Reluctant Readers: Do I HAVE to read?
The last thing any lifetime reader wants to hear a kid say is, “Do I HAVE to read?” Because no, unless it’s for school, kids don’t technically HAVE to read. But we hope that they all WANT to read. Big difference.
As a reader and a mom, this frustrates me to no end! My kids love books, but even they have moments of reading reluctance. (There are weeks that my 8-year-old refuses to read anything except his Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Why are they reluctant? Is reading difficult or have they just not found books of interest? And why is reading for pleasure so important anyway? Why not just let kids do the bare minimum for school and accept that some of them just don’t like to read?
(Sidenote: I am that stubborn person who will never accept that people don’t like to read. They just haven’t found the right books yet!)
As adults, we get to choose what we want to read. Comedy, mystery, suspense, literature with a capital L. We might ask friends for suggestions or read book reviews to get ideas, but ultimately the decision is up to us. Why should it be different for kids? I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say that I am an offender of trying to push my own literary wants onto my kids. “What do you mean The Boxcar Children isn’t interesting?! Yes it is, try it again.” Now, if it’s an age thing, and happens to be a book that would be better when they’re older, maybe giving it another try would be ok. But the more we push what we think our kids SHOULD read onto them, the less they will WANT to read. Why not give them some options and then let them choose? Or, better yet, let them roam free in the children’s section of the library and pick anything? This one is hard for me, but at the library I usually just sit at a kid’s table with my own book and let them discover books on their own. (I sneak in a few here and there, though. Hey, no one’s perfect.)
We all have reasons for reading. Sometimes it’s for work, sometimes it’s to learn, and sometimes yes, it’s because the teacher says we have to. But reading for fun, in my opinion, is the best reason of all. I think it’s especially important for kids for a variety of reasons. They inevitably end up learning something, even if it’s just how to tell a funny joke. (Thanks, Captain Underpants.) Through books, kids can travel the world, become a guest in another time period, or visit imaginary lands, which will expand their own imaginations. Books also offer a type of friend that can’t always be found in real life, a friend on the pages who a child can relate to, or aspire to be like. And when you find the right book, reading is just fun! It is important to gently encourage kids to take a break from the busy-ness of life and snuggle up with a book.
Here are a few of the many books that might be perfect for your reluctant reader. Leave them lying around, or just start reading aloud from them when your kid is nearby. They might still be a tough sell, but I think at least one of these will capture your little reader’s attention.
Let me know in the comments what books your kids have fallen in love with! I would love to add more to my list!
**I have focused on elementary school-age books here, but I’m planning a future post about middle school and high school reluctant readers as well.
Mr. Ball Makes a To-Do List
The Adventures of Captain Underpants
Darth Vader and Son
Goodnight Darth Vader
Vader’s Little Princess
Darth Vader and Friends
Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates
Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery
Magic Tree House
Star Wars: Jedi Academy
Squish 1: Super Amoeba
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Ada Twist, Scientist
Rosie Revere, Engineer
Iggy Peck, Architect
The Great Pet Escape (Pets on the Loose!)
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors
The Day the Crayons Quit
The Day the Crayons Came Home
Dragons Love Tacos
What My Kids Are Reading: June 16, 2017
The 6-Year-Old
Shoo, Fly Guy!
From the publisher: “Fly Guy returns home to discover that Buzz has gone on a picnic without him! Sad and hungry, Fly Guy takes off in search of his favorite food. He gets shooed away from a hamburger, a pizza, a dog’s bones, and even roadkill–leaving readers to guess what Fly Guy’s favorite oozy, lumpy, smelly, and brown food could possibly be! Why, it’s shoo-fly pie, of course!”
The Fly Guy books are great, and my 6-year-old loved reading this one to us this week! Fly Guy goes on an adventure all around town and encounters some gross (ie, funny for kids) items along the way, culminating in finally finding his beloved pile of trash for dinner. These books are perfect for this age, and amusing enough for everyone to enjoy.
The 8-Year-Old
The Great Pet Escape (Pets on the Loose!)
From the publisher: “The class pets at Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary School want OUT . . . and GW (short for George Washington), the deceptively cute hamster in the second-grade classroom, is just the guy to lead the way. But when he finally escapes and goes to find his former partners in crime, Barry and Biter, he finds that they actually LIKE being class pets. Impossible! Just as GW gets Barry and Biter to agree to leave with him, a mouse named Harriet and her many mouse minions get in their way. What follows is class-pet chaos guaranteed to make readers giggle . . . and maybe look at their class pets a little differently in the future.”
This is a graphic novel from the author of Roller Girl, and we all liked it. (See my review of this Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee HERE.) My 8-year-old loves graphic novels, and I wasn’t sure if this would be too young for him, but it’s definitely not. The class pets all have funny, distinct personalities, and the humor is geared toward the older elementary school crowd. We’ll definitely be checking out her new book in this series, The Great Art Caper (Pets on the Loose!)
What We’re Reading Together
Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates
These books. THESE BOOKS. They are genius. Dinosaurs in space? And they’re the good guys? And humans are the aliens? It’s like Star Wars with dinosaurs. I would be surprised to find any kid who didn’t like these books. The illustrations are amazing, and the storylines are action-packed with a little humor thrown in. If you’re struggling to find a book that holds your child’s interest, give these a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
What My Kids Are Reading: June 9, 2017
The list is a little longer this week! We’ve had lots more reading time because of the summer break, so we’re coming across a lot more favorites right now!
The 8-Year-Old
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
From the publisher: “The Dursleys were so mean that hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike. And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls’ bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley’s younger sister, Ginny. But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone–or something–starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects…Harry Potter himself?”
We finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The 6-Year-Old
Are We There, Yeti?
From the publisher: “When Bigfoot is driving the bus, a field trip can feel legendarily long…but the best surprise of all is yeti to come! When Yeti, the school bus driver, takes the class on a surprise trip, everyone wants to know: “Are we there, Yeti?” And when they finally arrive, a new adventure is in store!”
This is a really cute book, and definitely too easy for my 6-year-old. But I’m ok with any book he’s excited about reading, and it’s a funny story using the old, “Are we there, yet” storyline. It’s a quick, entertaining read, and perfect for a short break on hot summer afternoons!
What We’re Reading Together
The Adventures of Captain Underpants
From the publisher: “George and Harold have created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school–and now they’re going to bring him to life! Meet Captain Underpants! His true identity is so secret, even HE doesn’t know who he is!”
I will admit that I have avoided this book because . . . well, I have two boys. There’s already plenty of underwear talk to go around. But I found it at the library and got it because they wanted to see the movie, and I have deep, deep feelings about reading the book before seeing the movie. Even for movies about underwear superheroes. And I have to now admit that I wish I had read this to them sooner! This book is funny, it’s smart(ish) humor for kids, and it really embraces all of the best things about being a kid–best friends, clubhouses, banding together against evil adults, funny underpants. I highly recommend this book! (And the movie. It was pretty much non-stop laughing the whole time!)
The Circus Ship
From the publisher: “When a circus ship runs aground off the coast of Maine, the poor animals are left on their own to swim the chilly waters. Staggering onto a nearby island, they soon win over the wary townspeople with their kind, courageous ways. So well do the critters blend in that when the greedy circus owner returns to claim them, villagers of all species conspire to outsmart the bloated blowhard.”
I discovered this book through the Read Aloud Revival podcast, and I’m so glad I did! It’s a beautifully illustrated, well-told story of a group of circus animals that escape from their evil ringmaster. My kids loved the story, and they really loved finding all the animals in the scene where they hide from the ringmaster. Another winning picture book!
Rosie Revere, Engineer
From the publisher: “Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal–to fly–Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. But when her contraption doesn’t fly but rather hovers for a moment and then crashes, Rosie deems the invention a failure. On the contrary, Aunt Rose insists that Rosie’s contraption was a raging success. You can only truly fail, she explains, if you quit.”
We all love Andrea Beaty and David Roberts’ books. This was the only one we didn’t have, and I kind of wish I’d bought it first! I could tell that my kids were affected when Rosie was laughed at, but didn’t give up anyway, and any kid would love seeing her wild inventions! I cannot recommend this book enough, and I’m pretty sure we’ll be getting all the corresponding workbooks for some extra fun.
[Top]What My Kids Are Reading: June 2, 2017
The 6-Year-Old
Mr. Ball Makes a To-Do List
From the publisher: “Mr. Ball loves to make to-do lists! But he NEVER finishes them. Will the easiest to-do list ever help him
break his unfortunate history of didn’t-do failures? Angry bees, a funky skunk, and a bathtub full of tomato sauce provide challenging obstacles as Mr. Ball tries to finally check EVERYTHING off his list!”
I had never heard of the Mr. Ball books, but in doing some research for a future post, I found this one. My 6-year-old absolutely LOVED reading it to us before bed, every night until he finished the entire book by himself. It is written in a simplified comic book form, but with much larger pictures and simple sentences. It was funny, the illustrations grabbed our attention, and it is a great introduction to chapter books for the younger crowd. We will definitely be looking for other Mr. Ball books!
The 8-Year-Old
The Bad Beginning: Or, Orphans! (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)
From the publisher: Are you made fainthearted by death? Does fire unnerve you? Is a villain something that might crop up in future nightmares of yours? Are you thrilled by nefarious plots? Is cold porridge upsetting to you? Vicious threats? Hooks? Uncomfortable clothing? It is likely that your answers will reveal A Series of Unfortunate Events to be ill-suited for your personal use. A librarian, bookseller, or acquaintance should be able to suggest books more appropriate for your fragile temperament. But to the rarest of readers we say, “Proceed, but cautiously.””
The Lemony Snicket books are not new to me, but I haven’t read them, so I recommended the first one to my 8-year-old based solely on the series’ popularity. So far, he hasn’t made it past chapter 1. I know these books are fantastic, but they might be a little too dark for him right now. (He didn’t like reading about the house fire at the beginning.) For now, this one is probably going to be one that he doesn’t finish, but that he’ll re-visit in the next couple of years.
What We’re Reading Together
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors
You guys. YOU GUYS. This book is hilarious, and you must read it to your child, someone else’s child, or just yourself. (There’s a Gladiator reference in here. That alone means it’s perfectly acceptable for an adult to buy this book for themselves.) This is, as you can guess, about how rock, paper, and scissors became a legendary game. It is by Drew Daywalt, the author of The Day the Crayons Quit, and it is just as good. My kids laughed, I laughed, and my husband laughed. It is so good for reading out loud, and I wish I’d bought it sooner!
Mercy Watson to the Rescue
From the publisher: “To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig — she’s a porcine wonder. And to the good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons’ bed. BOOM! CRACK!”
Kate DiCamillo, author of wonderful books such as The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn-Dixie, starts off one of her beginner chapter book series with a buttered-toast loving pig named Mercy Watson. The illustrations (done by Chris Van Dusen) are beautiful, and those alone might be worth it. This was not as big a hit with my kids as I’d hoped. I love DiCamillo’s regular chapter books, and I was hoping for a similar feel to those. This one didn’t quite hit that mark. Even though it is a book for younger readers, there could have been more humor and action. We haven’t read the other Mercy Watson books in the series, so we’ll take a peek at those, but for now, we’ll probably stick to the regular chapter books!
What My Kids Are Reading: May 26, 2017
The 6-Year-Old
Batman’s Guide to Being Cool
From the publisher: “Are you ready to stalk the night, fight crime, defeat your greatest enemy, and find a crime fighting partner who is almost as awesome as you are? Are you ready to do something cool? If you answered “yes,” then this is the guide for you! Discover your inner cool with help from Batman, the coolest super hero in all of Gotham City and, yes, the universe.”
Have you noticed a theme? My 6-year-old still goes for TV and movie character-based books over any other books, and I’m ok with that! He gets excited to read them, and we all know that Batman is the coolest superhero, right? That particular book has large pictures with short descriptions, which works well for this age. I have a feeling we’ll be acquiring the next book, Robin’s Guide to Being Cooler, out in August!
The 8-Year-Old
I Am: Harriet Tubman
From the publisher: “A straightforward biography about Harriet Tubman’s struggles and success for both civil and women’s rights. With a forward-thinking attitude, Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and risked her life countless times to help free 70 others. She became monumental in both the civil rights movement and the women’s suffrage movement. Kids will be inspired by this icon’s tireless work to create a better America. This series features full-color illustrated covers, one-color illustrations throughout, a timeline, an introduction to the people you’ll meet in the book, maps, sidebars, and a top-ten list of important things to know about each hero.”
My 8-year-old did a school project on Harriet Tubman earlier this year (he chose her as his subject because he wanted to find out more about her spying contributions), and this was one of the biographies he read. He’s re-read it several more times since. The I Am series is excellent, and this one is no exception. It does not gloss over slavery and the Civil War, and we had to have some difficult conversations about that time period in America’s history. The information is presented in a simple, but interesting, way, and we both came away from it knowing more than before. I highly recommend this book and the entire series!
What We’re Reading Together
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
From the publisher: “Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That’s because he’s being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he’s really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.”
We are finishing up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone this week, and it has moved from the 8-year-old category to what we’re reading together! I made my older son wait until he was 8 to start the series, but now my 6-year-old sneaks up and sits with us to listen in on the story too, and I’m certainly not going to stop him. They are both absolutely loving it, and they would stay up until midnight reading it if I let them!