But Isn't This About Adults?

"It's time for parents, educators and cultural critics alike to face the facts of our own making. Today's educational and professional realities don't foster the reflective context that enables students to become broad and patient readers."

So says Nancy Schnog in a Washington Post article entitled Reading? Oh, Sure. Just Give Them a Sec. I totally agree. Reading takes time, it takes solitude. The adult world doesn't believe kids should have either of those things. They should be doing things and being with people. Personally, I don't think we have any business complaining that kids don't read given the lifestyle we've imposed upon them.

However, Ms. Schnog's article was written in response to the National Endowment for the Arts study that indicated that Americans are reading less. That study was done on information collected from the census. Kids do not fill out census forms. Adults do. Ms. Schnog explains why kids aren't reading, but what about the adults who the NEA study actually studies? Hey, they're grown-ups. No one is making them go to dance class, Sunday school, Scouts, skating lessons, a different sporting event for every season AND volunteer to do good works and extra credit reports. What's the grown-ups' problem?

The Buzz at Child Lit

Child Lit is all agog over an article in the new issue of Harper that's supposed to be a downer about YA lit. However, no one has actually been able to find the magazine. I'll keep you posted.