It's important for teenagers to read books. There are many books for young adult readers. Sometimes teens get so busy with school, sports, work, and their social lives that they do not cut out time for themselves. Reading can be that time, a time to center one's self, explore new places, learn about new people, go on an exciting adventure, and relax. Teenagers are emotional by nature and development and need time to just chill (as they say). Chilling with friends is very stimulating while relaxing and reading can be calming. Thoughts can settle in and a young person can find a balance point in his or her mind. Reading is important for those reasons alone. Television is also too stimulating to provide that quiet time for teenagers. Any stressed out adult will tell you that they need time to relax but can't find it. Teaching teenagers early to take care of themselves, take a break, center and relax is something that we should be teaching and modeling for them from an early age. Books for young adult readers can help them relax and become readers.
Reading is also quite educational, especially if the reading is beyond the books that teenagers are supposed to read in school. Teenagers love to find an author that they like; it makes selecting books for young adult readers easier. They can to the library or book store and find something they know will entertain them. Boys and girls both like J.K. Rowling. Many teenage girls love Sarah Dessen, Sophie Kinsella, Laurie Halse Anderson, Stephanie Meyers, Ann Brashares, Lisi Harrison, and Yvonne Collins while boys seem to prefer John Flanagan, Eoin Colfer, Cornelia Funke, Christopher Paolini, James Patterson and Michael Lupica. If you can get your teen interested in a book for young adult readers by one of these amazing writers or others, then they may become/remain lifelong readers.
Usually kids who enjoyed reading in elementary school will continue throughout middle and high school. Sometimes however the social elements of high school take over and they stop reading. It is a shame to stop reading when one's frontal lobes are not fully connected yet, which they aren't until the mid twenties according to research. Reading may help teens consider others before themselves just by opening themselves up to read others' experiences or finding themselves relating to a character. I don't know if that is proven anywhere, but I really believe it is true. It doesn't matter if teens read fiction or nonfiction as long as they are reading.
Reading expands one's knowledge. Nothing you read can be unread after you've read it. Intelligent books change the reader. Even though you have read a book once doesn't mean you shouldn't reread it. There are some books in which you find new meaning or you gain a new understanding of each time you reread them. Younger children like to reread their favorite books all the time. That practice however does not need to end when a child becomes a teenager. Rereading books is a great practice especially books for young adult readers. Sometimes we miss symbols and hidden meanings, and sometimes we just want to visit old friends. Visit an old friend at the library today!
