Thick books and classics like Faust, Effi Briest and Co. - often more off-putting than attractive for young people.
But why actually?
Erding
- According to the latest JIM study (Youth, Information, Media) by the Media Education Research Association Southwest (mpfs), reading printed publications is still part of everyday media life for young people.
Nevertheless, only around a third of 12 to 19-year-olds access the printed book regularly - i.e. daily or several times a week.
The proportion of non-readers is 15 percent.
Will eBooks appeal to the younger generation more than paper books?
“Definitely,” confirms Ingrid Müller-Heß, head of the Erding city library.
“We have a large range of eBooks that are often used by young people.” EBooks are easier to borrow because they can always be accessed.
Especially in Corona times, when libraries and bookstores had to close, eBooks were “the salvation” for many, and the demand has increased noticeably.
In youth, reading in leisure time is often becoming increasingly unpopular
"Because of the increasing use of electronic devices in our everyday lives, young people simply spend their free time differently than they used to," explains Barbara Lehmer, employee in the Wartenberg bookstore, why many teenagers no longer pick up books as often.
Müller-Hess agrees: “We read a lot up to fourth grade because the children enjoy it and they also find the time to do it.
From the fifth grade on, there is a reading kink, and reading in leisure time is becoming increasingly unpopular. "
But dealing with literature is very important for the development of young people.
Reading gives new impressions, broadening the mind and training the language.
“There is simply more to the soul than a computer game,” says Lehmer.
Not only do libraries and bookshops try to get the younger generation to read, schools do their best too.
Birgitt Kukla, director of the Dorfen city library, reports that reading and discussing classics in school is at least as important as bringing the students closer to the fun of reading through current topics such as the environment or the Internet.
“We have to pick up what interests the children and young people,” she is convinced.
"Therefore, a mixture of older literature and modern narratives should be offered in schools."
All-age literature and graphic novels very popular
Fantasy novels and romantic stories are particularly popular with young people at the moment. Many would also be interested in historical novels based on true events or in experience reports from Sophie Scholl, for example. So-called all-age literature, i.e. books that are in principle aimed at all age and reader groups, would also be well received. "There is hardly any strict separation of age groups in the literature now," explains Müller-Heß. Orders like “Harry Potter” were initially aimed at young people as a target group, but are now read by all age groups.
In order to bring the great minds of literature such as Goethe, Schiller or Lessing closer to the younger generation, there are, for example, so-called graphic novels. “I'm a huge fan of graphic novels. Before the actual plot starts, the plot is summarized in a short comic. Really very entertaining, ”says Müller-Hess. "Spiced up" books in comic style with possibly even colorful pages would be particularly fun for many younger people.
In the meantime, the project “Fun at Reading - Easy / Simple Language” has established itself in several libraries in the district with fiction, but also non-fiction books and classics in a simpler language. “At first I was skeptical,” admits Kukla, “but now I find that these books are not only helpful for people who want to learn German. They are also a good alternative for many young people who do not want to work their way through very thick books. ”There are also books such as“ Becoming ”, the autobiography of the former US First Lady Michelle Obama, told especially for the next generation. Above all, non-fiction books with simplified content have become more popular.
Overall, Müller-Hess considers reading very important for young people.
"Literature is a great leisure activity for young and old," she says, adding: "It stimulates the imagination and opens doors to other worlds."
Toska Vogel