Source: buffalonews. com

A young reader scouring the pages of the “Percy Jackson” series by Rick Riordan encounters two things: On the surface it’s a fantastic and thrilling story. But beneath the book’s inconsequential guise is a lesson in Greek mythology.

In “The Hunger Games” trilogy, by Suzanne Collins, political issues course through the pages alongside the expected personal threads of grief, love and loyalty. The third book of the increasingly popular series, called “Mockingjay,” hits bookstores today.

Unlike some adult novels, heavy with disillusionment or overwrought prose, these books are fresh and frank — qualities that kids love. Their commercial success, too, is a clear indicator that both children and young adults are absorbing a ton of literature these days — “Mockingjay,” in particular, will have a first printing of 750,000 copies.

But here’s the conundrum: While book sales in the young adult and children’s categories are up despite the recession — a surefire sign that young people are still reading — Newbery Medal-winners like “The Giver” and “Bridge to Terabithia” may be falling by the wayside. Teachers across the country are finding it more and more difficult to push traditional titles without squelching their students’ love of reading.

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I remember having to read “The Giver” and “To Kill A Mocking Bird” back in middle school, I found some interest in them, but not much. But then again at that time in my life I didn’t like reading at all. Maybe if I had read something like “Twilight” back then I would have fell in love with reading quicker.  Although I don’t know why kids would lose intrest in “Bridge to Terabithia”, If a teacher where to show the movie after reading the book I think the kids would enjoy it more. Personally I think it is all in the teachers approach to the books, if they treat it as a old classic book kids aren’t going to think of it in the same way. A teacher needs to plan fun activities to go along with it. Or maybe read a new book like “Twilight” and then read “Jane Eyre”, the students might find more interest in classics if someone from a ‘newer’ book likes old classics.

I don’t like that some of those parents do not want their children reading new books in school. Personally I would be grateful that my child wants to read any book, since there is a big percent of kids who don’t enjoy reading at all.

What do you think of teachers adding new popular books in to their curriculum? Should they stop reading the classics?