Mysteries

Mysteries seem to have become an extremely popular genre among the tween set. They have always held appeal, because mysteries are almost universally enjoyed, regardless of race, ethnicity, age or socio-economic status because everyone likes to be their own detective. In the case of tweens, this literary experience can be empowering since it allows them to solve the mystery as they read. Many of the books have tween or teen detectives to make it even easier for the reader to imagine themselves in the role and one-upping a bunch of clueless adults. What an awesome fantasy! This brand of escapism is especially important for self-esteem. The ability to picture themselves as a real detective, solving mysteries is a great way for them to start thinking about their real futures where they will ALL be solving problems of one kind or another. Life is a series of problems to be solved and especially in the workplace. Mysteries are great practice for the problems that may arise in school, a job or even personally. The methods used to slove them: gathering evidence, analyzing evidence and making connections are priceless skills that can be universally applied and fun to read about. This makes mystery reading educationally valuable and an easy sell to a reluctant reader.

When You Reach me

I found When You Reach Me to be somewhat confusing and I wonder if kids will be able to figure it out. I don't think that a book has to be completely understandable to be enjoyable but how much do readers need to understand in order to achieve enjoyment? How and when does this change as we get older? I think there are many more vague books published for adults than children and I realize that younger kids need a certain amount of clarity in their stories, but when can we begin to think in ways that allow us to enjoy books with loose ends, unclear plot lines or non-linear stories? I know many people who have never been able to enjoy those kinds of stories, and that is a literary preference that they've developed, but what books do kids read that could lead them in that direction? I believe there is little to no material available that treads the line into vague or non-linear that is appropriate for adolescents. If they aren't reading it as they develop their literary preferences, then when do they discover that kind of material? Maybe college or even high school, but it might be worth considering that tweens are capable of internalizing a lot more than society gives them credit. It wasn't my favorite book, but I think When You Reach Me serves a valuable function for kids just beginning to discover the vast diversity in literature and literary styles. I wonder what it could lead to in more sophisticated books.

Claudette Colvin

The story of Claudette Colvin is an important one in several ways. Her story went untold and she was done an injustice by being pushed aside so it's important that history is passed on accurately. Most importantly, she was only 15 when she refused to give up her seat and she took a stand without any planning or support from the movement who was behind Rosa Parks. This makes her a perfect model for tweens. She handled herself honorably when it happened and she stood up to the police not knowing who might help her if she was arrested. It's important for kids to read about a person like that so they can see that their peers can make a difference. The other part of the story was that despite the movement's rejection of Claudette as a public representative, she testified in the court case and helped them anyway. Young people need to see that her motives were truly just and that she wasn't at all concerned with notoriety. Despite that, it is amazing that so much time went by before she was given any recognition for what she helped to accomplish. There was an article in The New York Times this week about her and the author of the book. (read it here) It is the account of how Phillip Hoose found her story and pursued it until she consented to interviews. When Hoose found her and started interviewing, "One of her first questions: 'Can you get it into schools?” This speaks to her primary concern which has always been staying true to her ideals and getting justice for her community. Tweens couldn't ask for a better role model, and now they are lucky enough to have a National Book award winning story to introduce them to Claudette Colvin.

The Spectrum

It was so interesting to hear people discuss their experiences in school with classmates that were strange or different. It is fairly likely that we all knew at least one person with autism or aspergers that at the time just seemed weird or different. I don't remember anyone I knew being specifically diagnosed with anything like that until I was well into college so there was no education about it in school and anyone with it must have endured a lot of unexplainable social stigma and perhaps some academic issues too. It is a true sign of progress that we can now identify some of the reasons behind people's differences but there is also a danger in having too many labels being thrown around because it can still be isolating. Children should be educated about people's differences, but it's tough to slam them over the head with too many facts. Books that address the issues seem to me to be a better solution. A well written book like Emma Jean Lazarus Falls Out of a Tree can subtly illustrate differences while simultaneously encouraging acceptance. Reading about realistic situations puts everything into context and easier to understand. Hopefully children's authors will continue to address the endless differences among us as humans to give children perspective on the world's immense diversity. They don't need to be hit over the head, but gentle exposure over time can hopefully contribute to a future society that is more tolerant and accepting.

Overbooked

After discussing the phenomenon of overbooked children and how prevalent it has become in pop culture and parenting culture, I wonder how childhood moved in this direction. In the past kids had a lot more time to play with each other and outside, which has now been shown to be extremely valuable to their development. It would stand to reason that TV, the internet and the constant communication our society has come to demand are contributing factors, but in a modern world where there are fewer real responsibilities for kids I wonder how we progressed to this point. In the somewhat distant past, children had many more household responsibilities because of the lack of modern conveniences and in many cases they had to help with the family business, whether it was a farm, store or craft. Only the elite were excused and they often had private tutors with additional academic responsibilities. So in a modern world with studies showing the benefits of unstructured play where we put laundry in a machine and make dinner in a microwave, why are children more over-scheduled than ever? Why haven't these studies had more influence over the parenting culture that forces kids to work more hours in the day than their parents? This also makes me wonder what we can be doing to advocate for down time or even give it to them in libraries. Certainly in a school the librarian could make their period one for quiet reading, but a public library can be a lot more hectic. What kinds of programs could allow kids to just be themselves without worrying about school, extra-curriculars or other responsibilities?

Tweens and Money

It is striking to think that many of today's tweens cannot conceive of what many things cost in relation to how much money the family makes. I have started to hear about more youth programs popping up that have to do with budgeting and money management. This type of programming is potentially invaluable to many kids whose parents have neglected to educate them about smart money management. A program that even just covers the basics of a bank account could be a great library program for young adults, potentially helping them set up a budget for the things they buy for themselves. Having and managing a bank account is a great exercise in math skills, but more importantly in life skills. Giving youth certain things to be financially responsible for forces them to prioritize what they want. If a kid gets an allowance they have to find a way to save it up for something big or make it last to cover all the expenses they need it for. The program could cover how to keep a record of deposits and withdrawals along with lessons about interest so they might learn a little about saving and its benefits. If teenagers could leave high school with just that basic knowledge, it might go a long way towards improving upon the "need it now" culture that America has developed since the 1980s.

Tween Adventure

As I began The Big Splash I found myself feeling relieved that it wasn't yet another fantasy adventure. When I was a tween I was completely obsessed with the Redwall books by Brian Jacques and I felt like I'd never have enough until I got a little older and VERY suddenly lost interest. After reading all the other books for this course I am actually growing tired of my own favorite genre. I wonder what the tweens are thinking when they read book after book with a similar formula. Many of them devour books like candy (and without a job and an adult life they have the time) so they must run into the same patterns that we see as librarians and lovers of children's literature. Do they see them too? Do they reach a point in their development as I did where they lose interest and move on to more sophisticated books? It think after my Redwall craze ended I read The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It's an adult title but it is still fantasy. I remember feeling proud for reading something so epic and long and afterwards stuck to adult titles throughout high school. I often see those adolescent rabid readers eager to move on to what they perceive as "more adult" books and often different genres. I think it's a great period to watch out for because it could present us with an opportunity as professionals to do some really great reader's advisory. All it takes is one good recommendation to set them on a completely new path in their literary development.