Boys and Girls: Different Reading Preferences and Motivations

English 212- Children's Literature

April 19th, 2014

Boys and Girls: Different Reading Preferences and Motivations

Abstract:

This research paper studies the factors that motivate each gender to prefer a different genre in literature. Also if there is any validity in the notion that boys are less interested in reading than girls.

Introduction:

“I don’t want to read that book, that’s a book for girls”. What makes a book for a particular gender and why is there a difference between boys and girls when it comes to what they prefer to read and how often? Gender difference has been a subject of many studies in a variety of professions, becoming very controversial. Some say these differences are based on biological factors and others on society, but whatever the outcomes we are all aware of the differences between male and female preferences. What about the preferences in literature? A child’s reading ability, interest and preference changes with age and maturity. “Gender differences appear by age 9 and last throughout the middle grades”, according to Downen, 1972; Schulte, 1968; Thorndike, 1941 (Haynes, Carol. Donald Hichgels “Fourth graders’ Literature Preference p.2). The beginning of this stage in the life of a child is prompt by the search of identity.

Pre-adolescence sets in and the child begins to learn to choose what he or she like, what genre or themes are most interesting to them. They generally look for books that are set to be either for boys or girls accordingly. Probably one strong reason for this is the fact that we do not want society to know that we prefer or like anything of the opposite gender (sex) making us unfit. No boy would like to be seen reading an American Girl book, for example. Our society and cultures are expectant of certain behavior; a girl should act feminine and a boy masculine. To this we can add the fact that some are wrongly informed that being a boy or a girl predestines you to like or dislike reading.

“Research from...