Books are a staple in the typical life of every teenager, but how are they affecting the teen brain? 

     Studies at Cambridge University have shown that during adolescence, the political, moral, and idealistic persuasions that are portrayed in books can affect those who read them in deep-rooted ways.

     Many popular themes in modern books center around dystopian worlds, physical and substance abuse, and coming of age depression, among other ominous subjects. These books are some of the best-selling novels and are most popular among young adults, staying on the best seller lists for dozens of weeks. Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games alone, has been on the New York Times best seller list for over 100 consecutive weeks.

    “Dating abuse, tolerance (or intolerance) towards traditional families and relationships, drugs, and sex are very common in themes in books today,” said Alice Pleasants, librarian. 

    “Books like ‘The Hunger Games’ are pretty popular,” said Lindsay Norman, senior.

   Professor Maria Nikolajeva of Cambridge University stated that the teenage brain is very malleable, and can be influenced greatly by the graphic quality of books. She hosted a conference in Cambridge, England with many other authors and professionals that have experience with the subject. She stated that it is the responsibility of authors to keep a hopeful theme in their work to balance out depressing subjects.

     “Newer books make me think more, and they make it easier to imagine the setting in my mind,” said sophomore Maddie Castillo. 

     “Books have taught me to not take things for granted,” said freshman Jacob Schwind.

   Some authors are more focused on certain themes as opposed to others, and the bias of these authors is clear to many people, including our librarians and teachers.

    Head librarian, Kim Ritter, noted that several authors, such as Jenny Han, Rebecca James, John Green, James Dashner and Suzanne Collins, are most focused on these popular subjects. 

      Throughout the years, these subjects have changed drastically. From the short chapter books we read in elementary school, to the full-fledged novels we read in high school, the content is very different. On a larger scale, books have evolved from one generation to the next, becoming more focused on young adults, and adding more dramatic content to the genres. If one compares generations, they would probably say that behavior is a lot different between them. 

    “When I was in high school, books that were written specifically for a high school relationship were limited,” said Ritter. “Popular classics were what librarians were ‘selling’ to us readers!”

“The teenage brain is very malleable, and can be influenced greatly by the graphic quality of books.”

     “When I was in high school, young adult literature wasn’t really available,” says Pleasants. “Teenagers read “adult” books which dealt with issues pertaining more to adult’s parenthood, divorce, marriage, aging, etc.”

      Most times, the young adult reading the book doesn’t even realize that this content is being presented to them when they are in their most focused state while reading. When going through adolescence, teens are also still developing parts of the brain associated with decision making and behavioral skills.

“They make me realize that there are always different ways to look at a situation” said Norman.

“Books add a special dimension to my life,” said freshman Quinn Morrow. “They enrich my world.”

   The power over our thinking that books have is relevant to every aspect of our lives, from relationships to job decisions. From now on, it may be better to think about what you’re reading rather than just accept the message presented to you.

        “Books help teenagers form opinions about topics that they previously were unaware of,” says Pleasants. “Hopefully, the wide variety of books will allow students to see all sides on a topic.”