As a librarian at an intermediate school, I can say that age group is not reading like they were. We used Accelerated Reader and held them accountable--it was a part of their grade. After the pandemic, it was not, so the teachers have nothing to hold over them to make them read. It makes me so sad.
That’s so sad. Reading is such a gift. But I think phone addictions are reducing adult readers now, too. Brains have been rewired by the purposely addictive algorithms. Very impactful to an entire culture.
yes! I’m actually giving a talk tomorrow about phones and how they’ve re-wired our brains toward short-form consumption and away from long-form creativity.
Evelyn, would you be willing to share some version of that talk here so that we parents can see/hear/read it? I've been researching this issue more and more lately.
I actually didn't end up doing it! We authors (at this book festival) didn't know we were expected to give full talks on our own (usually at events, we are given a conversation partner). So I was scrambling to put together a talk, and that's what I was working on when I responded to Susan's comment.
But then the authors here had dinner together and realized what great rapport we had with each other (we were strangers before that dinner), so we agreed to all just interview each other at our talks.
Therefore, I never finished writing my presentation and didn't actually give it. But if I do do it some day, I'll let you know!
Our school doesn’t allow them to have their phones out during the school day, but I’m sure they use them at home. They use Chromebooks all day long, though.
My brother is a teacher in my building, and we talk a lot about the students. It's a struggle for him. It's really even a struggle for me in the library even though I don't actually teach a lesson. We chat about books--new ones, ones already in the library, etc. It's so different than when I started in education 31 years ago.
It’s so sad. We (educators and parents and anyone who cares about young people) have a lot of work to do, but I do believe it’s possible to get them to read again! (Spoiler: it’s not AR!)
This is our last year for AR. The elementary schools are doing something else, but the three secondary schools are using it this year, then we’ll switch to what they’re using—a free program. We haven’t used AR for a grade for a few years now. I reward those who do read and achieve goals, but otherwise, there’s no pressure. I do stress how important it is to read and comprehend what they’re reading, but most do not care.
So sorry to hear this news. I fear for our future right now, with so few embracing reading - which is the gateway to so much knowledge. Kids need to PICK UP A BOOK. My daughter is a voracious reader and always has been. My son is dyslexic and we had to fight to give him literacy. This summer, he volunteered at the library and came away with an important insight about what the librarians did (paraphrasing what he said) - school often does not instill a love of reading for pleasure or enjoyment and frankly makes reading all work, but the library set up activities and events designed to show kids that there are books that kids will actually enjoy and to help them find the books that is their niche interest. You and I of course recognize that truth, but the fact that it is an insight for a smart 16 year old makes me sad for the future. Keep writing!!!
You did a great job, Noelle, of helping your son love books so much that he ended up volunteering at a library. Glad you have two reading kids, even though it's not always easy.
Oh, I am so very sorry to hear this! I know that you will be okay but it’s still sad and disappointing! Hopefully it will be out in the world soooooon. The world needs more of your writing!❤️
Sad, but thanks for sharing a disappointing lesson in the business dynamics of writing. And this read like a lesson, an inside view of the “ why” and not as a complaint or a whine. As unusual, I learn something important or turn the page with a smile when I read your posts. The world is changing and while I morn the fact that children at that important developmental age aren’t reading more, I value knowing the reality of the change.
awww thank you for this, Dante. You understood the spirit of the post exactly right. I just hope to shed some light for my readers but always to proceed with hope. I'm so glad to hear that it's working. 💛
2079!! Wow. Hope it still gets published. As an avid reader myself, now and back when I was that age, it sucks that more kids aren't reading. My mom made us book lovers and when we didn't have our noses in books, we fired up our Atari gaming system or PLAYED OUTSIDE UNTIL THE STREETLIGHTS CAME ON. What a concept. Alot of the technology that kids have access to these days didn't exist when I was growing up. Definitely a different era. I can't imagine NOT reading. When I was a freshman in high school, I discovered adult romance books and was at the library every damn week.
And when my niece announced she was pregnant 2.5 years ago, I nearly lost. My damn. Mind. in the book section at Target getting a stack of books as a baby shower gift. LOL Per her request. No toys. Just baby shit and books? Say less! She got him a library card just this year and HE LOVES GOING TO THE LIBRARY! <tears of happiness inserted here> I have a bumper sticker on my car that says, "Books are, let's face it, better than everything else." No truer words have ever been spoken.
I love the image of you running around Target crying with joy that you get to buy allll the adorable kids books! This just made my day, knowing that another little reader is being brought up so lovingly. Thank you for sharing your story, Ororo!
That sounds like a cool book! Very sorry to hear the circumstances though. Super glad you’re positive and taking it all in stride. Thank you for sharing this!
You're welcome, Sonora! I think it's important to share both the ups and downs, because this career is still worth it, but I want others to know that it's not like you publish one book and then it's all fairy dust and rainbows. It's still work, like any career. But WONDERFUL work! 💛
This sucks to read. Both about your book and about kids not reading much these days. This is why I take my toddler to the library and get her excited about new books. I hope she becomes and avid reader like her mama. Here’s to the next book that will be published!
There is hope for the resurgence of reading, specifically within the Generation-Z community. I discovered this after scouring the internet for the latest trends; and that trend being the iconic 90’s flip-phone.
And why not go with this peculiar trend? The 90’s flip-phone does it all: it dials numbers, receives texts, and stops screen-time addiction. (It doesn’t have internet).
Is there hope for reading for all ages? Yes! Even the most tenured of Hollywood, Woody Harrelson switched to the 90’s flip-phone.
Hopefully miss Evelyn Skye, with the surge of Substack subscribers, the love of reading will return. And “The Princes Private Eye and the Mystery of the Robo Bird” would be released far before your 99 and a half-birthday. :)
Imagine pre-order a book and wait 55 years for it to release 🤣
But sucks that they made you do all the work before deciding not to go forward with it. I mean those sales numbers must been seen before you started working on the second book.
Evelyn, my 13yo daughter told me that a couple of weeks ago, she and another 8th grade boy sat side by side at recess, reading their respective books.
Somehow, they got to chatting. Felicity relayed to me that both of them lamented that hardly anyone their age reads books, and that it made them feel sad, because they both love to read!
What troubles me is the impact of increased social media use among kids as a contributing factor to their decline in reading as a cohort. I wonder how we can change the trajectory so that they will return to books and the exploration of entire worlds and minds therein?
I wonder, too. My daughter (who is in high school) said their English class still has 20 minutes set aside for independent reading. Maybe if more classes did that, kids would get more into the habit of reading on their own, outside of school?
My kids attend a private school, and they do something called DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) every day for 20 minutes, but I'm told they grumble about it. 🤷♀️
I have 2 kids this age- my observation is that post pandemic parents have kids scheduled ALOT. They are doing sports/activities from end of school until they collapse and have very little free time. I think parents are trying to cram in all the things the kids “missed” while home. It’s too much. I don’t think most kids have enough time to read or do much else of choice. I’m so sorry this happened to your book!!!
As a parent, I totally get the compulsion to squeeze in more of the fun that the kids missed, but yeah, sad that that means less reading time. Thank you for your sweet compassion for my book. It’s ok though. I shall persevere and write more stories! 💛
As a librarian at an intermediate school, I can say that age group is not reading like they were. We used Accelerated Reader and held them accountable--it was a part of their grade. After the pandemic, it was not, so the teachers have nothing to hold over them to make them read. It makes me so sad.
Michele, it makes me sad to hear from a real life librarian that this is true!
That’s so sad. Reading is such a gift. But I think phone addictions are reducing adult readers now, too. Brains have been rewired by the purposely addictive algorithms. Very impactful to an entire culture.
yes! I’m actually giving a talk tomorrow about phones and how they’ve re-wired our brains toward short-form consumption and away from long-form creativity.
Evelyn, would you be willing to share some version of that talk here so that we parents can see/hear/read it? I've been researching this issue more and more lately.
I actually didn't end up doing it! We authors (at this book festival) didn't know we were expected to give full talks on our own (usually at events, we are given a conversation partner). So I was scrambling to put together a talk, and that's what I was working on when I responded to Susan's comment.
But then the authors here had dinner together and realized what great rapport we had with each other (we were strangers before that dinner), so we agreed to all just interview each other at our talks.
Therefore, I never finished writing my presentation and didn't actually give it. But if I do do it some day, I'll let you know!
That sounds like a lovely alternative, Evelyn!
It was SO lovely, indeed! Really fun.
I am writing one of my chapters on addictions and things of this nature. I’d love to hear your talk. Will it be possible here?
Unfortunately, it’s live in Denmark and I don’t think it’s being filmed!
No worries. I’m just very interested in this topic as well. Particularly how it’s affecting both writers and readers of all ages.
Our school doesn’t allow them to have their phones out during the school day, but I’m sure they use them at home. They use Chromebooks all day long, though.
That's good. But do they have internet access on their Chromebooks all day?
Yes, unfortunately.
I taught college courses, but I really think teaching nowadays would be challenging.
My brother is a teacher in my building, and we talk a lot about the students. It's a struggle for him. It's really even a struggle for me in the library even though I don't actually teach a lesson. We chat about books--new ones, ones already in the library, etc. It's so different than when I started in education 31 years ago.
Susan, that's pretty much what I assumed, too.
Michele, my kids still have to do AR.
And they hate it.
My 13yo said it makes reading less enjoyable, because there's pressure to perform for a grade.
It’s so sad. We (educators and parents and anyone who cares about young people) have a lot of work to do, but I do believe it’s possible to get them to read again! (Spoiler: it’s not AR!)
I agree, Clarkie. AR seems to be a deterrent in getting kids to WANT to read.
This is our last year for AR. The elementary schools are doing something else, but the three secondary schools are using it this year, then we’ll switch to what they’re using—a free program. We haven’t used AR for a grade for a few years now. I reward those who do read and achieve goals, but otherwise, there’s no pressure. I do stress how important it is to read and comprehend what they’re reading, but most do not care.
Most do not care = so sad, Michele!
So sorry to hear this news. I fear for our future right now, with so few embracing reading - which is the gateway to so much knowledge. Kids need to PICK UP A BOOK. My daughter is a voracious reader and always has been. My son is dyslexic and we had to fight to give him literacy. This summer, he volunteered at the library and came away with an important insight about what the librarians did (paraphrasing what he said) - school often does not instill a love of reading for pleasure or enjoyment and frankly makes reading all work, but the library set up activities and events designed to show kids that there are books that kids will actually enjoy and to help them find the books that is their niche interest. You and I of course recognize that truth, but the fact that it is an insight for a smart 16 year old makes me sad for the future. Keep writing!!!
You did a great job, Noelle, of helping your son love books so much that he ended up volunteering at a library. Glad you have two reading kids, even though it's not always easy.
Oh, I am so very sorry to hear this! I know that you will be okay but it’s still sad and disappointing! Hopefully it will be out in the world soooooon. The world needs more of your writing!❤️
There will always be more of my writing... I cannot be stopped lol.
Sad, but thanks for sharing a disappointing lesson in the business dynamics of writing. And this read like a lesson, an inside view of the “ why” and not as a complaint or a whine. As unusual, I learn something important or turn the page with a smile when I read your posts. The world is changing and while I morn the fact that children at that important developmental age aren’t reading more, I value knowing the reality of the change.
awww thank you for this, Dante. You understood the spirit of the post exactly right. I just hope to shed some light for my readers but always to proceed with hope. I'm so glad to hear that it's working. 💛
2079!! Wow. Hope it still gets published. As an avid reader myself, now and back when I was that age, it sucks that more kids aren't reading. My mom made us book lovers and when we didn't have our noses in books, we fired up our Atari gaming system or PLAYED OUTSIDE UNTIL THE STREETLIGHTS CAME ON. What a concept. Alot of the technology that kids have access to these days didn't exist when I was growing up. Definitely a different era. I can't imagine NOT reading. When I was a freshman in high school, I discovered adult romance books and was at the library every damn week.
And when my niece announced she was pregnant 2.5 years ago, I nearly lost. My damn. Mind. in the book section at Target getting a stack of books as a baby shower gift. LOL Per her request. No toys. Just baby shit and books? Say less! She got him a library card just this year and HE LOVES GOING TO THE LIBRARY! <tears of happiness inserted here> I have a bumper sticker on my car that says, "Books are, let's face it, better than everything else." No truer words have ever been spoken.
I love the image of you running around Target crying with joy that you get to buy allll the adorable kids books! This just made my day, knowing that another little reader is being brought up so lovingly. Thank you for sharing your story, Ororo!
Ted Gioia's substack deals with much the same issue today: https://www.honest-broker.com/p/where-did-all-the-book-readers-go?r=1hkps6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
How fortuitous! Can't wait to read it.
That sounds like a cool book! Very sorry to hear the circumstances though. Super glad you’re positive and taking it all in stride. Thank you for sharing this!
You're welcome, Sonora! I think it's important to share both the ups and downs, because this career is still worth it, but I want others to know that it's not like you publish one book and then it's all fairy dust and rainbows. It's still work, like any career. But WONDERFUL work! 💛
This sucks to read. Both about your book and about kids not reading much these days. This is why I take my toddler to the library and get her excited about new books. I hope she becomes and avid reader like her mama. Here’s to the next book that will be published!
Yes yes yes to taking your little girl to the library, Ashleigh! That makes me so happy to hear.
There is hope for the resurgence of reading, specifically within the Generation-Z community. I discovered this after scouring the internet for the latest trends; and that trend being the iconic 90’s flip-phone.
And why not go with this peculiar trend? The 90’s flip-phone does it all: it dials numbers, receives texts, and stops screen-time addiction. (It doesn’t have internet).
Is there hope for reading for all ages? Yes! Even the most tenured of Hollywood, Woody Harrelson switched to the 90’s flip-phone.
Hopefully miss Evelyn Skye, with the surge of Substack subscribers, the love of reading will return. And “The Princes Private Eye and the Mystery of the Robo Bird” would be released far before your 99 and a half-birthday. :)
Maybe for my 98th! haha
But in all seriousness, thank you for this optimistic outlook, Tim. I err towards hope as well, so your comment made me smile. 💛
ugh, this makes me want to cry for you! And for all the kids who were super excited to read it. ouch <3
thank you, Alix. It’s very sweet of you to say. 💛
Imagine pre-order a book and wait 55 years for it to release 🤣
But sucks that they made you do all the work before deciding not to go forward with it. I mean those sales numbers must been seen before you started working on the second book.
Hahahahaha
It sounds to me like you have to return to Paris to do some research for a next book now. The baguette calls.
Hahaha I like how your brain works, Samuél. I’m in Copenhagen right now… maybe some Danish pastries will do the trick.
Oh hell yes. If you haven’t said hello to Kierkegaard it’s a glorious cemetery. Hans Christian Andersen is also kicking around the neighborhood
on it!
Evelyn, my 13yo daughter told me that a couple of weeks ago, she and another 8th grade boy sat side by side at recess, reading their respective books.
Somehow, they got to chatting. Felicity relayed to me that both of them lamented that hardly anyone their age reads books, and that it made them feel sad, because they both love to read!
What troubles me is the impact of increased social media use among kids as a contributing factor to their decline in reading as a cohort. I wonder how we can change the trajectory so that they will return to books and the exploration of entire worlds and minds therein?
I wonder, too. My daughter (who is in high school) said their English class still has 20 minutes set aside for independent reading. Maybe if more classes did that, kids would get more into the habit of reading on their own, outside of school?
My kids attend a private school, and they do something called DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) every day for 20 minutes, but I'm told they grumble about it. 🤷♀️
I have 2 kids this age- my observation is that post pandemic parents have kids scheduled ALOT. They are doing sports/activities from end of school until they collapse and have very little free time. I think parents are trying to cram in all the things the kids “missed” while home. It’s too much. I don’t think most kids have enough time to read or do much else of choice. I’m so sorry this happened to your book!!!
Oof. I wonder if I'm doing that, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. My kids still do read, but not as much as during the pandemic :( Yikes.
And Eveyln, so sorry about the sad book news - what a bummer
thank you, Jenna. Don’t worry, I’m fine! But I appreciate you saying so. 💛
As a parent, I totally get the compulsion to squeeze in more of the fun that the kids missed, but yeah, sad that that means less reading time. Thank you for your sweet compassion for my book. It’s ok though. I shall persevere and write more stories! 💛
It's very sad that they won't allow you to try different venues to bring that book to the public. But as you say, it's their book.
It’s ok, though. I’m at peace with this now. But thank you for your kindness, Claudia! 💛
Much love Evelyn. Love your kind spirit.
this made me smile this morning (over in Denmark today for a book festival). Thank you, Julie.