Bring on the books!

Children’s literature seen as one answer to the deepening decline in reading

By SANDY LONG

UPPER DELAWARE REGION — When the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) released its 2004 report, “Reading at Risk,” about the decline in America’s reading habits, it was hoped that the trend would begin to reverse itself. That has not happened, according to the NEA’s latest study, “To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence,” which analyzed reading patterns in the United States based on statistics from more than 40 studies on the reading habits and skills of children, teenagers and adults.

The study found that, not only are Americans reading less, they are also reading less well: “Less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers; Americans ages 15 to 24 spend almost two hours a day watching TV, and only seven minutes of their daily leisure time on reading; Reading skills continue to worsen, especially among teenagers and young males.” (See the full report in the publications section of the NEA’s website at arts.gov ).

The study concludes that such declines in reading have civic, social and economic implications. “The new study is the first to bring together reliable, nationally representative data, including everything the federal government knows about reading,” said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. “This study shows the startling declines, in how much and how well Americans read, that are adversely affecting this country’s culture, economy and civic life as well as our children’s educational achievement.”

One of the most promising remedies for addressing the problem lies with libraries, where the importance of early exposure to literature is well understood.

According to Randall Enos, Youth Services Consultant for the Ramapo Catskill Library System, children should be exposed to literature as early as possible. “Children should be read to as soon as they enter the world, if not before. Being read to is such a pleasurable experience on so many levels that no child should be without it. It builds a bond between the child and the caregiver; it creates a bond between the child and our wonderful and important language and it is the first step towards good communication.”

“Children need literature that will challenge them and expand their horizons,” Enos added. And the recent announcement of the 2008 winners of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Awards is a guidepost to some of the finest children’s literature with which to start. “If you think of the ALSC Awards as the ‘Academy Awards’ of children’s literature, it puts them in the proper perspective,” said Enos, who noted that the book chosen for the Randolph Caldecott Medal this year is very atypical. “Usually that award goes to a 32-page picture book, but The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick, is 533 pages with black and white illustrations and plenty of text.” The award recognizes books for children through age 14, but is frequently given to books for pre-schoolers or early elementary children.

As a member of the RCLS, the Western Sullivan Public Library will be able to offer most of the award-winning titles at its three branches in Callicoon, Jeffersonville and Narrowsburg, NY. Visit ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/2008MediaAwardWinners.htm to view the full list of 2008 winners.

In addition to the new offerings, Enos noted that libraries offer a full range of children’s activities and special services for teens as part of the ongoing effort to reconnect children with reading. For example, to address the decline in young male readers, some libraries have instituted father/son book discussion groups, according to Enos, who noted that parents play an important role in helping their children to become better readers.

One thing parents can do is to involve their children in summer reading programs offered by libraries. “Studies show that many children lose ground over the summer when they are not in school,” said Enos. “Summer reading programs encourage children to further hone their reading skills and to start the next school year on a roll.”

Story Hour is held every other Monday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Tusten-Cochecton branch of the Western Sullivan Public Library in Narrowsburg, NY. The next one is scheduled for February 11. For more information visit rcls.org/wspl/ or call 845/252-3360.