"Send me a Text Message!"

Books are quietly disappearing from American classrooms, and kids are paying the price. I dig into why excerpts have replaced full-length novels and plays, how that shift affects comprehension and attention, and what it means for students who deserve a rich, inclusive literacy diet. Drawing on research and classroom realities, I unpack the tension between teaching to high-stakes tests and building the deeper reading stamina that colleges and life demand.

I also relate the quality of the texts that middle school and high school students are reading to the surge in book bans. The numbers are stark: thousands of titles challenged or pulled, most often those by or about people of color and LGBTQ+ communities. That censorship doesn’t just limit shelves; it narrows imaginations, erases "mirrors and windows," and undermines the democratic promise of education. Finally, I connect the dots between policy, politics, and practice, and I talk plainly about who gets silenced when story choices are made out of fear.

This conversation isn’t just a diagnosis; it’s a roadmap for the future. I outline a balanced approach that pairs short texts with sustained reading of entire novels, plays, and nonfiction works. I share specific steps parents and educators can take: form curriculum committees, map reading across grades, set clear targets for long-form works, and advocate for diverse authors. If you’re ready to help your child become a stronger reader and protect inclusive libraries, you’ll leave with practical tools and a sense of agency.

Subscribe for weekly episodes, share this one with a friend who cares about K-12 literacy, and leave a comment on our site to tell me what you’re seeing in your schools. Your voice matters—join me and help keep whole books and inclusive stories within every student’s reach.

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