BLOG #1

Survey of Reading Preferences – Questions
1. What associations do you have with reading? Do you have any personal history that makes reading seem more or less pleasurable?
Well, since I am a student I do a lot of reading, although most of it is school related. I love reading though and wish I had more time to read books that I would enjoy more.
2. Why do you read?
I read to mostly become informed about something I am trying to understand or learn about. Mostly to do well in school.
3. What has been your best experience in a literature course? (high school or college)
Being able to read books that are enjoyable.
4. What has been your worst experience in a literature course? (high school or college)
Junior year of high school when my English lit teacher got really into the readings and had us doing the accents and everything for the books we read.
5. What college-level literature courses have you taken in the English department?
This is my first  Have only previously taken Engl 104.
6. Compared to other literature courses you have taken, what do you expect will be the level of difficulty of this course? Why?
Never taken another one, but I most expect the course to be moderate. Lots of reading and writing.
7. What themes do you look for when you read literature for adults?
Mostly humor, and sometimes love.
8. What are your favorite books written for adults?
Recently, “Dear John” and “Twenties Girl”
9. How do you determine whether a book you have read is good?
If I read it quickly and I was able to laugh or cry while reading it.
10. Do you think it is a good idea to study children’s literature?
Of course.
11. Why do you think scholars study children’s literature?
Because these are the books that we grew up reading as children, and it is important to understand how they influence us.
12. When you think of “children’s literature,” what comes to mind?
Reading that is enjoyable and fun with so many hidden meanings.
13. What do you look for when you search for a children’s book?
A book with a strong theme that a child could somehow relate to.
14. Why would you look for children’s books? What do you do with children’s books?
You would look for children’s books to influence a child in some way. For what to do with them, hopefully you would be able to learn a lesson from the book.
15. What children’s books do you most admire?
Charlotte’s Web, Holes, Island of the Blue Dolphins
16. What were your favorite children’s books as a child?
Same as above. Charlotte’s Web, Holes, Island of the Blue Dolphins
17. In what contexts did you read children’s books as a child?
Read for school, but also did a lot of reading for fun. Loved to read as a kid.
18. Are there certain themes that interest you in children’s books?
I enjoyed stories about the Holocaust for a while when I was young. Otherwise, anything that I could get my hands on.
19. Are there certain types of books that you think children shouldn’t read?
No, I believe whatever interests them they should explore.
20. How do you judge whether a children’s book is good?
Mainly on whether it is enjoyable and some sort of lesson or knowledge can be obtained from it.
21. What do you think of when you think of fantasy?
Wizards and witches, and magical creatures.
22. Do you like fantasy literature? Why or why not?
Yes, I enjoy fantasy literature. Reading those types of books makes you use a whole new part of your brain that biochemistry or genetics would use.
23. Explain your reaction when you learned that this course would focus on fantasy.
I thought wow this is going to be a lot of reading at first, but then I realized this is probably going to be the most enjoyable text I will have to read for any class.
24. Rank the following from most to least valuable:
o Nonfiction-9
o Poetry-6
o Historical Fiction-7
o Romance-4
o Fantasy Fiction-2
o Science Fiction-8
o Horror-5
o Mystery-3
o Adventure-1
1 is most valuable and 9 is least valuable
25. Explain your choice for #1 and #9 in your rankings above.
Mainly I chose nonfiction as the least enjoyable because that is the normal literature, such as essays and texts that you read every day. Adventure, fantasy fiction, and mystery are my top three because they are all genres that are interesting to me, enjoyable, and entertaining. Romance, horror, historical fiction, poetry, and science fiction are all there somewhere in between.