Kids Rarely Read Whole Books Anymore. Even in English Class.

I can confirm this: most of my 1st-year college students have not been assigned a whole book.

...When teachers do assign whole books, they often choose from a stagnant list of classics.

A major benefit of a whole class reading a whole novel together is the muscle it builds for citizenship and debating big ideas, Dr. White argued.

"Maybe most important is the common project," he said, "of engaging other young people in a conversation about a book that is open to multiple interpretations."

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/us/high-school-english-teachers-assigning-books.html?unlocked_article_code=1.8E8.hlhG.QaCa57howt1G&smid=em-share