Should a book contain words that are challenging to readers?

[pinefamily]

Some excellent points made above.
I agree, some challenging words are not an issue. What is an issue though is when an author, or speaker uses complex or obscure words where a simpler, more commonplace word would suffice. There is nothing clever in it, only their ego showing.

[+sanele_1996]

I consider it to be a good thing because it helps the reader to to enrich his or her vocabulary

[Sakilunamermaid]

I think that books are great learning tools. They should be used to teach/ expand vocabulary and to show different perspectives to readers. I usually will look up words if I don't know them. I love that my kindle had a vocabulary builder and I can look up words. If books just used average words, they would be a lot more limiting and I would probably find myself bored and unchallenged.

[atonykamau]

To some extent yes they should contain words that are challenging in order to broaden the reader's horizon. I also think that a book should also try to meet the needs of its readers like for example, you can't enjoy a book that you've been dying to read if you can't understand the words.

[Vivekamrutkar]

Yes.
A book must contain challenging words for the reader.
Books are not only made for lieusure time reading or fun.
They actually must contain challenging word.
These words improve the readers vocabulary.
Readers get to know their meaning and also they learn something new.
It's a must for a book to have challenging words.
This also helps the people to have enrichment in the language.

[Clinical1]

A book should be a combination of age-appropriate words, standard language, and some harder words. Part of reading is learning. We can expand our vocabulary through exposure to words that are not familiar. Being able to estimate the meaning of the word through context clues is great. But even if the reader needs to use a dictionary, that's fine too. Provided it isn't too often that the reader gets frustrated and quits the book. With e-readers having online dictionaries, this is even easier.

[jvez]

I like reading books that also challenge me and help me improve my skills. So I think, it's good to use complicated words. But if it comes to a point that I can't even read one full page without having to check a dictionary, then I think that's already a total overuse of complicated words, and won't be beneficial to me at all.

[MishM1]

Challenging words are a "must". If a book isn't teaching you to read it should at least help to expand your vocabulary. Children's books should especially challenge readers to learn new words. It shouldn't make the reading experience uncomfortable, but learning and retaining one or two new words could make a child feel accomplished.

[kelvinmwaniki17]

I think challenging words should be exposed to readers. This will help them expand their horizon.