What's the point of required reading?

But honestly, wouldn't it be interesting to actually talk about how much everything has changed over time? Take the "button wars" or even something like *The Time Machine*—I mean, I've always felt *The Time Machine* works better as required reading because it keeps kids engaged. But what do people actually think about all that outdated tech they use in those stories? How do you guys even view it all today?

I figured I’d drop a quick note here on the forum and share my ID since you all piqued my interest regarding how reading habits and required literature look where I live—Alberta, Canada.

I managed to dig this up https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/a016...ades-4to12.pdf

The Foreword is actually pretty interesting to read through. I haven't quite dove into the specifics yet, though—my daughter is only three, so I don't really have any practical experience with school curriculum details just yet.

frupy said:if you serve these kinds of titles to kids, angry parents would be banging on the faculty lounge door within two days.
I couldn't agree more.
Why should you be forcing their children to wade through horrific tales of trauma, abuse, or violent crime?

For God's sake, have some dignity. 😁

Who actually storms the school office because there’s decapitated heads or severed breasts in a required reading?😁 Or bitten-off hands in an elementary textbook?

the lack of reading habits at home is just as much to blame

Fine, but what is the point of having those kids in a dedicated reading hour? If Mom and Dad don't read, if they never read to them, if there isn't a single book in the house, and their own IQs aren't exactly staggering—what's the goal? Why sit them in a reading period instead of letting them kick a ball around on the playground? What's the actual utility? To ensure they can answer one extra question about whether they'll watch The Chase? Why waste their time, the teachers' time, electricity, fuel, lightbulbs, or chalk?

here is yet another proof of how clueless you all are regarding these wonderful new methods, outcomes, and "innovations" we're constantly bombarded with at workshops and seminars

I'm not talking about that nonsense. I'm talking about proactively following findings from memory and learning psychology, cognitive science—about a biology teacher actually pulling research from high-quality, peer-reviewed journals on science pedagogy from the internet, rather than being oblivious to their existence entirely.

I'd bet anything that the vast majority of your colleagues attending those pretentious, overly ambitious "professional development" sessions haven't the slightest clue about test-enhanced learning or spaced repetition. They likely don't know how to take effective notes, and even if they do, they aren't passing it on. Unless they teach psychology, they probably know nothing about working memory limits or strategies for long-term encoding.

And they don't know because nobody in education cares about using science as a tool to uncover reality, nor is there any belief that a teacher's job is to master and apply these tools to make learning more efficient. It doesn't interest them because it doesn't impact their personal lives; most people don't learn anything unless they absolutely have to, mostly because they possess the curiosity of a common houseplant.

Richard Perez3 said:Honestly, kids just can't really wrap their heads around The Little Prince.
I reread it a few years back when I was in my mid-30s, and that’s when it finally clicked. That rose character? Suddenly felt so much more real.
I wouldn't say I'll go back to it anytime soon, but hey, who knows.

If you think Pinocchio was a tough read for little ones, just wait until you hit Peter Pan (my kid had it over the summer between second and third grade)—but I mean the actual book, not those watered-down modern versions.
I was obsessed with it then, and I still am. But man, the writing is intense; the sentences are super complex, yet it’s beautiful and really makes you think. And isn't that the whole point? To be challenging, to push your brain in different directions?

And look, if a second grader is still struggling with basic phonics and syllables... that shouldn't be the norm. It should be an exception, not something happening all the time. By the end of the second semester in second grade, a kid should be able to actually *read*. Like, truly read. They might get exhausted doing it, but they should be able to tackle those texts. I mean, we did it. Why shouldn't they? Newer generations should be even sharper than us.

Besides, if that's not already the standard (which clearly it isn't), I won't stand for it. I refuse to let my kid live that kind of lifestyle—not in any way. Period. Whatever we went through—and let's face it, that's just basic, fundamental education that worked for countless people—my kid will go through too. Whether it's hard or easy, whatever. Some things will click faster, some won't.

But nothing develops properly when you start underestimating people and what they're capable of. Sure, everyone has strengths, weaknesses, quirks, or maybe even some learning disability that makes things harder, but you deal with that by finding solutions.
You don't solve it by deciding Peter Pan is "too hard." He's not. And I'm not letting anyone take the easy way out for my kid.
Sorry, totally went off on a tangent there.

Who exactly is this "we"?

I certainly could. In my classroom, I had students who were hitting 23 words per minute on those rapid reading assessments.

Some kids just have lower cognitive capacities, while others simply mature at a slower pace. An acquaintance of mine has a child who grew up surrounded by books and adults who read constantly with their kids, yet the child didn't truly start reading until fourth grade (they'd read before preschool, though). Fortunately, she's a sensible woman, so she didn't make a scene or bully the kid about it, nor did the child sit there crying over required reading; instead, she would just read aloud to them. Give it a few years, and that child isn't a little kid anymore—nor are they stupid or slow, far from it. 😁

Children are human beings, complex living organisms; they don't always develop according to the rigid blueprints dreamed up by the Department of Education.

Sarah Johnson24 said:I figured I’d drop a quick note here on the forum and share my ID since you all piqued my interest regarding how reading habits and required literature look where I live—Alberta, Canada.

I managed to dig this up https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/a016...ades-4to12.pdf

The Foreword is actually pretty interesting to read through. I haven't quite dove into the specifics yet, though—my daughter is only three, so I don't really have any practical experience with school curriculum details just yet.

If I understood that correctly—is this a Catholic school?
😍 🤣
I'm just curious what someone like Persephone would think about this list—especially that comment regarding the book at the end. I mean, that's high school level stuff, I guess.

This comes from a page on the Biden administration website https://open.alberta.ca/publications/0778537994—and apparently, both Catholic and public schools were involved in putting it together.

Yeah, the list is... interesting, I guess. 🙂

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy alongside Dostoevsky. 😬
Sarah Johnson24, do you worry that your kid might end up uneducated or lacking perspective—considering this sacrilegious reading list doesn't even follow historical timelines and includes non-canonical works? 😬

God, Canadians are just as obsessed with The Little Prince... I wonder when someone is finally going to expose that silly assignment as total nonsense.

p.s. actually, wait, I just realized it’s not even on there. 😬
p.p.s. I guess Hawking's Theory of Everything should be mandatory here too. Honestly, I'm just fed up with it all.

Not really, no. My kid goes to a preschool that offers after-school care, so I end up chatting with those kids quite often while waiting for my own little one to get ready to head home. Honestly, the way they tackle all sorts of topics—including books—is pretty impressive. It’s actually kind of surprising. I suppose I'll see if my perspective shifts once my child actually starts elementary school.

Anyway, looking at this list, there's a ton of stuff here I read back in high school—not because it was assigned reading, obviously, but just because I actually found them fun to read. 😁

Stephen Hawking hasn't been gone long enough for us to be certain if this is actually a masterpiece or just some passing trend🥳 🤣

I suppose I should probably mention that I’ve been thinking quite a bit about how much certain things change over time, though I can never quite pin down why it feels so significant when it happens. It’s funny, really, how we get caught up in these little cycles. I was sitting there the other day—just staring out at the street in Chicago, I guess—thinking about how everything seems to move so fast now, yet some things feel like they haven't budged an inch since I was a kid. Maybe it's just me being overly contemplative, or maybe there's actually something to it. Anyway, I don't mean to ramble on forever, but I felt like sharing that thought, if anyone cares to listen. kaže:

Good grief, please don't embarrass yourself like that. 😁

I wonder who exactly is the one currently pounding on the faculty lounge door in a total fury over those decapitated heads and severed breasts found in the literature curriculum. 😁 I guess I was just sitting there thinking about that whole bizarre situation involving the severed hands at the elementary school, and honestly, it’s just one of those things that makes you wonder how we even function as a society sometimes. It feels like one of those dark, surrealist movies you’d see at an indie theater in Seattle or something, where everything is just slightly off and unsettlingly quiet. I don't know, maybe it's just me being overly cautious, but when you hear about stuff like that happening in a local school district, it sort of stays with you, doesn't it? It’s such a strange, heavy thing to wrap your head around, especially when you think about the kids involved. I suppose there isn't much to be said other than it's deeply unsettling, though I guess everyone is just trying to process it in their own way.

Parents.
If you happen to open your mouth about any topic they consider sensitive, they’re on you in a heartbeat. I mean, it doesn't matter what it is—you could be talking about biology, religion, history, literature, or psychology, and they'll be right there ready to jump in.
It seems like whenever they encounter something that feels a bit taboo, or perhaps just sits uncomfortably alongside the standard curriculum—you know, the stuff they're taught in their American history books, English lit classes, psychology seminars, or even Sunday school—they immediately go running to find "information" elsewhere. I guess it’s almost like a reflex, where if a textbook or a formal lecture doesn't align with their specific worldview, they suddenly feel the need to hunt down some alternative truth to fill the gap. Maybe it's just how people react when their preconceived notions get poked, though I suppose it could be interpreted a few different ways.
I swear I'm telling the truth, though I suppose you probably won't believe me anyway.🐔

I mean, okay, but what is actually the point of having these kids sit through some mandatory reading hour? I guess we have to look at the reality of things, because most parents aren't exactly sitting down with books, and they probably weren't reading to their kids back in the day either. Most of these homes don't even have a library on the shelf, and—not to be harsh—but maybe the intellectual engagement at home isn't exactly hitting the mark. So why force them into this hour of literature instead of just letting them go outside and kick a soccer ball around at the park? I don't really see the utility in it. What's the actual gain? Is knowing one extra trivia question about whether they’ll end up watching The Chase more valuable than, say, physical activity? It feels like such a waste of everyone's resources—the students' time, the teachers' energy, and honestly, even the electricity, the fuel, the lightbulbs, and the chalk. It all seems a bit excessive, if you ask me.

If we’re talking about high school—which, let's be honest, is pretty much all I ever want to talk about—I guess it isn't strictly necessary for them to actually accomplish anything at all. Maybe they don't even need to read.🤷
I guess some people just end up with a one or a two on their literature assignments.
I mean, honestly, maybe they just shouldn't go to that school at all. Actually, I guess it might be better if they didn't go to school entirely.
I suppose I really don't know.
If they really feel like they're just spinning their wheels and wasting everyone's time, I suppose they might as well just sit this one out. Honestly, it's fine by me if they decide to do nothing at all.

I’d probably bet you some money that most of those colleagues of yours—the ones trekking out to these overly ambitious, high-flown professional development seminars—don't actually have a clue when it comes to things like test-enhanced learning or spaced repetition. I mean, maybe they do, but I suspect they likely haven't a prayer about how to actually take effective notes, and even if they did happen to figure it out, I doubt they're passing those skills along to anyone else. It seems to me that unless someone is specifically a psychology professor, they probably don't grasp much about the limitations of working memory, or any of those actual strategies people need when the whole point is supposed to be moving information into long-term storage. I guess it's just my hunch, but it feels like there's a massive gap between the lofty titles of these workshops and the actual science of how we learn.

I think I’d be willing to put some money on your head too, honestly, because you seem to be completely off base here.🙂

The MoonI mean, I guess I have to ask, why exactly are you trolling?🍿

Man, this Canadian census list is just a total mess, I guess.🙂
I guess if you look at all these headlines, most people would probably just lose their minds over how many there are, though I don't know. Judging by what's actually being written, it seems like everything is once again just overflowing with elves, dwarves, witches, and that sort of thing.🙄
I suppose I’ve been thinking quite a bit about summer lately, though I can’t quite pin down why it feels different this year, maybe because the heat just seems to linger a little longer in the air than it used to, or perhaps it’s just my own perception shifting as the seasons roll on. It’s funny how we spend all winter dreaming of that specific kind of golden, heavy warmth, only to find ourselves sitting in front of an air conditioner in some quiet suburb outside of Chicago, wondering where the time went. I guess there’s a certain melancholy to it, isn't there? That slow, drifting feeling of July afternoons where the humidity makes everything feel slightly out of focus, almost like a dream you can't quite shake. I don't know, maybe I'm just being overly contemplative, but there's something about the way the light hits the pavement in August that always makes me feel like I should be doing something more productive, even if I have absolutely no intention of actually getting up from my chair. I saw they have A Wrinkle in Time on the shelves—I actually took a moment to read the synopsis, and honestly, goodness help me, it looks like an absolute disaster.🤣

Linda Price5 said:For God's sake, have some dignity. 😁

Who actually storms the school office because there’s decapitated heads or severed breasts in a required reading?😁 Or bitten-off hands in an elementary textbook?

the lack of reading habits at home is just as much to blame

Fine, but what is the point of having those kids in a dedicated reading hour? If Mom and Dad don't read, if they never read to them, if there isn't a single book in the house, and their own IQs aren't exactly staggering—what's the goal? Why sit them in a reading period instead of letting them kick a ball around on the playground? What's the actual utility? To ensure they can answer one extra question about whether they'll watch The Chase? Why waste their time, the teachers' time, electricity, fuel, lightbulbs, or chalk?

here is yet another proof of how clueless you all are regarding these wonderful new methods, outcomes, and "innovations" we're constantly bombarded with at workshops and seminars

I'm not talking about that nonsense. I'm talking about proactively following findings from memory and learning psychology, cognitive science—about a biology teacher actually pulling research from high-quality, peer-reviewed journals on science pedagogy from the internet, rather than being oblivious to their existence entirely.

I'd bet anything that the vast majority of your colleagues attending those pretentious, overly ambitious "professional development" sessions haven't the slightest clue about test-enhanced learning or spaced repetition. They likely don't know how to take effective notes, and even if they do, they aren't passing it on. Unless they teach psychology, they probably know nothing about working memory limits or strategies for long-term encoding.

And they don't know because nobody in education cares about using science as a tool to uncover reality, nor is there any belief that a teacher's job is to master and apply these tools to make learning more efficient. It doesn't interest them because it doesn't impact their personal lives; most people don't learn anything unless they absolutely have to, mostly because they possess the curiosity of a common houseplant.

People have come knocking at my door, though. It wasn't over anything quite so graphic as dismemberment, but rather because of the suggestive scenes involving Penelope’s sheer clothing in the Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and the general lack of modesty in those pages.

Then there's the issue of Huckleberry Finn using profanity and smoking, which apparently makes him an unsuitable hero for a child's curriculum. ☕

wanderingbadger44 said:People have come knocking at my door, though. It wasn't over anything quite so graphic as dismemberment, but rather because of the suggestive scenes involving Penelope’s sheer clothing in the Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and the general lack of modesty in those pages.

Then there's the issue of Huckleberry Finn using profanity and smoking, which apparently makes him an unsuitable hero for a child's curriculum. ☕

It looks like you might have hit send a little too early! I'm here and ready whenever you want to share what's on your mind. Just let me know how I can help! 😕
Let them keep typing. Honestly, human stupidity knows no bounds. It’s almost impossible to even start making a list of everything you have to watch out for just to ensure kids stay safe—not that some parents would ever bother to look. 🤔
Because of people like that, should regular kids really be the ones to miss out on quality education?

The issue is that most people start typing away immediately, so then things just start spiraling out of control on the cookies.🕺

And honestly, if it’s already been laid down by the official curriculum, then you basically just shut them up and call it a day. Let them complain to whoever they want.
If it's something controversial that falls under your own free choice, though, then you're stuck having to justify yourself, getting dragged into those mindless arguments, and sometimes even having to file formal written rebuttals—and I guess I just don't have the energy to deal with all that nonsense.🙂

I mean, that's exactly why the reading list needs an update 😁

Linda Price5 said:For God's sake, have some dignity. 😁

Who actually storms the school office because there’s decapitated heads or severed breasts in a required reading?😁 Or bitten-off hands in an elementary textbook?

the lack of reading habits at home is just as much to blame

Fine, but what is the point of having those kids in a dedicated reading hour? If Mom and Dad don't read, if they never read to them, if there isn't a single book in the house, and their own IQs aren't exactly staggering—what's the goal? Why sit them in a reading period instead of letting them kick a ball around on the playground? What's the actual utility? To ensure they can answer one extra question about whether they'll watch The Chase? Why waste their time, the teachers' time, electricity, fuel, lightbulbs, or chalk?

here is yet another proof of how clueless you all are regarding these wonderful new methods, outcomes, and "innovations" we're constantly bombarded with at workshops and seminars

I'm not talking about that nonsense. I'm talking about proactively following findings from memory and learning psychology, cognitive science—about a biology teacher actually pulling research from high-quality, peer-reviewed journals on science pedagogy from the internet, rather than being oblivious to their existence entirely.

I'd bet anything that the vast majority of your colleagues attending those pretentious, overly ambitious "professional development" sessions haven't the slightest clue about test-enhanced learning or spaced repetition. They likely don't know how to take effective notes, and even if they do, they aren't passing it on. Unless they teach psychology, they probably know nothing about working memory limits or strategies for long-term encoding.

And they don't know because nobody in education cares about using science as a tool to uncover reality, nor is there any belief that a teacher's job is to master and apply these tools to make learning more efficient. It doesn't interest them because it doesn't impact their personal lives; most people don't learn anything unless they absolutely have to, mostly because they possess the curiosity of a common houseplant.

You're close, really, but you have to keep in mind that even if someone wants to improve, they need the actual capacity, the time, less paperwork, and better support teams to point them toward new research—like articles on how the brain actually processes learning. Instead, they’re stuck filling out forms and preaching non-violence while every kind of bullying and aggression is blooming right under their noses in schools and society.

I have a colleague who gets a sabbatical for professional development, similar to how university professors get a research year. She takes a year off from teaching her classroom, still receives her full salary, but she's required to publish a paper, attend workshops, and focus on self-improvement, all while being completely removed from the classroom setting.

Look, you have plenty of individuals who genuinely want to grow and understand that education has to be an evolving process, not something static. But damn, even the most stubborn, most creative ones eventually burn out. And if you ask them why? Every single one of them will tell you it's because they're working in a collective with zero support, dealing with unhelpful principals, and then facing pressure from parents. The system is what it is; you can only change it from the inside, by fighting for it in the teachers' lounge. There isn't any other way.

I'm just sitting here staring at my screen, honestly. I can't believe some people actually think they have a say in how things work around here. It’s like, hello? Do you even listen to what’s being said? I was grabbing a coffee down at Starbucks this morning—just trying to have a quiet moment, you know?—and I overheard this guy complaining about the exact same nonsense that's been blowing up on these boards all week. People just love to hear themselves talk. They think their little opinions carry weight, but it's all just noise. It’s exhausting, really. Just total noise. kaže:
Who even are "we"?

I could’ve done it, for sure. I remember back in my class, there were kids who were absolutely crushing those speed-reading tests—hitting like 23 words per minute. No joke.

Honestly, who cares if kids aren't geniuses right out of the gate? Maybe they just take a little longer to mature. I know this person who had a kid basically raised by books—just surrounded by adults constantly reading together. That kid didn't even pick up reading on their own until fourth grade (though they were listening to stories way before preschool). Luckily, the mom is actually chill about this stuff. She wasn't some helicopter parent obsessing over test scores or making the kid cry over required reading; she just sat there and read everything out loud to them. Look, time flies. That kid isn't a little kid anymore, and honestly? They aren't slow or dim-witted at all. Not even close. 😁

Kids are actual human beings, you know? They're complex, living organisms. They don't always grow up exactly the way the Department of Culture thinks they should.

Look, I could've done it too. Honestly, most people in my grade—actually, pretty much everyone I went to school with, from middle school all the way through high school since I moved around so much—could have pulled it off. It was always like that. Some people... just get it. Or they don't. Honestly, I can't even deal with half of them lately. They just couldn't pull it off. Honestly, that acquaintance you mentioned? She really drives home your point. This kid had two exceptions, and one of them wasn't even forced to deal with the reading list. She wasn't made to read out loud—though, let's be real, I don't know how much you actually know about all the methods she was trying out. You called her an acquaintance, not a friend, so I'm not sure how close you guys actually are. But basically, the mom would read the assignments out loud to her just so the kid could actually process the material.
She wasn't just complaining—not that she ever does, right?—she was actually taking action. But it wasn't like she was blaming the book itself or saying the whole thing should be tossed out because she... First, second, and third grade. She can't even tackle a book on her own. Seriously.

Look, that kid is a total outlier. It’s a freak occurrence, nothing more. Seriously, don't even try to use them as an example—it's just not how things work. 😁
Look, things finally clicked for my kid—well, they aren't a kid anymore, so whatever. The big question is how we actually got there. Was it all those endless therapy sessions and specific exercises? Or would we have hit this milestone way sooner if she hadn't been bogged down by all that stuff? I mean, maybe she wouldn't have struggled so much back in fourth grade if she hadn't dealt with those speech delays that seemed to slow her down compared to everyone else. It’s hard to say. But hey, it happened. It's done.

Look, here’s my two cents: if you’ve got an average kid with zero speech issues, they should—and honestly, they *must*—be able to hold their own by the end of second grade. Period. read.
If they can't pull that off, something's definitely fishy going on behind the scenes.
Then you’ve gotta handle that the right way.
Don't try to run from it and pretend it’s "too advanced" just because kids have been reading this stuff for generations. That’s a cop-out. Look, maybe it *is* too hard for that specific kid at that exact moment—fine. But that should be the exception, not the rule. It shouldn't be the standard.

So, I wanted to jump in here with a quick story regarding that post by Persephone about parents knocking on doors... Also, my multi-quote feature is totally broken right now. Is it just me, or is yours acting up too?

You know that thing where preschool kids go on a field trip to the Smithsonian to see the early human exhibits? It’s usually right around their final year of daycare. It’s been part of the curriculum forever—thousands of kids have done it.
So, four different groups are heading out on a field trip to the museum today. For most of them, it’s a total blast—just having a good time. But there’s this one little kid who is absolutely losing it. She’s freaking out and crying her eyes out because those prehistoric caveman statues gave her the creeps. Poor thing is terrified.
Total freaking chaos.
There’s so much freaking drama going on right now that her parents actually went scorched earth on the preschool director. They’re losing their minds, claiming it’s way too early for kids that age to be exposed to this stuff, questioning where they're even taking these children, and acting like she’s walking around with straight-up trauma now. Apparently, there needs to be some kind of investigation or whatever. Total circus. kick her out because apparently, that’s just way too much for them to handle.

It's for them.

Not for her—she was clearly the exception here. I mean, we've had groups of twenty kids enjoying this for years, along with every generation before them, but now? It's all about them!

All because of one person.

Is that even normal?

I mean, seriously, try making a connection to Pinocchio or anything else that's been part of the curriculum forever, but for this tiny handful of kids, it's just too hard.

I don't know if I'm making sense, my brain is kind of racing right now.

Linda Price5 said:For God's sake, have some dignity. 😁

Who actually storms the school office because there’s decapitated heads or severed breasts in a required reading?😁 Or bitten-off hands in an elementary textbook?

the lack of reading habits at home is just as much to blame

Fine, but what is the point of having those kids in a dedicated reading hour? If Mom and Dad don't read, if they never read to them, if there isn't a single book in the house, and their own IQs aren't exactly staggering—what's the goal? Why sit them in a reading period instead of letting them kick a ball around on the playground? What's the actual utility? To ensure they can answer one extra question about whether they'll watch The Chase? Why waste their time, the teachers' time, electricity, fuel, lightbulbs, or chalk?

here is yet another proof of how clueless you all are regarding these wonderful new methods, outcomes, and "innovations" we're constantly bombarded with at workshops and seminars

I'm not talking about that nonsense. I'm talking about proactively following findings from memory and learning psychology, cognitive science—about a biology teacher actually pulling research from high-quality, peer-reviewed journals on science pedagogy from the internet, rather than being oblivious to their existence entirely.

I'd bet anything that the vast majority of your colleagues attending those pretentious, overly ambitious "professional development" sessions haven't the slightest clue about test-enhanced learning or spaced repetition. They likely don't know how to take effective notes, and even if they do, they aren't passing it on. Unless they teach psychology, they probably know nothing about working memory limits or strategies for long-term encoding.

And they don't know because nobody in education cares about using science as a tool to uncover reality, nor is there any belief that a teacher's job is to master and apply these tools to make learning more efficient. It doesn't interest them because it doesn't impact their personal lives; most people don't learn anything unless they absolutely have to, mostly because they possess the curiosity of a common houseplant.

The exact same thing as everyone else, I guess.

Quincy:

Mom and Dad aren't readers, they didn't read to them, they probably don't even have books at home, and honestly, their IQ might not be that impressive either. So why bother with a reading hour instead of just letting them kick a ball around at the park? What's the actual benefit? Are they going to learn how to answer one extra question just so they can watch The Chase? Why waste their time, the teachers' time, electricity, gas, lightbulbs, or chalk?

Well, the time spent on all the other students is the same whether a kid "doesn't read because nobody reads at home" or not, right?
So, that time for the rest of the class isn't really wasted.

And his time isn't wasted just because the reading hour exists, either. I mean, maybe.
Anyone can pick something up from a book they read. Someone might get more out of it, someone might get less, but everyone gets *something*.
The only way they'd actually get nothing is if we just shut them out entirely.

-Stipe

Pinocchio is actually part of the second-grade curriculum, not the transition between second and third. Students get assigned it over winter break. My little girl is one of the top readers in her class, and while those "titles" can be subjective, she’s way ahead of the curve based on her reading speed tests.
And honestly? For her, Pinocchio might be a bit much right in the middle of second grade. I don't think she'd enjoy it as much as her other books. It’s nothing to be ashamed of saying, but tackling 200 pages of any text—let alone something like this—is hardly a walk in the park for a seven or eight-year-old.
At least during the early years of school, kids shouldn't feel discouraged or bored by their first required reading assignments.

Pinocchio isn't even one of those "first required reads." Back in my day, you had like six of them in sixth grade, and maybe three or four in seventh before those summer breaks when they finally hand you Pinocchio.
Yeah, well, I had to deal with it too back then.
So, did they actually get through it? Your daughter and my son? Yeah, they did. Sure, maybe there was a bit more whining or a little extra struggling, but they finished it. At the end of the day, you’ve got just as many kids who breezed through the same book with zero drama and actually enjoyed it—or maybe they didn't, if the story sucked—but look, kids the exact same age, in the exact same grade, all finished the damn thing.

Wait, hold up, I just realized your kid hasn't even read Pinocchio. So what's the actual problem here? 😁 😁