Books For Reluctant Readers

[megfitz]

My 8 yr old boy can read but is reluctant to do so, he enjoys being read to .I’m looking for books that will encourage him to voluntarily pick one up and dive in. We’ve read all Enid Blyton, some Ronald Dahl doesn’t like David Williams, we’ve read the Tree House series …..now I’d like to know where to go next, maybe comedy, magical, Detective or mild adventure not too violent.Thanks for help.

[Maydup]

Better still go to the library and see if he can choose something to read. That way you can come home with a few books and one might catch his imagination.

[piggynose]

08.23..emmie : 762 books, as Victor Meldrew said " I don't believe it"!
Surely that must be a record?

[Tilly2]

Alan Garner's 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen' is an easy read; magic, wizards, fables, mystery and children as the central characters.

[roopower]

If he likes animals Dick King Smith wrote a lot of great books, agree Horrid Henry, Michael Morpurgo was a popular author in the school library too.

[barry1010]

piggy, L Ron Hubbard holds the world record for writing the most published books - 1084

[1ozzy]

//Ron Hubbard holds the world record for writing the most published books - 1084//

That will surely impress an eight year old that doesn't really like reading.

[megfitz]

Thank you all for some great suggestions, had already tried Swallows and Amazons series , ….” Boring “ same forLord of the Rings, Harry Potter we listened to on CD .

[davebro]

BTW - has his reading age been assessed? Does he read easily - possible mild dyslexia?

[puzzled54]

I would also recommend the wimpy kid books by Jeff Kinney, they should be in the library. As I recall, there are some illustrations in the books, so not so many words!

[jourdain2]

It rather depends on his reading age. Is it as per chronological age, advanced or behind a bit. Almost impossible to recommend without knowing. The 'Jennings' series is fun and has been updated. I was certainly reading it at 8 and loving it, as I did the Billy Bunter books. I'm female and certainly wasn't at boarding school - a lot too much is made of similarity to lived lives.
I taught for just 1 year at a pre-prep school (the 8-9 yr. olds) and read 'The Gauntlet' to them, Ronald Welsh (historical fantasy), they loved it to a child and 1 boy developed a love of history which led him to study it at Uni.. Hope this helps.

[jourdain2]

I'd like to add 'Black Beauty' Sewell. I read and re-read that at that age. If he likes being read to, how about, at bedtime read to him for 5 mins. and then give him a strict 15 mins. 'on your own' time. My girls both responded to this and read themselves to sleep (they still do - over 30 yrs. later).

[Tuvok]

Terry Pratchett

[Hazlinny]

The No. 1 Car Spotter - by Antinuke.n

[jourdain2]

Tuvok - I would agree with Terry Pratchett, if you mean the junior series, like 'Diggers'. The others are too old for an 8 yr. old really.

[Atheist]

meg; perhaps it's best if you continue to read to him until he gets bored and wants to read stuff himself. It can be tedious reading to him all the time, but you will be inculcating in him an appetite to follow a story and want to find out what comes next. Perhaps he gets just the one chapter a night and then has to wait and is told he has to wait. He might then become impatient and disobey you and discover the joy of reading. Or perhaps not. If not, then let him go his own way and folow his own way in life.

[EdmundD]

Richmal Crompton