Letters

Will boys read girls' books if given the opportunity?

I am a fan of Michael Sullivan and have used his book, Connecting Boys with Books: What Libraries Can Do (ALA Editions, 2003). I also strongly support and believe in the idea that American boys need an extra boost in reading and literacy skills. However, I was disturbed by some of the language in his recent article ("Why Johnny Won't Read," August 2004, pp. 34–35) regarding competitiveness and the instincts of boys (and conversely, the adverse reaction to the same of females), and felt a need to respond.

I do not deny that research supports the fact that boys are not reading nearly as much as girls, but I do not see the need to resort to sloppy over-generalizations and old-fashioned gender stereotyping to describe this problem. Perhaps the boys we are raising are competitive, but to describe this as a "natural instinct" is both troubling and plain bad science. On the other side, it is equally reprehensible to suggest that a female perspective is one that discourages competition, and, ultimately, discourages the increase in boys' reading unless we revert to a "masculine" perspective.

In practice, most programming, collection development, and reader's advisory will fall back on typical but effective "boys really like this" methods, although I personally resist that impulse. I offer competitions and passive programming, quiet reading hours, and rowdy storytimes, and I never tell a kid that a book is for a particular gender. I would never presume that because I am looking at a boy I must have the perfect hockey book or that I should hide Sharon Creech.

But of course, this is all just my own opinion as a "sedentary, self-reflective" individual who therefore can't possibly understand the "instinct" of men.
--April Spisak, Youth Services Librarian, Clark County Public Library, Springfield, OH

Your article "Why Johnny Won't Read" listed probable causes for reluctant boy readers, but no solutions. For the past 40 years I have served as a children's librarian in both public schools and libraries. I have known boys who were avid readers. Some were very selective but were only content when they had something to read and, yes, girls generally exceeded boys in their reading pattern. Over the years boys generally read whatever I suggested. It could be because they liked to be in the library as well as the fact that I was usually the only male in the system. Yes, they do tire of females in every area of their school life and, yes, we do need to reach more of our male youth. There are some excellent male authors of children's books. Recent Newbery books are male centered and do appeal to boy readers. However, it takes motivation.
--James Mcnair, Former Media Specialist, Gary, IN

In her review of Jubilee by Ellen Yeomans (July 2004, p. 90), Carolyn Janssen stated that the term "jubilee" means "heaven," and that the characters in the book are therefore deceased. I would like to respectfully correct Ms. Janssen. According to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, "jubilee," used in the Biblical sense, means "the blast of a trumpet," and also the "grand sabbatical year, which was announced by sound of a trumpet." In a more general sense, it refers to "a season of general joy." Neither these two definitions, nor the other three definitions listed, indicate that "jubilee" refers to "heaven."

Pedestrian as it may seem, I think the book may just be about a family picnic.
--Rachael Vilmar, Youth Services Librarian, Bartow County Library System, Cartersville, GA

Your article in the September 2004 issue ("Kids' Picks: Click Here," p. 30) omits a very useful tool. The Educational Software Preview Guide, now in its 22nd year, is designed especially for educators and librarians seeking software for preview and lists more than 800 titles of favorably reviewed software for K–12 use. The Guide is developed each year by the Educational Software Preview Guide Consortium, which represents computer education organizations throughout North America. Information indicated for each title includes platform, grade level, instructional mode, a brief description of each product, and publisher contact information. The online guide is fully searchable by almost every criterion and is available for free at espg.info.com.
--Eileen Barnett, Assistant Director, Academic Technology, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA

Cindy Burkhart, a runner-up for the 2004 School Library Journal/Greenwood Publishing Group Administrator of the Year Award, was incorrectly referred to as the principal of Ephrata Senior High School, PA. She was the assistant superintendent of the Ephrata Area School District, and has subsequently gone on to take the job of assistant executive director of the Lancaster Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13, in Pennsylvania.