I do think that kids need to be exposed to classics but I think the denigration of sci-fi, fantasy and horror is a little short sighted. I think exposing kids to heavy short stories and short novels is a good way to show that the classics can be great. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor, "The Stranger" by Camus and "1984" are good examples of stuff I had to read in school that was classic but very accessible. If a kid likes horror set them up with some Lovecraft. Fantasy? Try Lord of the Rings or Steven Brust's "Phoenix Guards. Sci-Fi? Heinlein, Orwell, Neal Stephenson, Daniel Keys and a host of other writers. Plenty or doorways to great literature that appeal to a kids interest. Of course we don't have the time or resources in this society to figure out what a kid might like to read and put that book in their hand. I guess my post was a big disingenuous because really I think kids need to be exposed to classic literature, but helping kids love reading isn't being done very effectively.