Author and teacher Laura Preble on teens and their reading habits

A lot is said these days about most teens not liking to read much in general and not liking to read the classics in particular. Raised in the age of iPods, texting and Twittering, this should come as no surprise.

I was fortunate recently to ask Laura Preble, a veteran high school English teacher and author, about teens and their reading habits. Her comments and advice are honest and thought provoking.

Preble teaches 9th and 11th graders at West Hills High School in Santee and is the author of three novels written for and about teens: href="http://www.queengeeksocialclub.com/">“Queen Geek Social Club,” “Queen Geeks in Love” and “Prom Queen Geeks.” An earlier novel, “Lica’s Angel” was self-published.

Preble’s also a jazz singer and a former colleague of mine many years ago at The San Diego Union-Tribune. She and her husband, jazz musician Chris Klich, have two sons, Austin, 15 and Noel, 6. Her sons “are both creative beyond belief,” Preble said. It must be in the genes.

What books are assigned reading in your classroom? With so many books to pick from, why did you select these?

We read American Literature in junior year. (“The Great Gatsby”, “Catcher in the Rye”, “The Crucible”, “The Grapes of Wrath”) These are selected by the English department, and we all read them.

There has been a lot of discussion about whether high school students today should be reading the classics their parents read. (Example: I loved “Catcher in the Rye” and still reread it from time to time. But I’ve heard kids, including one in my house, call it boring.) What do you think about kids reading the classics?

I know that sometimes the classics aren’t as engaging as more modern works, but I do think they are really important. If we don’t pass on our history and the things that made us what we are today, we are missing a huge part of understanding ourselves. Also, many students read a classic novel and “get it” much later. FYI, my students totally LOVE “Catcher in the Rye,” although they think Holden is kind of emo. (Translation from Ruth: Someone who is considered emo is overly emotional, may wear all black and listen to music that is filled with tragedy.)

What are your students reading for pleasure? What trends do you see in favorite teen reads?

Uh…pleasure reading? SO many don’t read at all for pleasure. It makes me sad. The ones who do read for pleasure love the “Twilight” series, and supernatural fiction. I do have several kids who really like non-fiction and biography (real stuff).

But many, many kids really dislike reading. I think in this culture of instant info, it takes too long. Everybody (except me) Twitters and gets info in 140 words or less. Reading a book like “The Great Gatsby” is sort of like asking someone who has eaten nothing but Twinkies to enjoy a juicy filet mignon. Their digestive system just can’t handle it.

Tell me about “The Queen Geek Social Club” series? What do you hope your readers draw from your books?

I wrote the books primarily because I saw a lot of kids (girls, especially) who didn’t like the nastiness of the Gossip Girls and other “chick lit” for teens. I didn’t see anything written for the geeky girls (which I was) or for the girls who simply weren’t glamorous. So, I created a high school world where the geek girls are comfortable in their own skin, and they get by with a little help from their friends. (HEY…sounds like a song!) I hope that readers will take away a sense of fun, and also the idea that you should be true to who you are.

What advice do you have for teen writers? For those who love to write? And those who can barely tolerate it?

For teen writers: Write as much as you can. Don’t worry about perfection. That’s what editing is for.

For those who love to write: Read as much as you can. It makes you a better writer. And read books about writing.

For those who can barely tolerate writing: If you want to learn to like it better, write about yourself. Begin small, with a journal.

I have an assignment that I give my students when we do “Catcher.” They have to write 1,500 words, and they have to be the main character and write in a voice of their own in much the same way that Holden does. At first, they all grouse and gripe, and then, once they start, many of the non-writers find that they can’t stop. They are AMAZED. It’s like magic.

What are you writing these days?

I just finished a book called “Punk Boy Mysterious,” which is about homeless teenagers, although it’s fiction. I have two more projects in the works, but it’s too soon to describe them. They’re still forming. One deals with a woman who is mentally ill but hilarious, and the other deals with ghosts who are stuck at a high school but don’t know why.

What are you reading?

Cassandra Clare’s “City of Bones,” part of her Mortal Instruments series. I also just bought ‘Fool” by Christopher Moore, one of my favorite writers, and I’m re-reading his book “Lamb.” I just finished the last Charlaine Harris book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (on which the HBO show True Blood is based) and also just stopped reading a Spider Robinson book because it started to be about a serial killer and was too yucky for me to read.

For more information on Preble and her “The Queen Geek Social Club” series, go to queengeeksocialclub.com.