on. We never discussed the morals of the story, the lessons we could learn from it… and that really bummed me out. THAT is the most important aspect of a book – the part where it leaves you THINKING – and the public school system I experienced missed out on that.

Later in 7th grade, I read The Giver and my friend read it with my previous school, and loved it… but from what she told me, the class really didn’t question it. What can this tell us about our world today? What would you do in Jonas’ position? A book like that… not even being questioned or discussed? It made me sad.

So there’s my love-hate relationship with reading. On the one hand, YEAH YEAH YEAH we need school-required reading… a) to introduce kids to books they wouldn’t otherwise read (myself included!) and b) to have discussion. But… sometimes I STILL don’t enjoy the books or get much from them (as much as I hate myself for it)… and what’s the point if kids don’t even think about WHY the school wanted them to read the book in the first place! (But hey I’m a home-schooler, my teacher makes SURE I discuss the books…) 😉 Food for thought.

until next time! what are YOUR thoughts on school-required books?