“We operate on the assumption that because students don’t seem interested in reading what we assign, they don’t read much at all. But is that true?”

About twice a week, Cierra and I stop by our neighborhood bagel shop before school. As we munch on breakfast, I read the front page of the newspaper and Cierra reads the comics. We share this time with other families of young children and business people. Seldom do we see anyone between the ages of 13 to 18.

One recent morning, though, four middle school young women came into the bagel shop and sat down at the booth next to ours. As they ate their bagels, they flipped through a magazine together. Bits and pieces of their conversation floated our way. They took turns reading sections of the magazine to each other, talking about the latest fashion news and commenting on how celebrities and models looked in the publication’s pages.

Reading for these young women was a social event, a chance to connect with their peers; and it was an opportunity for learning—discovering what’s hip and cool in their world.

Are Teens Reading Anymore?

On my college campus, teachers bemoan the fact that young people don’t read as much as previous generations did. We operate on the assumption that because students don’t seem interested in reading what we assign, they don’t read much at all. But is that true?

Studies that look at the reading habits of middle school and high school young people show that the proportion of this age group participating in leisure reading has not changed much in recent years.

A number of studies suggest three out of four teens regularly engage in reading as a leisure activity. Better than half of young people read books at least occasionally. [Rosemary Hopper, “What Are Teenagers Reading? Adolescent Fiction Reading Habits and Reading Choices,” Literacy, 39(3), 113-120.]

Since 1999, the American Library Association has done an annual online survey about the reading habits of adolescents. The results of their surveys confirm most young people are, in fact, reading for pleasure.

There are interesting trends to note, however. As young men enter late adolescence, many develop two assumptions that influence the likelihood that they will read. Many teens have busier schedules in late adolescence and have less time for reading, but young men in particular often see reading as a waste of time. This may be due to their overall perception that reading is what you do for school rather than for personal enjoyment. Young men also tend to view reading and writing as activities for women. Two separate studies showed that many young men labeled reading and writing as feminine or “girly things.”

They Are Reading, But …

So that’s the good news. Most young people continue to spend significant time in leisurely reading activities. The bad news may be what they are reading.

Despite the attention given young-adult books in the wake of the Harry Potter series, books other than textbooks or school-assigned books are not the most frequent choice of young readers. What is? Magazines.

Magazines are teenagers’ overwhelming top choice of reading material. Roughly 75 percent of teens say they regularly read magazines. According to researchers Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Pradnya Rodge, urban teens are even more likely to pick up a magazine when they read [“The Leisure Reading Habits of Urban Adolescents,” Journal of Adolescent Adult Literacy, 51 (1), pp. 22-23].

Internet reading falls close behind. In the last few years, as Internet reading has grown in popularity and some hard-copy magazines have lost readership, magazine Web sites have increased.

As with leisure reading in general, there are gender differences in the kinds of magazines teens are reading. Like the teens in my local bagel shop, young women primarily choose magazines that focus on fashion, beauty, and celebrity. A second category for young women includes periodicals devoted to music and video games. On the other hand, young men tend to read magazines devoted to sports, technology, video games and music.

Why Magazines Rule

There may be many reasons that influence teens to choose magazines over books. In one article on the reading habits of urban teens, four reasons were given for why teens choose magazines [Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Pradnya Rodge, “The Leisure Reading Habits of Urban Adolescents,” Journal of Adolescent Adult Literacy, 51 (1), pp. 3-22].

1. The number and quality of pictures. In an age where everything is captured in a picture, young people gravitate towards images as much as, if not more than, words.

2. The “coolness” factor. Magazines offer a place where teens can discover what’s hip and help them find acceptance and approval.

3. Reading level. The content of many teen magazines is written at a level that is easily accessible to a variety of reading abilities. Particularly for urban teens, many of whom read below grade level, magazines offer a place where they can read about things of interest in a context that is not a challenge to their reading abilities.

4. Speed of information gathering. Magazines, like this journal you’re reading, provide short, synthesized information. Young people can gather and digest information on topics of interest in quick, short bursts.

Given the overwhelming amount of magazine material students consume, youth leaders and parents should be concerned about the messages young people are receiving. For example, young women’s magazines emphasize beauty and attractiveness, as well as communicating that catching a guy and knowing how to flirt are essential qualities of the hip, young woman. Maxim is one of the current magazine favorites of young men. The messages of this magazine continue the trend of valuing women based solely on their physical appearance and ability to attract a man.

What Should Youth Workers Do?

So, young people are reading. What should youth ministers do with this knowledge?

* Know what they’re reading. Express genuine interest in what they are reading. Ask them. Buy an occasional teen magazine or read an online one. Talk with them about what they are reading and why it is of interest to them.

* Give them a place where they can talk about their reading. Many of the surveys about reading habits of teens indicate teens desire a place where they can talk about what they are reading, often looking to peers to fulfill that need. Teens are choosing leisure reading materials that focus on topics of interest to them. If parents and youth leaders create spaces where teens can talk about what they are reading, they have an opportunity to gain insight into teens’ lives, joys, and concerns.

* Teach them to be discerning readers. Use magazine articles and Web sites to teach them how to spot the lies in what they are reading.

* Let them see our passion for reading. Share with teens what you are reading and learning. Men, in particular, can be an example for young men who think reading “is only for girls.”

* Read aloud to them. This may sound ridiculous, but several studies of adolescent reading habits reveal that one of the activities students would like their teachers to do more often is to read aloud to them. Many Bible teachers believe Scripture, particularly the Old Testament, should be read aloud. Learn and practice reading aloud to students.

* Introduce them to the mysteries, adventure, and scary stories of Scripture. Many of the kinds of stories young people like to read are found in Scripture. Most teens who have grown up in church have learned the stories of Scripture, but often the scariness and adventure have been downplayed. Bring them back to life. Help teens find the excitement that can be experienced by reading Scripture.

Top-10 Favorite Books of 2007

These books were chosen in an online vote by more than 6,000 teen readers during the Young Adult Library Services Association’s annual Teen Read Week, held in October.

1. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown, 2006)

2. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (Viking Children’s Books, 2006)

3. How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles (Flux, 2006)

4. Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever by James Patterson (Hachette /Little, Brown, 2006)

5. Firegirl by Tony Abbott (Hachette /Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006)

6. All Hallows Eve (13 Stories) by Vivian Vande Velde (Harcourt, 2006)

7. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Harcourt, 2006)

8. River Secrets by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury, 2006)

9. Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe (HarperCollins, 2006)

10. Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks (Chicken House, 2006)

(Source: Young Adult Library Services Association)