read

To teenagers identity is important. Moreso, that of choice. Limited representation will turn pupils away from reading. As adults and teachers, we must ensure varied cultures, diverse backgrounds, and a range of identities are shown. Only through positive representation can we capture interest.

What most school libraries have and showcase, usually involves adult-centred narratives, traditional story arcs, and popular canonical texts (the ones adults were brought up on). Enid Blyton, Charles Dickens, and Roald Dahl are there, but do they truly represent the here and now? Young adult fiction needs to mirror lived experiences and feel contemporary. Not everyone can relate to miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge and his transformation from skinflint to benefactor. Likewise, stereotypes have long filled bookshelves and the shackles of copy and paste heroes of old seldom reflect the drive of a reader. Move over James Bond, hello complex characters.

Graphic novels cost money and can often be deep and encourage inference building. As can verse novels, fantasy. and a range of LGBTQ+ fiction aimed at young adults. Through expanded genre variety, readers can grow their reading repertoire.

The cold hand of teachers opting to select reading lists keeps the shop well and truly closed. Allowing agency for pupils to move away from assessment-driven choices to give their input is key to true reading for pleasure. take away those restrictive barriers. Finding pathways within units to allow choice and book circle groups could unlock more doors.

When is reading available? Timetables limit independent reading time. Everything else is a priority and rarely does a ring-fenced opportunity to read present itself. Something else pops up. So how can a pupil make choice? A lack of library space does not help. One condition that currently enables reading for pleasure is our centralised library location. Within this space there is a suite of computers for usage on homework, research, and revision. The space has been streamlined to focus on fiction, with a limited space for non-fiction. However, the library size and space is highly limited.to an area a 1/4 of its original size. Two classrooms and a maths intervention space have swallowed 3/4 of the original library building space. This creates a hustle and bustle ill-fitting for such an area. The space is now limited to breaktime (25 minutes) and lunchtime (just 10 minutes) due to a timetable restructure whereby classes are present in the adjoining rooms. Where’s the opportunity to integrate a library offer?

Could online reading, fandom fiction, Manga etc offer more opportunity? How can it be framed as an academic task that feels good? Or, turn it on its head, frame it as an opportunity to express personal identity in practice?

Valuable reading could be literary, slightly challenging, and transferable to curriculum-aligned text. It does not always have to involve and award-winning text or use a classic novella. A piece of well-written journalism could add academic capital through its complexity and worthiness. Or even a transcript from narration (see also: Sir David Attenborough).

With respect to the broader view of literacy, all forms of reading, whether digital or visual need to be considered and included. Choice motivates. Options encourage access. If a teenager or pupil can see themselves in the story, then those genres could reflect who they are. Surely that will motivate and capture their focus. Relating to something encourages active reading skills such as empathy and connecting outside of the text.

It is important to not only stretch a pupil’s mind but to take them beyond the clinical academic realm. Fan fiction, blogs (well-vetted), audiobooks, podcasts, and graphic novels are valid pathways to expanding comprehension skills through real gritty routes. Foster lifelong love of reading over compliance.

Think further about:

Identity: representation gaps · canonical bias · limited YA · narrow genres

Agency: teacher-led · assessment-driven · little student input · restricted pathways

Choice: limited independent reading · underused library · undervalued informal reading

Assumption: valuable = literary/challenging/canonical

Re‑frame: multiple literacies · choice increases motivation · relevance matters · broaden definitions of “real reading”

Hello! 你好! Nǐ hǎo! S’mae!

“A book is a gift you can open again and again.” – Garrison Keillor (author of The Lake Wobegon Virus)

I read a few chapters before bed. I carry a book in my pocket almost religiously. I aim to have books on my desks and near my bedside. The bookshelf I have is full to bursting despite attempts to forever re-home unwanted texts. If I can read on a walk, at lunch or between classes, I do. It has always been my way. Reading is a lifelong pleasure and habit. It helps me to feel relaxed and whenever I have felt tired, alone or under the weather, reading has been my medicine and friend.

“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.” – Kofi Annan (Late UN Secretary-General)

Having a to do list is seen as normal in many households. Why not create a list of texts and books to read? Mine keeps getting longer. It never reduces. That’s the joy of reading: there’s always something new to expand your horizons. I find my television and movie viewing list also remains quite lengthy. By being balanced and principled, I can reduce my screen time in favour of reading. I often use TV as a reward for completing a reading target.

“One of the greatest gifts adults can give – to their offspring and to their society – is to read to children.: – Carl Sagan (Scientist)

Pale Blue Dot: food for thought?

I recall the joy of Mum and occasionally my Dad reading to me when I was a child. Those bonds and memories never fade. As a child I listened to it as we shared a reading habit development together! Such quality time is essential for reading habits. I recall how my Mum used to log when I would start and end a book. There was a list of great books we read together, those I picked up at school and some I had read all alone. Reading can instill self-esteem.

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.” – Kate DiCamillo

The library was a weekly excursion. It was a few hours outside of the house to explore new worlds from the pages. And, on occasion, Mum would ensure I had a special trip to buy secondhand books or new books from stalls at Manchester Victoria railway station. There, I’d often find books that gripped my attention and make me want to read. Not everything read must be a masterpiece. Those books would make for a wonderful day or hour here and there. Having a day, every month set aside just for reading has become a way to slow the pace of life down and enjoy new works. Mum gave me lots of choices for reading. That’s important. What interests me may not interest you. You can recommend reading materials but giving a child a chance to pick will always work best.

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” – Stephen King

reading with parents	set times
always carry a book	explore bookshops
create reading lists	reduce your screen time
log it	use the library
find compelling books	choose a quiet & pleasurable place

Ten possible steps to positive reading habits.

“We read to know we are not alone.” – C.S. Lewis

Some of my favourite places to read: the old Levenshulme Library; the domed Great Hall of the Manchester Central library; hiking towards Everest Base Camp (at various points); a really cool tree in Songshan Lake park (Dongguan, China); my apartment office; on train journeys (especially The Cambrian Coast line in Wales); a rock at the Old Man of Coniston; near an abandoned cabin in Yunnan; and my bed.