Appropriate Reading?

I have also come to the realization, like many of my classmates, that the process of becoming a reader has more avenues than solely through novels. Two teenage sisters I teach came to an after school tutoring session with their leisure reading. Their leisure reading contained several urban teenage books written by Wahida Clark. I first I was surprised by how the books were so explicit. Afterall, they were titled, "Every Thug Needs a Lady", "Payback is a Mutha", and "A Hustler's Wife." I gave my normal didatic input on how thugs shouldn't be glorified and how teen pregnancy is a serious issue. The girls said how they were well aware but just found the reading exciting and real. I began to think of how Richardson supports read-aloud passages that make the reading "come alive" and how Tovani supports giving students opportunities to read provocative text. While I probably won't be pulling Wahida Clark out for a Civics or Government and Politics class, it was a strong reminder of what often appeals and excites young readers. I hope to adapt my curriculum by providing text sets with modern applications and connections for students but for the content itself to become as exciting as the books students choose to read on their own.