"I Like Superman!"

       As children reach the ages of eight and nine, many parents and teachers begin to struggle with the problem of youngsters' reading tastes. Before this time, children reach out for materials adults provide for them. But as they mature, they begin to share their reading interests with a wider circle of acquaintances, many of whom are older. A child at eight will champion something which he likes. "I don't care what anybody says, I like Superman!" is a remark heard by many an adult. The response to such declarations of preference should show respect for the child's right to make his own evaluations. After all, some women positively loathe sports pages, and think how many teachers recoil from the financial pages of the daily press! 

        Desire on the part of parents and teachers to develop taste has often come to naught. Part of this failure is due to the family's methods of approaching children; another reason is our failure to recognize the basic needs of children. We fail to realize their need for stories dealing with adventure and danger. We also fail to notice that interest in and need for reading about romance begin at the ages of twelve and fourteen. Censorship of reading matter for children seldom works; instead, it stimulates the development of "subversive" reading habits, in which children obtain books and magazines barred by home or school and circulate them among their private reading circles which are sure to exist.

        In general, fear that the child will develop poor reading tastes from reading trashy materials has been overstressed. It is preferable to place the emphasis on developing healthy interests, and making a wide range of wholesome reading matter easily available. Then, with a broad reading appetite, a child can include all manner of content, even the least desirable, without having his ability to appraise and discern impaired. However, differences of opinion are marked at this point. If our attitude is strongly against comics, movie stories, romance and thriller magazines, it might be wise to read some professional studies and opinions prepared by authorities on this problem. The Journal of Educational Sociology, which has devoted an entire issue to comics, is very helpful on this point. 

       And “What Books for Children?” by Josette Frank is another helpful reference. In the meantime, a matter-of-fact attitude toward a child's out-of-bounds interest in reading is a safer approach than one of alarm, derision, and absolute censorship accompanied with condemnation of poor judgment. Such interests often may appear suddenly, flourish briefly, only to be crowded out later by new and more wholesome activities.

• My child will only read graphic novels. Help!

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