While young-adult fiction adaptations like The Hunger Games and Divergent have seen big bucks at the box office, an extensive new study suggests that fewer American teenagers than ever are actually reading books.
The research, carried out by Common Sense Media, suggests that only 19% of 17-year-olds read daily, compared to 53% of nine-year-olds. Meanwhile, 47% of 17-year-olds say they read 'for pleasure' as rarely as once or twice a year.
There are a number of theories as to why this drop-off has occurred, and why it takes place at this point in adolescence, which consider the explosion of e-readers, the attention-grabbing pull of social media and the widespread accessibility of movies and TV shows.
Parents and educators, tell us: if your kids read, how do you get them to do it? Any titles you'd recommend to get teens and adolescents to pick up a book (or an e-reader)? Share your advice in the comments below.
Some responses from our Facebook thread:
If/when I have a kid I will have a library of books in their room. There will be no TV or computer. I will read to them throughout the day. When they are teens I will provide rewards for books read. It's about making reading enjoyable and a part of their daily lives. Stop giving your kids your iPhone to entertain them in public.
I had to read five books for english in grade 12 never looked back
The cure is to start them young. so they develop an appreciation for it for life. I learned to read at a very early age (3 yrs old) and have been addicted ever since. As far as what can be done now? I really wish I had some way to encourage teens and even adults to read more...