And The Point Is…By Paula Chase Hyman
By APOOO • Jun 8th, 2008 • Category: Articles •
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And The Point Is…By Paula Chase Hyman
At a recent signing at an African American bookstore, I struck up a conversation with a lady who lingered by my table too long, so I snagged her. I asked her if she had any young readers that she may need book recommendations for. She mentioned a nine-year-old granddaughter. So I proceeded to increase her awareness to some of the great YA out there for our young, African American readers. Within the discussion, I mentioned that my book was possibly a bit mature for her, unless she was an avid reader. But I suggested some other authors and age-appropriate series out there.
‘Oh she reads a lot,’ the lady said. She glanced over my shoulder at my books on the table, frowned and said, ‘But I don’t think she’d like that kind of book?’
Perplexed, I asked what that meant. Her answer, ‘Well, I’m looking for a book that would stimulate her mind.’ She gave me a big apologetic smile then made her way to the wall with book covers full of phat buns, well-endowed chests and titles like G-String Beauties.
Here is my question – why do some of us feel like adult readers should have the market cornered on reading for pleasure? When did society become so overtly prudish, yet so blatantly hypocritical, that will stroll into a bookstore to buy ourselves a guilty pleasure book but will not allow our children that same luxury?
Adult readers who have young readers in their lives need to check their book buyer’s mentality. When we fall too far toward an extreme we run the risk of running our young people away from reading altogether.
While some feel, as long as a child is reading, they do not much care what the book’s content are, others fall to the other extreme, insisting on only purchasing books with a ‘message.’
Yes, I went and put message in quotes. Because, the truth is, messages come in all forms. And reading stimulates thinking, no matter what the content. The thin line we walk when recommending books for young readers is that the content be age-appropriate. A young reader who picks up a book too mature will have issues putting violence, sex or drug use into context.
But believe me, I have yet to read a book that did not stimulate my mind, did not provoke discussion or make me ponder. And I am talking fiction, not non-fiction, not biographies, not educational textbooks. Fiction.
The point of a book is to transport you into a new world. Sometimes it is a world you are already familiar, with new faces. Others, it is a completely new world, but with characters so well-developed you feel you know them or maybe you know someone like them.
We read to find out how these people will solve the situations they find themselves. How they will dodge bullets thrown at them. How they will overcome adversity or remain humble in the face of success.
We read to escape.
Escape.
A young reader may not have bills to pay. A mind-wearying 9 to 5. Or a family to raise, but they are tasked with learning and getting an education 6-7 hours a day, five days a week, ten months a year. When they are outside of the school walls, allow them to pick up a book that lets them escape their own hectic lives, if only for a few hours. You never know what they may learn by simply getting away.
Paula Chase writes the Del Rio Bay Clique YA series for Dafina books. She is a competitive cheer coach and has mentored teens for over fifteen years.
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APOOO is an online author and reader community dedicated to advancing African American literature. Our mission is to expose readers of all ages to a good book in any genre; to support African American authors, books, literary events and bookclubs; to provide marketing resources, tools and tips to authors; and, to promote literacy within the African American community.
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