At work the other day, I was talking with some of my
coworkers about the Harry Potter release parties. As a kid, I wasn’t
allowed to read the books, and I’d never gone to a release party for even the
popular series that I had read, like the Eragon books. Release parties
sounded exciting, and I remarked how I wish I had been to one.
“People just don’t read books anymore,” my coworker said.
To which I frowned. “Many people,” I corrected. “Some still
read.”
Honestly, I’ve seen both sides. For a couple of months, I
worked as a substitute teacher, and I watched several kids who absolutely
abhorred reading. When they had to read a chapter for class, they
complained through the whole thing or said that its contents offended them or
just didn’t read at all. I’m sure if I spent more time substituting, I might
have seen more eager readers.
On the other hand, at my current job, which combines
education and fun outside of an academic setting, I’ve seen plenty of young
adult readers. I’ve seen kids read older books like The Hobbit and Ender’s
Game and even the recent releases like The Ballad of Songbirds and
Snakes. I’ve talked with kids about how much time they spent at their local
library, something I actually missed out on as a kid, which was mainly
my socially awkward fault because I didn’t know how to ask for help.
Falling Fandoms
Humans like to congregate. If you don’t believe me, try
putting a group of children in a room and telling them to keep six feet apart.
The same goes for readers. Once two of them find that they both enjoyed the
same story, nobody can get them to shut up.
Fandoms can be a pretty big deal, though not all readers get
into them. From fanart to fan merch to events, readers can get just as
enthusiastic about their fandoms as some do their sports.
However, it does seem like it’s been awhile since a YA
fandom was on the rise. Right now, you have Game of Thrones or The
Witcher (neither of which I would see myself getting into), but the popular
books for young adults and kids aren’t discussed as much, except maybe as a
means for political debate, like The Hate U Give. Which is actually kind
of infuriating. Can’t young adults have their stories without it being torn
apart by jaded adults?
Lucy Pevensie: I wish you’d all stop talking like
grown-ups.
Trumpkin the dwarf: I… am a grown-up.
—Prince Caspian, film adaptation
Sure, fandoms still exist, like The Chronicles of Narnia
and The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, but
some of them aren’t doing as well as others. The Chronicles of Narnia
may never be a complete film series, especially now that the actor for Eustace
from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (book 3) is too old to play in The
Silver Chair (book 4).
Not to mention whatever nosedive the Harry Potter
fandom took lately. I don’t really follow news when it comes to authors,
despite being an author, because I think it’s important to separate the stories
from the writer. Yes, I believe in supporting present-day authors by buying
their books, but I don’t have to agree with all of their beliefs or lifestyles.
But that’s not something all readers can do, which is evident by the withdrawal
from the Harry Potter fandom.
The Rise of Technology
Technology plays a big part in our world. Sometimes it can
be a tool to encourage readers, especially when it comes to the accessibility
of e-books, but it can be a distraction as well. Personally, I’ve been having a
really hard time with e-books lately, even with authors whose work I typically
devour. It might have something to do with no longer owning an e-reader, but
that’s not all. On days when I come home tired from work, my first instinct is
not to read but rather to do something that requires less energy, like watch a
show or play a video game.
I’m not the only one. Technology can be a form of
entertainment for many, which isn’t a bad thing as a whole. But in general,
you’re more likely to hear a lot about a generation of gamers, not so much
readers. In fact, readers are viewed as being more elite, which isn’t so good
for a person’s pride when they consider themselves so much better than
non-readers.
Finding Your Niche
My current workplace comprises a smaller part of the public,
usually those who tend to prefer intellectual and/or nerdy topics, those who
enjoy topics involved with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and
mathematics). So a lot of the teens and preteens who come through tend to like
nerdy topics already. Sure, not all of them may be avid readers, but some of
them turn out to be, even if I didn’t peg them as readers at first glance. I
even met a fellow writer once, which was awesome of course.
While I met one kid who said they read The Lord of the Rings
in a week, I also met a kid who said they didn’t like reading but they were
really into comics and graphic novels because of all the art. I did my best to
encourage them, saying how I like reading graphic novels and want to read more
and that they totally count as reading.
My
little sister doesn’t always get into YA like I do, but she’s obsessed with
fanfiction. It’s taken me a while to admit it, but sure, Wattpad counts as
reading too. Besides, plenty of authors have written their books on sites like
that and gone on to traditionally publish it elsewhere.
My
brother, on the other hand, doesn’t get into fiction like I do, though he will
occasionally pick up historical fiction. He prefers history books—the big ones
and the smaller ones that get into the nitty gritty details. Back when I was
first discovering what an amazing resource the library was, I used to drag him
along, and he has thanked me countless times for introducing him to the place.
I am a firm believer that people who “don’t like to read”
simply haven’t found their niche. Just because somebody doesn’t enjoy reading
Shakespeare doesn’t mean they don’t like reading (Seriously, though.
Shakespeare was a playwright. His works weren’t meant to be read).
Now I haven’t studied statistics (which can easily be manipulated by the way),
and I do believe that overall, the world-wide book industry isn’t doing as well
as it once was.
Yet as long as we encourage new people to pursue the books
that they like, readers aren’t going away anytime soon.
“Reader’s Bill of Rights
1. The right to not read
2. The right to skip pages
3. The right to not finish
4. The right to reread
5. The right to read anything
6. The right to escapism
7. The right to read anywhere
8. The right to browse
9. The right to read out loud
10. The right to not defend your tastes”
― Daniel Pennac
Let’s chat! What’s your take on the survival of avid
readers? What’s your reading niche? How many book dragons have you encountered
in the wild?
