I agree completely with Jan. Also, young adult novels deal with heavy issues, it's the nature of it. But I also think it is good for teens to be reading about this stuff because it often shows them ways to deal with issues, or makes them think about things. But yes, every book is going to have a conflict, and conflicts are not "happy." Also, there are light books out there, but often they can be poorly written because they don't go in depth or get into major conflict.
On 4/24/07, Jan Kammert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Sad, no. But I think a good novel has to have a conflict, and I think > early adolescents are likely to see conflict as sad. They do not have the > same perspective as adults, and I think they are more likely to view more > events as sad. They may also lack the vocabulary to express exactly what > is going on in a book. > Jan > > > On Tue, 24 Apr 2007, Bill IVEY wrote: > > > Hi! > > > > Yesterday, during study hall, some of the 8th graders started commenting > > on how all the books they were required to read this year were really > > depressing. The 7th graders chimed in and said they felt the same, which > > took me aback because I had been trying to avoid precisely that > syndrome. > > But sure enough, nearly every book I mentioned, they had solid reasons > why > > the book was sad (even if ultimately hopeful and optimistic). They also > > said that was no problem, that all good books are probably that way, > that > > they wouldn't be interesting otherwise. > > > > Well. There's something to chew on. Would you all agree that "good > > literature" (whatever that means... that's a whole different > > conversation!) is inevitably sad? As you look at your own group novel > > choices, do you see the same syndrome we have in our school? And, if it > > does indeed exist, is this a syndrome which "should" be broken and if so > > how? > > > > Take care, > > Bill Ivey > > Stoneleigh-Burnham School > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > > > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > -- - Heather "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead." --Clarence Day "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little good evidence exists that there's any educational substance behind the accountability and testing movement." —Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase funding. " —Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
