Reading Children Books.

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Odd? Yes. Something to be embarrassed of? No way. Harry Potter and Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone was a kid's book, and if you feel the material is good who cares?

I suppose I was kind of lucky to have my favourite teen book series, Animorphs draw to a close around the time I graduated High School and thus avoid any odd moments trying to see the series through to the end.

On a side-note I've recently done some volunteer work at a gathering at my local library called 'Reader's Circle' where we help little kids read books suited for them, and while the kids' books are structured the way I remember, some of the Seuss award-winning Elephant and Piggie books are almost Homestar Runner-worthy humour despite being completely clean. Now someone might look at you funny if you were seen reading one of those, but you can just say 'I'm practising for reading it to my kid'. Contrary to popular assumption, kid's books require a great deal of skill to do well.

 

[Chemical Alia]

I started re-reading Nancy Drew books last summer and they are delightful. I'm on like 19 right now.

 

[Not Matt]

hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is, and will continue to be amazing no matter how old you are, Calvin and Hobbes still makes me laugh as well as think even to this day and people who don't say they like being immature are big fat liars. besides, you're the one siting there reading, they're probably playing candy crush and listening to dubstep. you just enjoy your literature buddy

 

[Flutterguy]

The people giving you looks may not be judging you harshly at all. They could be thinking positively of you or re-evaluating their own beliefs upon seeing something which surprised them.

Even if they are judging you negatively do not concern yourself unless you are at risk of physical or monetary harm due to them. In such the case of risk, do your best to fit in.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Actually I've found this to be just an issue with books in general. As Flutterguy above says, they might not be judging you at all, or thinking negatively about your book choice. They might just want to know what you're reading. I've read books for several different age groups in collage and no matter the book, I always got people staring at me, asking me what I'm reading. It's just a point of curiosity for a lot of people.

I usually say "A book" and they respond with something like "Well yeah I see that, what kind of book?", but I really don't want to explain the entire plotline of The Hobbit to them, so I chalk it up to a genre.

Maybe they wonder what kind of book must be so awesome that a person wants to read it in public.
In any case, don't let it get to you.

 

[IndomitableSam]

I read whatever I pick up.

That said, I was a children's librarian (and still am a librarian) so I read whatever I want wherever I want and if people judge me I can laugh. Most of the people who judge don't read anyway, and their lives are all that much less for not. And those that do judge what you read aren't worth anyone's time.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Eh, I'm in my 20's and I still read young adult books like Harry Potter and Redwall. I dunno, I guess I find those fantasy books more interesting than the ones meant for adults...

 

[Yopaz]

Porn without the pictures. The only reason nudy mags are frown upon in public is due to the pictures of naked ladies, not the content.

You would get weird looks here if you were reading an erotic book over here regardless if someone simply came across it on your bookshelf, under your bed or reading it on the bus. Now I see people reading 50 Shades of Gray on the bus every now and then. Things have changed over quite a short while.

OT: I am reading Septimus Heap right now. I think those books are intended teenagers mostly. I do like them though and I don't see why not. They might not be the most elegant books out there, but they help me relax. I have some adult books, both fiction and non-fiction, for those other times, but when I don't care about being taken seriously and I want to let my brain rest, kids books do the trick.

 

[Lieju]

Why not? I read a lot of weird stuff in public, including really crappy things aimed at young girls (because I'm curious to see what kind of stuff is marketed towards girls), but also things I genuinely enjoy even though they are aimed at kids.

I made sure to NOT read Mein Kampf in public, though...

 

[keniakittykat]

I've been reading more children's books the last few years than I ever had before. Although it's mostly because I studied Illustrative arts...

But I think it's just the same as grown ups who watch animated movies: Yes, kids are the target audience, but that doesn't mean you can't find the stories good, the artwork beautiful and its messages inspiring or relatable.

 

[Raikas]

I see adults reading "young adult" type books in public all the time these days, but I rarely see anyone reading actual children's books (picture books and the like) - if I did I think I'd probably assume that they were a primary school teacher.

Well, they're more for teenagers than young children, but I would have thought the recent popularity of The Hunger Games and Twilight would go some way to proving that it can be considered pretty normal.

I don't know about that. People thought I was weird for reading kids books before Harry Potter, and then they thought I was weird for reading kids books that weren't Harry Potter. I think these are more insular successes. Kind of like how superhero movies haven't removed the stigmas attached to comic books.

It probably varies regionally, but I've noticed that bookstores have generally moved the displays of the "Teen" books from the back (or next to the children's section) to the front (or nearer to the adult-aimed genre section), so I think there's an awareness in the industry (at least in terms of marketing) that what used to be an age-based niche has a broader potential market.

 

[Something Amyss]

It probably varies regionally, but I've noticed that bookstores have generally moved the displays of the "Teen" books from the back (or next to the children's section) to the front (or nearer to the adult-aimed genre section), so I think there's an awareness in the industry (at least in terms of marketing) that what used to be an age-based niche has a broader potential market.

Or they discovered what the music and video industries discovered a long time ago: marketing to teens = $$$$$$$$

 

[Araxathan]

No of course it isn't an odd thing, some people may think it is. Hell a lot of people seem to forget that The Hobbit is a children's novel which Tolkien wrote to be a "Bedtime tale"

 

[TheIceQueen]

Porn without the pictures. The only reason nudy mags are frown upon in public is due to the pictures of naked ladies, not the content.

You would get weird looks here if you were reading an erotic book over here regardless if someone simply came across it on your bookshelf, under your bed or reading it on the bus. Now I see people reading 50 Shades of Gray on the bus every now and then. Things have changed over quite a short while.

OT: I am reading Septimus Heap right now. I think those books are intended teenagers mostly. I do like them though and I don't see why not. They might not be the most elegant books out there, but they help me relax. I have some adult books, both fiction and non-fiction, for those other times, but when I don't care about being taken seriously and I want to let my brain rest, kids books do the trick.

Septimus Heap! Such a good series. It'd writing style is something that I don't think any other book series has ever pulled off well, and I mean that. It's so weird and it jumps all over the place. Other books might devote an entire chapter to one character if they're feeling edgy and for some series, even that didn't work out too well. It took Riordan until his second book of the second series to truly get the hang of that.

Septimus Heap, though! Practically every new paragraph is a new character's mindset. It's erratic and odd, but it somehow works, though at a few spots it does fail that. Still, it's a unique series and it's nice to see another fan.

My personal favorite is anything related to Percy Jackson, and then Harry Potter. But, I've got to stop gushing about all of my different favorite teenage book series.

OT: Man, just read what you want to read and have no care about what other people think. Most of those people probably like Fifty Shades and Twilight or something like that, so they don't have any right to judge. I read stuff aimed at younger audiences all the time. I do the same with most other media as well, like movies. You're never too old to watch a good kid movie and you're never too old to watch a good kid book. Let out your inner child!