Is the Twilight series good for your teen's vocabulary?

From the Community…

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  Posted by EW Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:15pm PDT

  As long as it is not x rated, trashy or immoral, if kids are reading, it is always an awesome thing. Life is about learning.

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  Posted by Anne Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:53pm PDT

  Harry Potter is still way better! (jk)

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  Posted by Artemis Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:05pm PDT

  Wow, this is the type of thing the remedial teachers have been teaching for years... glad the rest of the population caught up (except no fun workbooks to go along with popular books).

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  Posted by AmandaC Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:17pm PDT

  Do people not know what a dictionary is? This is so lame. She really needed to write a book to help people read another book? I don't even know why I am questioning this -- People don't read anymore and they can't spell. Seriously, have you seen some of the comments around here, lately? Everything is abbreviated like a text message. What is happening to us?

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  Posted by TheSquishyOne Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:29pm PDT

  I got really lost with Twilight...maybe because I was reading it when I was physically and mentally exhausted and could only make it through a few pages at a time. Who knows. I got half way through Twilight and gave up...the story DRAGGED.

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  Posted by GirlyGirl© Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:32pm PDT

  Ahh, Twilight. Because nothing says "romance" like abuse, pedophilia, and teen pregnancy. Enjoy!

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  Posted by clairity Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:05pm PDT

  I read the first book, and I felt that that Meyer was trying way to hard to cram those "big" words into her writing. Most of those SAT words were awkwardly placed/chosen. If you want your kid to improve their vocabulary, then have them read classic literature-books that have stood the test of time and are still beloved today. Catcher in the Rye, Farenheit 451, Cannery Row, Three Musketeers/The Count of Monte Cristo are all great classics for boys. Les Miserables, Pride and Prejudice, My Antonia and The Awakening are amazing books for girls to read. All of these recommended books are works of literature, they expose minds to well-written and well-developed characters. These are true authors, they tell timeless stories. These are the books you want your children to read, to create critical thinkers and build their vocabulary. Not Stephenie Meyer, who is derided for her "literary prowess" behind closed doors.

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  Posted by wendy Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:21pm PDT

  I don't get it. I have tried to read the Twilight books...but they just aren't written well. I doesn't matter how many hundred dollar words you use if your dialogue sucks and the passages are choppy.

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  Posted by PamelaM Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:39pm PDT

  I have a child with dyslexia and these books have intrigued her enough to keep her reading. I love that she is asking me questions about some of the vocabulary and that she is reading. And yes, I read the series too.

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  Posted by binnphoenix Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:04am PDT

  I have not read the Twilight books nor have I seen the Twilight movie(s?). However if those are the vocabulary words, shouldn't the book be considered middle school level? The vocabulary books are a great idea, but not for high school students if those are truly the most "Advanced" words you can find in the books. Workbooks like that for other popular books for kids is a great idea, but these workbooks should be used along side actual high school level reading material for high school students.

  I really do like the idea of teaching vocabulary through reading rather than the way it was taught to peers in school. Which was directly related to pure memorization to prepare for a test and then forget about it after you get your scores back. Teaching through reading, as it should be, promotes knowing these words for the rest of your life. It is just that Twilight, while it may have "adult" content, with the words shown as an example above, seems below a high school level. (I have been out of high school for about 6-7 years so I can not be that outdated on what is the norm for vocabulary nowadays; But maybe it could be a fun project at the beginning of the year to get kids back into reading after the summer or something.)

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