Categorizing by Genre Part 2

Posted by Laura L. Johnson Jun 23, 2008

As I perused my local library's categories the other day, I was more struck than anything at how many books I found in the children's section that I have read recently, or would gladly read again and fully enjoy. I think as adults and teens, we sometimes go to our respective library sections, like we're not allowed anywhere else, and forget that great literature awaits us everywhere.

Take, for instance, a more recent children's book, published in 2004, Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. This backstory to Peter Pan is directed at children - it was even published by Hyperion's children's division. However, it is on the reading list in my 9th and 10th grade English classroom. It is also one of my favorite reads so far this summer. If not for the fact that my students recommend books to me, I never would have enjoyed this experience.

Think also of the children's classics. Who among us, teenager or adult, wouldn't benefit from re-reading Charlotte's Web, Anne of Green Gables, or even The Giving Tree. Contained in these books are values and ideas that shaped us into the people we are today, but also sparked our imaginations and allowed us to first visit other worlds with other people.

I understand there needs to be some division - you don't want eight-year olds picking up a Stephen King novel and reading it. However, it is up to each of us to remember not to stick to our own little section of the library, but to go back to our reading roots and remind ourselves of why we love reading so much in the first place.