What books are children reading?

The comic series just released on May 27 by Kim Dong Publishing House. Photo: Kim Dong Publishing House

What do children read for?

According to a recent survey by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in the US, the percentage of children aged 9-13 who have the habit of reading for pleasure has decreased significantly.

Specifically, from 1984 to 2019, the number of 9-year-olds who read for pleasure every day decreased from more than 50% in 1984 to 42% in 2019. Among high school students, the proportion of students who regularly read for pleasure dropped to 17%, while the number of students who rarely or never read tripled.

The data in the US, however, can still be used as a reference for the current reading situation of children in Vietnam. The main reason students read books today is to follow the requirements of the subject, to follow the instructions of the teacher, to do homework. Because reading is a compulsory task, the joy of reading will no longer exist. Even if the homework only requires reading an excerpt, the students will only read that excerpt and then close the book.

The pressure from school may make students pick up a book to read, but it does not help them find joy in reading. Not to mention, the stimulation from electronic devices makes books boring and a “burden” both literally and figuratively. The above 17% figure is a sad truth.

It is clear that reading goals determine the type of books children read.

To meet the learning needs, textbooks and reference books are currently the most popular among students, especially high school students.
With the purpose of entertainment, comics now overwhelm other types of books because of their appeal, diversity in themes, content, many drawings and importantly, “few words”, which can be read from the 2nd grade level. Besides the modest market share of Vietnamese comics, comics on the market are mainly of foreign origin, of which the majority are still comics from Japan.

Notably, comics are not the top priority of parents when choosing books for their children to read.

According to the Renaissance Foundation's What Children Are Reading 2023 report, children are reading more books than ever before. However, their enjoyment and comprehension of reading are falling significantly, especially among secondary school students.

Read a lot but have little fun

Earlier this March, the charity World Book Day (which operates in the UK and Ireland) said a survey of 1,000 children aged 7-14 found that a significant number of them did not feel free to read what they wanted.

More than a third of the children surveyed said they were unable to choose what they wanted to read, and about a fifth felt judged by the adults around them for the books they chose, which demotivated them from enjoying reading.

This is probably the main conflict that teenagers have with their parents about reading. Parents want their children to read books that are rich in words, highly educational, and can provide knowledge or character education. Children just want to be free to choose the genre and books they like to read without being judged by adults. If a balance is not found soon, which is a suitable reading agreement between parents and children, the number of children who are “dissatisfied” when reading will increase.

Along with comics, young adult literature has many books that meet both children's reading needs and parents' expectations. However, like comics, there are few pure Vietnamese books and most are still translated books.

For younger ages, kindergarten and primary school, interactive picture books, illustrated fairy tales and science books with vivid images are still popular. However, in this stage of forming a love and habit of reading, what young children need most is the companionship and role model of their parents every day. At least until they become independent readers, have their own interests and goals when reading, have the right to choose suitable books, have their own bookshelves and schedules for reading. This is the foundation for whether teenagers will be interested in reading in the future.

Reading is not something that should be measured in quantity, especially for young children. Reading is not a race, not a badge to show off. Therefore, it is not entirely a good sign that young children are reading more books than before. Especially when the purpose of reading is for entertainment and the ability to read, understand, connect, empathize… is reduced.

Reducing the pressure of reading, turning reading into a normal activity as well as choosing quality books that are suitable for children are the requirements. The appropriate criteria are not only based on adults' assessment but also on children's interests, giving children the right to choose the books they want as well as creating conditions for children to participate in conversations and sharing about books... These are the first solutions to foster a love of reading for children, if parents really take this seriously.

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