Blog #1 Survey of Reading Preferences

Survey of Reading Preferences – Questions
What associations do you have with reading?  Do you have any personal history that makes reading seem more or less pleasurable?

• I love reading when I get to choose the novels. Reading a book that I am assigned to read makes it much more less pleasurable.

Why do you read?

• I read because it is very relaxing and can usually take me to another place besides the stressful place I am in.

What has been your best experience in a literature course? (high school or college)

• I had a teacher in high school who was very challenging but she chose the best novels for us to read and really made us connect to them.

What has been your worst experience in a literature course? (high school or college)

• I have never had a bad experience in my literature courses. All of my teachers have made me fall in love with it. 

What college-level literature courses have you taken in the English department?

• This is my first english class to take here. I took 104 and 105 as dual credit in high school.

Compared to other literature courses you have taken, what do you expect will be the level of difficulty of this course?  Why?

• The blogging part will be the hardest part for me because I have never done it but I think the reading will be very enjoyable. I have already read some of the books on the list and love them so i think I will really like them all. 

What themes do you look for when you read literature for adults?

• My favorites are mysteries.

What are your favorite books written for adults?

• I can't say I have an absolute favorite book. If I like the first couple of chapters and can connect to the characters, I usually love the entire book. 

How do you determine whether a book you have read is good?

• If I feel like I know the characters personally after I finish the book. 

Do you think it is a good idea to study children’s literature?

• Yes.

Why do you think scholars study children’s literature?

• It is important to understand the difference of how a child's mind analyzes a novel compared to an adults. 

When you think of “children’s literature,” what comes to mind?

• Harry Potter
• A Series of Unfortunate Events
• Junie B. Jones
• Holes

What do you look for when you search for a children’s book?

• I haven't bought many children's books because I am the youngest in my family and buy the time I started buying my own books to read I was past the age of reading children's books.

Why would you look for children’s books?  What do you do with children’s books?

• Sometimes I buy books for my nieces and nephews but they are only 5 years and younger so I haven't had much experience buying books for children. 

What children’s books do you most admire?

• I absolutely love Holes. It is my favorite book of all time. 

What were your favorite children’s books as a child?

• Holes and Junie B. Jones books

In what contexts did you read children’s books as a child?

• I read book from the A.R. list that I got to pick from. 

Are there certain themes that interest you in children’s books?

• Not really, I liked all sorts when I was a child.

Are there certain types of books that you think children shouldn’t read?

• No, I think children should be able to read whatever types of books they want. 

How do you judge whether a children’s book is good?

• If it captures my attention from the beginning to the end. 

What do you think of when you think of fantasy?

• The Giver. 

Do you like fantasy literature? Why or why not?

• I love fantasy literature. I think it is amazing how an author can make me believe in something that can never actually happen while I am reading the book. 

Explain your reaction when you learned that this course would focus on fantasy.

• I was excited to see that there were a lot of fantasy books on the list. Especially since I haven't read very many of them. 

Rank the following from most to least valuable:
Nonfiction 8
Poetry 9
Historical Fiction 7
Romance 3
Fantasy Fiction 2
Science Fiction 6 
Horror 5
Mystery 1
Adventure 4
Explain your choice for #1 and #9 in your rankings above.

Mystery books are my absolute favorite. Anytime I read one I seriously cannot put the book down until I finish it. Poetry is my least favorite because I have always had a difficult time pulling the poem apart and figuring out the meaning behind it.