"Literature"

I picked up on this habit from my mother. She loves trashy romance novels, can't deny it, Mom. I have a tendency to read dumb books. That's part of the reason why I resigned myself to read the AP book list that is released every year. I've been doing well on that, but not without sneaking in a few stupid books. Enter: my librarian. She only feeds this desire. She fills the library with vampire, teen angst, and drama high like books throughout the library. Not that I am complaining. It's an interesting concept... I mean our kids read quite a bit, especially for their reading levels.

During parent teacher conferences, a few weeks ago, I looked up all the books I have taken tests on. Half are AP books and half are trash (I allow myself one trash for each "legit" book I read). The reading levels are atrocious on one half, I'll let you venture a guess on which. But, alas, I read. My coupled goal was to read at least two books a month, after four years of college and only about four books read (maybe three).

I'm not sure how I feel about it. Sometimes the books are graphically sexual or just seem inappropriate for a 7th grade students (our school is 7-12), but at the same time... they participate in those activities in most cases. I haven't quite synthesized my point to this post, but there is something that is irking me about that situation. I can say, however, that I was incredibly disappointed that we didn't have Pride and Prejudice or Grapes of Wrath in the library. That, seems like we're not encouraging old school (my term to avoid clashing with students regarding the term "classic literature") reading. That is MOST CERTAINLY a mistake.

My most recent conquest, surely to be considered a classic in the near future;