Why do kids hate books? | Teen Ink

Why do kids hate books?

May 19, 2009
By Kristina Just BRONZE, Marietta, Georgia
Kristina Just BRONZE, Marietta, Georgia
1 article 1 photo 0 comments

So… I guess you saw this article because you don’t like to read. Well, I have a question for you… WHY?!? Is it because it’s boring? Don’t have time? Too hard? Not important? Not fun? Well… THINK AGAIN! Maybe these are the “distractions” that are keeping you from reading… Your computer? Your TV? Your internet? Your cell phone “cough” texting “cough” your video game systems… “cough” PSP, Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, ETC. “cough”; or maybe sports that you may be involved in.
Ok, books are a little boring at first, but start out small. If you have a class book to read, but you HATE reading chapter books, then just read a couple pages at a time. Not reading at all can affect your grade and your intelligence. If you have to finish a book by a deadline, then don’t wait till the last minute. READ the book if you don’t you will be pressured and won’t take your time, which means you should TAKE YOUR TIME. If you hate books period, then just try reading children’s books with lots of pictures and few words and work your way up to big books like Twilight and its series. Once you get hooked on a series, you just can’t stop. Series keep you busy so you don’t have to go looking for another book every month.
What kinds of books draw your attention: Are they the ones with the colorful covers? Relatable characters? Interesting plot? Sounds funny? An eye-catching excerpt on the back cover? Good comments from friends? Reviews? Well I too, look for these things. Most important is the genre - I personally enjoy fantasy fiction. Some people do not; it just depends on the individual. There are so many genres in books; the biggest are fiction and non-fiction. Fiction is fake, make-believe, made-up. Non-fiction is real life, real people, actually happened.
If you find a book that you like, you will most likely want to read more. If not then try another book. Trying different genres will help you find which one is best for you. Once you have found a genre, then try to read books from that genre, but occasionally read books from genres other than yours. Most likely in school you will have a book report that has the genre that you hate. Read it anyway, because it is always good to read various genres to expand your “genre collection”.
Here are 20 books that I challenge you to read…
1. Twilight – Stephenie Meyer
2. Twisted - Laurie Halse Anderson
3. Mediator – Meg Cabot
4. The Clique – Lisi Harrison
5. Warriors: Into the Wild – Erin Hunter
6. Heaven Looks a Lot Like The Mall – Wendy Mass
7. Eldest – Christopher Paolini
8. Peter and the Shadow Thieves – Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
9. Speak – Laurie Halse Anderson
10. Marley and Me – John Grogan
11. Stargirl – Jerry Spinelli
12. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
13. Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls
14. What My Mother Doesn’t Know – Sonya Sones
15. The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
16. Budd, Not Buddy – Christopher Paul Curtis
17. Redwall Series – Brian Jacques
18. An Audience For Einstein – Mark Wakley
19. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
20. Whale Talk – Chris Crutcher
Now if you read those books I guarantee that you will LOVE to read. There is no right and wrong way to get hooked onto books, you just have to read.
So remember, when someone tells you that they hate to read, tell them to READ! If you still hate books after reading those 20 books, then all I have to tell you is read some more, and more, and more! Put down those cell phones; turn off that T.V.; grab a book and READ! Oh and by the way, take your time and remember to HAVE FUN!


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This article has 8 comments.


on Feb. 16 2015 at 1:11 pm
Cookie97 BRONZE, Defiance, Ohio
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Yes, I hate reading. Its boring and I only read books when I have to for a class. I would rather play games, spend time with friends, or watch tv then sit still and read a book. I understand that reading can be educational and may be entertaining for some, but I enjoy looking at the pictures in the book more than reading and comprehending the words. There have been a few times that I was really into books. These books were high-intensity action novels that were fiction. The beginning of the book has to be very strong and draw me in before I want to read the entire book. I don’t know how a boring and emotional book can be so entertaining to some people. I think reading books has had a major drop off due to the addition of electronics in young kids, especially video games.

Maryk PLATINUM said...
on Jan. 28 2015 at 8:19 am
Maryk PLATINUM, Waterford, Michigan
22 articles 1 photo 66 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The ability to learn is greater than the ability to teach." - Arnold Jacobs
"He who slays monsters will become a monster himself"-Nietzsche
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing is going to get better its not"-Dr.Suess
“They are poor, especially for the player, I think it is very difficult to have auditions and find a suitable way to judge, because we have a great many talented players to choose from. This means a lot of heartbreak for the people who are very capable.”-Arnold Jacobs, Teacher and Tuba Player

I think kids do not like it when they are forced to read something that they hate or is not in their interest. Also many of the books kids are forced to read have very tragic and disheartening themes like Bridge to Terimathia,The Outsiders,Lord of the Flies, and lets not forget 1984! So stop literary lobbying and avoid people who want to burn Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Captain Underpants...the king of banned books that boys know and love, take that Wimpy Kid!

lilly said...
on Jan. 21 2014 at 9:10 pm
Sorry to say, but most kids don't read because its "uncool". Just like girly girls; a lot of girls act that way to be popular. But there are some kids who don't act stupidly because others act stupidly and they DO read, do eat broccoli, and are their own selves! Anyway if you don't read because of popularity and stuff, well, that's nit very smart.

on Aug. 3 2012 at 2:49 pm
SpringRayyn PLATINUM, Lakeville, Minnesota
34 articles 2 photos 658 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't punish yourself," she heard her say again, but there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness too. That was writing."
--Markus Zusak, "The Book Thief"

I dislike the assumption you made at the very beginning of this. I clicked on this because I thought it would be a persuasive essay on why kids should read that I would agree with, but you start off accusing the reader of not liking reading. It made me not want to read the whole thing.

 

Throughout the essay, I suggest using less CAPITOL LETTERS and just italisizing them when you want emphasis. Capitol letters look unprofessional and take the reader's eyes away from the words around it, making the rest of the work seem less important. Also many people read capitol letters in a yelling voice and makes you sound angry instead of calm and willing to debate your veiws.

 

At the end of the first paragraph, you go off to start talking about series while the rest of the paragraph is about how you should start reading. It really doesn't relate, and so should be moved to another paragraph that it can relate to or deleted completely.

 

In the second paragraph your first sentence has a grammatical error: the colon is used to introduce a list, long quotations, or defenitions, but when you use yours there is only one short question followed by many short questions. I think I see what you were trying to do, but this could be a little better constructed to catch your meaning, if you know what I mean. In contrast, your last paragraph introduces a long list of books that you challenge the reader to read, but the list starts off with an elipses: used to show ommission of words from a quote or sentence to make it shorter or clarify.

 

Your concluding paragraph is good, but the very last sentence is off-hand and not strong. If you had taken that sentence off and ended it with, "Put down those cell phones, turn off that T.V., grab a book, and READ!" (in which case I agree with your all capitols because it puts emphasis on the ending sentence and is the focus of the paper) it would have been stronger and straightforward. Despite this, your ending was much stronger than the rest of your paper and I can see that if you work on your writing, it can turn out well.


on Dec. 18 2010 at 6:39 pm
GreenDayFan SILVER, Phoenix, Arizona
7 articles 3 photos 134 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Every story has an end, but in life, every ending is just a new beginning."
-Uptown Girls

I love to read. Well on special occasion, but I still like to read. I agree that kids don't have a good point for not likeing books. I use to hate books and the reason why is because I thought they were boring. When really they are like a tv but typed in words. Good Job on the article.

kristinajust said...
on Jul. 1 2009 at 2:52 am
OK, this was a paper that I had to write for school... i was desperate for words... I'm sorry if it offended you and I'm sorry that you felt different about this article. but thanks for the feedback!

on Jun. 23 2009 at 8:49 pm
LoveLikeWoe DIAMOND, LeSueur, MN, Minnesota
54 articles 2 photos 748 comments

Favorite Quote:
Whoever laughs first has the sickest mind.

Very good point Kristina! My favorites and the ones i have read on your list are numbers 1, 11, 14, and 16. I would LOVE to read 9, 12, and 15. I love to read. It's a passion for me... Your article made sense and it was very well written. Good job! *claps*

tim beck said...
on Jun. 17 2009 at 10:34 pm
tim beck, Webster, Texas
0 articles 0 photos 20 comments
why twilight? TeenInk.com/raw/Books/article/103740/Twilight/ and i still read a lot, but i still spend time on my xbox 360. i play the 360 from about 10 am-5pm and then i read till 9:30 which is when i eat and take a shower and get ready for bed at 10pm. about 4 times a week ill walk around my apartment complex for 30 min to an hour. so you cant say i dont do anything other then games. now you may say, "oh what about your social life, well i have almost 100 friends that i play with half the time on xbl and then theres the internet, so i have all my bases covered.