You are probably thinking, “Yeah right, the last thing I want to do after a long night of homework is pick up a book and read some more. ” After all, you probably do enough reading for English class as it is. But, recently the teen literary market has taken off, evidencing an explosion in popularity of teen novels mangakakalot. It is pretty hard to go anywhere now without hearing a reference to the Twilight series.
In fact, a health rivalry has developed among the fans of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire novels and followers of the similarly fanciful Harry Potter series. Fantasy novels like the Twilight and Harry Potter series are just one option among many in terms of the subject matter out there. You may not have realized it, but Gossip Girl was a series of novels long before it was a hit Tv show. Actually, many of your favorite movies were based on books which were popular long before they were movies.
Some examples of teen novels which recently made the book to movie transition include: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (part of C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia), I love You, Beth Cooper, The Vampire’s Assistant, and Tim Burton’s latest, Alice in Wonderland.
All of these novels reflect trends in teen reading. Some of the most popular books right now aren’t the boring books from your parents’ generation you might be picturing. Because of the recent success of various teen serious, there are many options available beyond so-called classic literature.
Graphic or manga novels are a less traditional reading choice. First popularized in Japan, graphic novels have transitioned to the united states and are a sort of novel-comic book hybrid. Graphic novels contain both an exciting visual and written storyline.
As mentioned, many teen novels are series. These can be a fun choice because over time you get to know the characters and the story lines develop further from book to book. The first book will introduce you to the characters, and as the series continues you will learn more about their lives, the story line will build with time, creating excitement and suspense as you wait for the final outcome. A series can be as engaging as the daily drama at your high school or junior high.
The most important thing when choosing a book is to choose one that interests you. Whatever your interests are, it’s likely that there’s a book to match. You can find a book you like in a variety of ways. There are dozens of suggested reading list on numerous websites. Amazon. com offers a feature for each book it sells where customers can provide their own reviews about the book. This can be a great way to see what other “real” people thought about the book you’re considering. Reading to your child at a young age is one of the most effective tools for expanding his mind and instilling a lifelong love of learning. Reading a good book allows your child to travel to places she has never been, to meet people she has never met, and to develop an understanding of how to deal with a variety of physical and emotional situations.
Reading to your child also helps you develop an emotional connection. Whether you have her cuddle up in your lap, nestle with him while he is winding down for bed, or read to her while waiting for food in a restaurant, you are connecting. Reading to your child from an early age will also help him be successful in school. Reading out loud will help him learn language and become familiar with words. Reading is the foundation for developing an understanding of conceptual information and it sparks imagination!
Your child is never too young to be read to. Frankly, you should begin reading to your child while in the womb. During this time, use reading as a way of familiarizing the baby to your voice. If both parents take turns reading, it is even better. Imagine, before the baby is even born, the act of reading helps you connect and it can help parents reconnect with each other. When your child is born, the adventure begins. During the “easy” phase of infancy when your child is not physically able to explore his/her world, reading to your child helps him feel loved and comforted. Nestled in your arms with a favorite picture book, your baby will, at first, seem unaware of what is going on. But is she? When my daughters were infants, I would read a series of picture books called the “Find The” board books by Stephen Cartwright. These books have lively illustrations, but no words. Guided by a series of images that included pictures of children and animals, each book asked children to find the piglet, the duck, the teddy, the puppy, the bird, or the kitten. When my daughters were very small, I would hold the book in front of them and while their heads wobbled about, I would ask, “Ceiley, where’s the bird. ” Of course, there was no response, so i would point out where the bird was and, in doing so, I would describe the picture and put it into context. For several months, I would pull out the book and ask, “Where’s the piglet! ” One day, an interesting thing happened. When i asked the magical question, my daughter lifted a chubby finger and pointed to the piglet. Had she understood what I had been saying all along? I will probably never know but one thing is certain, before the age of one, she knew what a piglet was, what the word “find” meant, and she used her magnificent brain to tell her finger to point to the picture of the pig. All because I read a book. Her mind was indeed a blank slate upon which I could impress ideas and concepts.