In a world dominated by screens and social media, teenagers have been at the forefront of discussions surrounding the overuse of online content. However, within a generation full of relentless online activity, a community of literature is quickly growing. From dystopian adventures to soulful romances, teenagers are finding a diverse array of books that reflect their identities and aspirations.
Nora Yates, 11, (she/her), is an avid reader. She reflects on the role that reading has played in her life.
“I feel like [reading] has definitely made me more imaginative, as a person,” Nora stated. She adds, “Reading is just like watching Netflix. It’s like, you get lost in the story.”
Yates sees the recent fascination with reading among teenagers as something to be celebrated. While she thinks that book culture is inherently trendy, she doesn’t see this mindset as a negative concept.
Yates said, “It’s like an aesthetic, go read your book outside, you know?”
Kayla Hodgson, North Liberty Public Library’s Youth and Teen Services Librarian, (she/they), also sees the recent reading trends as nothing but positive.
“As a librarian, as long as people are reading and they’re reading responsibly, I think that is completely fine… I think a lot of people are just looking for answers to their questions, and they can find that in [books],” Hodgson stated.
With a recent surge in the reading community comes a shift towards greater diversity to reflect a wider range of voices and identities. Books are transitioning from being merely pieces of entertainment, to becoming a tool for societal change.
“We are definitely seeing more people that are looking for queer representation, more people that are looking for people of color,” Hodgson said. “A lot of people just want to be seen, and they can, if they can see themselves in those books.”
Relating to the characters in the books that teenagers are reading is crucial to understanding the rise in popularity of reading.
“When I see myself in a character that’s struggling or something like that, it’s just like validating to read something and have it be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I relate to that same thing.’ It brings you close to the character in the book, in a way,” Yates explains.
Reading is simultaneously an escape as well as an instrument of self-discovery for many teenagers. Hodgson reflects on the contrasting approaches to reading.
“It’s definitely something where people are like, I want to really get into these [deep literary concepts]. but then I also just want something to escape in,” Hodgson stated.
As reading culture continues to rise in popularity, Hodgson emphasizes the importance of the role that authors play in the enjoyment of reading.
“I would also love to see more people reading books by female authors and books with female main characters. For example, when I was a teen, we didn’t see a lot of books with female main characters. And that’s just like, so popular right now. And I would love to see that continue,” Hodgson stated.
As books continue to be taken off of the shelf, teenagers will continue to lead the conversations surrounding literature and the culture of reading. With a growing community of readers, along with the presence of social media, it seems likely that reading culture will continue to expand.
