DD, (10yrs) is a reluctant reader.

[SenSationsMad]

Have you any suggestions please? I have been looking through old threads on MN and found recommendations for Ann Fine, David Walliams and Diana Wyn Jones.

She has loads of Jacqueline Wilson books, and I've bought her Lilly Alone on my Kindle, to try and get her interested.

She's put off by big, thick novels and tends to cling onto story books with pictures. Her reading age is fine, I have no problems with that, but I know her spelling would improve if she would read!

I've tried her on Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Also, do you still read to your 10 yr olds? It's something I've not done in a while, thinking she's too old. Do you think this would help??

Her 12 yrd old brother and myself are avid readers so I want her to get the bug too!!!

Thanks

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

I don't read to my DD, she is almost 10. Her current fave is Angus, thongs and something about snogging. She also likes Nelly the monster sitter and the Percy Jackson series.

[SenSationsMad]

I'll have a look for those , thanks

Also bumping for more ideas......

[Takver]

I still read to my DD, though she's only just 9. Might your dd like non fiction stuff like the Horrible Histories, Horrible Science etc? There are loads of illustrations, and the text is less dense, broken up with quizzes & the like. Also I guess some people don't particularly read novels - my DH reads a lot, but very, very rarely fiction.

[haggis01]

Keep on reading if she enjoys it - 2 of my older kids often come in to listen to my 8 year olds bedtime book - he is also a reluctant reader and likes a strange mix. For every 8 books we begin only 1 will make it through to the end.

If your DD liked Wimpy KId you could try Diary of a Wimpy Vampire - different author, but same style. My dyslexic 15 year old discovered manga around that age and really likes it - you do have to careful on the age ratings though. However, Fruits basket, Pokemon manga and Tokyo Mew mew were hits at around that age. There are also colourful graphic novel versions of the Nancy Drew books. My other DD really loved The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (after moving on from Jacqueline Wilson) too - easy to read, funny,big print - not my cup of tea but she did move on to "better" literature.

[ragged]

Comic books -- Tintin or Calvin & Hobbes have pretty sophisticated vocabulary, actually.

[bisybackson]

My DS (10) is just re-reading the Spiderwick books. Not too long and still have some illustrations etc.

Series of Unfortunate Events?

How to Train your Dragon?

If she feels too old to be read to, could you try book CDs in the car? I've got my DCs to listen to all sorts of stuff they would never read - Tom's Midnight Garden, Little White Horse, Heidi, Harry Potter and now we're on the Hobbit. They really enjoy them.

[SenSationsMad]

Great ideas here, thank you.

I've been to the library and got her two Welsh books (our fist language) and one from Ann Fine and another by Mark Haddon.

I'll see how it goes.(((( Feeling quietly confident))))))

[cory]

I do read to my 10yo precisely because he is a very reluctant reader and I want to make sure he still gets the wider vocabulary and gets used to following more complex reasonings. No I'm lying through my teeth- I'm reading to him because I enjoy it

We've recently ploughed through the Three Musketeers, which he probably couldn't have read on his own, and are now doing Percy Jackson, which he could.

He does actually like fiction, he just doesn't like reading.

[KarenInglis]

I don't know if this will be of help or interest, but I've just (today) published a story 'The Secret Lake' in website format for 8-11 year olds free on the web - it will be there for a couple of months while I sort out Amazon/Kindle publishing. I'm just wondering if the format of reading on the web might get her going? thesecretlake.wordpress.com/

I've put it there for free to get feedback before I finalise it - but leaving feedback is an option not an obligation!

Good luck anyway - and if my story isn't her cup of tea, I do remember being really struck by David Almond's books when my kids were younger - they aren't too long but are fantastic quality. 'Kit's Wilderness' and 'Heaven Eyes' were particularly good. Here's a link to his website for more info: www.davidalmond.com/books/details.html

[SenSationsMad]

sounds different Karen, she'll like the novelty factor for sure.

Cory - do you read every night? How long for and is it just before lights out??

[KarenInglis]

I'm adding to this message if anyone has reluctant readers aged around 8-10 as I've just added illustrations to the first six chapters of my alien story which you can find at the link below...more to come soon. It's already had quite a few referrals from mumsnet...(Eeek is a soccer-mad alien who runs away from space to Earth because the World Cup is on! He turns up on eleven-year-old Charlie Spruit's doorstep one morning!)

It's a fun fast-paced read with black and white illustrations scattered along the way. (I wrote it for my two boys when they were younger!) I'll be publishing the book to Amazon in the next 6 weeks or so but the early chapters are free to read on Eeek's alien website for now. Feedback welcome..!

//www.eeekthealien.com

[Sonnet]

SenSationsMad I have a DD aged 10 exactly the same as yours!. I second reading to her or else listening to Audio Books.

My DD has liked - Dork Diaries and the Diary of a wimpy kid. She recently read Ballet shoes and Toms Midnight Garden. She enjoys the story just not the reading.

haggis01 I was interested to hear you say that for every 8 books you get to read one through to the end - DD2 is like this and it drives me to distraction!

[RosieRed]

I think reading to her is a great idea - even now as an adult whenever I go home my dad and I read bits out of books to one another and I know lots of people who like audio books. Audio books are another thing you could try to get her into stories.
I'm always on about Barrington Stoke for kids with dyslexia but they also are great for kids who are nervous of big thumping books. I'm a bit nervous of big thumping books myself, so I can sympathise.
They've got a new Andy Stanton (Mr Gum) book and according to his twitter (I'm an author stalker) there's a free bag with it!
twitter.com/#!/AndyStantonTM

[CeliaFate]

I've just bought my 10 year old dd a box set of Judy Blume books about a character called Fudge. They're quite thin and easy reading.

[kiery]

Please, please, please keep on reading to your dd. I do it to my children as often as I can ( 10 and 9 years old and my dh!). I think you can read books that are slighty advanced for them this way too.
We are reading Terry Pratchett's "Maurice and the Educated Rodents" at the moment, very funny.

Also, I find that the first couple of chapters of a book can be a bit boring and almost bewildering for some children: the author setting the scene, introducing characters. ( I know I have had to force myself to read on in some adult books). Once I have read a couple of chapters and we are well into the story I often find that my dds want to take over themselves (i'm not going fast enough).

Have loads of different reading materials around too. Not just books: comics, First News. I think that children just even looking at the pictures in Tintin or Asterix is a way in and eventually they might read them. We even have some Calvin and Hobbs stuck on the loo wall for all to read!

I would give the thumbs up for audio books and Judy Blume, Andy Stanton.

[RosieRed]

I've got the new Andy Stanton novel published by Barrington Stoke. It's called Sterling and the Canary and it's pretty slim, so it's a nice 'way in' for less keen kids. I love it, actually, never mind the kids - it's very funny, like the Mr Gum books, and it's got a bit of an eye to adults reading it out too. Sadly I did not win it on his twitter stream when he offered a free signed copy (dream) to the first person to name the song he was thinking of at that moment ?!?!

[kellestar]

Your library should also have some audiobooks, the playaways are great as you don't need an mp3 player as they come pre-programed into the device just need to add headphones. Usually have a good selection available.

[jongleuse]

Second Andy Stanton and Barrington Stoke do lots of short books for reluctant readers. Louis Sachar? Someday Angeline etc. very funny. Morris Gleitzman Once, Now and Then are short but challenging in content. Hilary McKay also does sweet books, quite girly.

[0131trojan1]

Sterling and the Canary, Candy girl, are both SO good- my daughter LOVES them - they are just the right length, so she will be SO chuffed when she finishes them. Honestly, been there, got the t shirt, just can't stop raving about them..........

[PandyMill]

Gripping pony story with gorgeous illustrations, keeps Children reading until they've finished the story. Hope she enjoys it. Click Here

[AnaS]

My dd1 is a good but reluctant reader. However, she loves non-fiction so we have agreed that after every non-fiction one she reads a fiction. I realise that it is reading that is important and not , necesarily what is read, but i want her to learn to enjoy the escapism you can get from a book and not feel you have to learn something every time. This seems to be working so hope it helps.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

You might try the "Dear Dumb Diary" series - they are thin, have cartoonish illustrations, very funny (according to DD2) and not thick. Also cheap on Amazon.

[0131trojan1]

Don't worry, your DD will let you know when she's outgrown being read to. So just keep doing it till she hints that you should stop.
The length of the Barrington Stoke books is perfect, both for reading together, and solo.
Also, I've just bought their Spelling Dictionary for my DD. It doesn't give meanings- you just look up how you think a word is spelt and it tells you if it's right, and if it's not, it gives you the correct spelling. Such a clever idea, because her vocabulary was good, but her spelling was awful.