What is year 2 child - age 6/7 - reading? Or you to them?

[MrsPear]

Our old primary was non pressured and as long as you read something at least your reading type.

New primary pressured and all about levels. Anyway I mentioned that ds year 2 asked for gruffalo for his bedtime story and the look I got from the head and his teacher. I felt embarrassed tbh So what should I be reading to him?! And should I just cull all his books ? Is there a list somewhere ?!

Ahh my year 2 daughter (summer born) still loves all the Julia Donaldson books. As long as they are reading and enjoying books who cares what level they are reading at. School reading schemes will bring them on with reading well enough. I have just started reading George’s marvellous medicine to her though and she loved the faraway tree series as well. Sharing stories and books for enjoyment is the most important thing

Supercat books... Often on offer as asda.

My yr2 ds loves anything and everything! He's heading towards greater depth in reading and enjoys all the following:

Winnie the witch proper books rather than picture books are funny.
My brother's famous bottom series appeals for obvious reasons!
Richard Scarry books are still loved.
Inspector Stilton is great for finding things.
Superworm, Stickman, Hairy Maclary, Big wide mouthed frog all still very much loved.
Ivor the engine - opportunity to do bad Welsh accent!

Don't worry about what school thinks - I'm a primary teacher! If you both enjoy a book then read it. Reading should be about pleasure first I think.

For us y2 was about reading astrosaurs, x storey tree house, faraway tree, secret seven, beast quest, dogman, dick King Smith, horrid Henry.

We read him Harry Potter (capped at half blood Prince in y3) willard price adventure books and artemis fowl.

My daughter also enjoyed picture books like this in yr2 and all the way through yr 3, despite being capable of reading much more.
When I bought it up at parents evening, the teacher explained saying it’s like when we curl up with a good book we don t always want to challenge ourselves with war and peace but actually sometimes just enjoy a really comforting easy read. This made sense to me as I definitely mostly read to relax not to push myself.
The important thing is that they are reading and learning to love books.

Can I ask at what age those with strong readers started reading? Could they read before they started school or do they make rapid progress once in school?

My Dd is in year 2 but incredibly switched on and unusually sophisticated read The Borrowers recently, but also likes Clarice Bean, Tracy Beaker, Harry Potter (she's read four of them), but she still enjoys Peepo somedays. I read Little Lord Fauntleroy which went down well too.

I would take a dim view of a teacher having any kind of opinion about what you have for a bedtime story. My DS is only year 1. Above average reader but still loves picture books (even the really baby ones!) at bedtime. I've just started Fantastic Mr Fox though which is being enjoyed and seems the right level in terms of how complicated the plot is.

If they’re completely unaware of the concept of wanting something familiar and comforting read at bedtime then I would worry about their empathy as teachers tbh. We don’t just read at bedtime to challenge children, we also read because it’s relaxing, bonding, sharing, entertaining, a way to unwind, etc. The absolute two key things are a) to read regularly with & to them, and b) for them to enjoy it.

FWIW, my DD’s a keen reader, she started off on the shorter Dahl books - twits, fantastic mr fox, that sort of length. But she is most definitely not above Julia Donaldson or similar - and there is plenty to explore in them. Eg the way the dialogue is presented in The Gruffalo will be unfamiliar to most at that age. And presumably reading books which your DS is given from school are also developing and challenging his skills?

Give the teachers your best face right back!

Read what you love.

DS1 (8) has dyslexia with visual stress. He can't deal with chapter books through volume of text. His comprehension is great. He's a non-fiction lover as fact books tend to have small chunks of text and lots of diagrams. In fiction, he favours cartoon style layouts, Dogman, Captain Underpants, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He still goes back to his Star Wars easy readers, and our set of ORT. I don't care if it's easy comfort reading or not highbrow, he's reading and for a child who finds reading a challenge, I'm so proud that he is a reader.

DS2 is 6. Doing better at reading than DS1 at the same age. He's happier with the school scheme texts, but also reverts back to the easy. He's getting good with Julia Donaldson type books for himself.

Me, early, voracious reader, well ahead for my age through primary school... in adulthood I veer towards teen fiction or the witty end of sci-fi/ fantasy.

The school's approach sounds like a fantastic way to switch off young readers for life

I’m sure it’s different for everyone but mine could just about recognise her name before school but no more. She could follow a story though and enjoyed being read to she just wasn’t interested in reading herself. Once at school she flew and picked it all up quickly.

Read them whatever they want to hear. We've been reading the bad mermaid novels but last night dd (age 6) wanted what the ladybird heard instead which was fine by me

Famous Five
Worst Witch
DS also likes the Gruffalo sometimes

DS is year 3 and a decent reader. In the last year he’s enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Geronimous Stilton series, Project X series and some Dick King Smith, but he also still reads Zog and even when he’s tired he’ll pick up Mr Men books. There nothing wrong with enjoying the familiar as long as he’s making progress with other books!

@user1471474138 thanks.

My DS is only 2 but can sound out simple CVC words as he knows his letter sounds. However he isn’t very good at blending yet and so struggles to choose the word even when he has sounded it out. I know its early but I just wondered what sort of progress I could expect before he starts school.

@ZogorElmer - mine had good pre-reading skills before school (knew the sounds letters make, could recognise her name, that kind of thing) but no actual reading till she was in school. She’s flying along with it now.

Reading is about bonding, fun, enjoyment...please keep sharing the Gruffalo for as long as he wants to.

Encourage him to read everything and anything and to strive to read every night. Still read to him even when he's free reading.

That teacher and head were bang out of order!

@FromTheAllotment that’s really helpful thanks.

And another thing- there is more to reading than what book you’re looking at. My DD doesn’t have the emotional maturity or really the patience to read long books yet. She’s scared of things like the longer Dahl and she likes to have a long book read to her in stages by us but she doesn’t tend to stick at them herself. Her decoding, expression, vocabulary, the things we think of as “reading”, are excellent but they aren’t the only factors in play.

DS could just about recognise his name when he started school. His current school book is a Famous Five book which is really challenging, so he usually reads 2-4 pages a night then he usually chooses something younger/cosier for us to read afterwards.

Definitely don't have a cull as their old books still bring so much joy...tonight's story he chose was No Bed Without Ted and the night before it was a pop-up animal book .

I'm a teacher and wouldn't have a problems with the Gruffalo being read to a Y2 child at all. Just read for pleasure at home and hope that your child will develop a love of books.

My DS was in year 2 last year and read most of the David Walliams books, a few horrible histories, most of the Rold Dahl books, Horrid Henry to mention a few. He's mad on reading though and can't get enough. At bedtime we usually still read picture books to him and his younger sister because we enjoy the pictures and rhythm of them.

My DS is considered a strong reader at school and he still loves a bit of Julia Donaldson and has struggled to engage with some of the books mentioned above - it's not so much ability to read/understand as some of the plots etc. are aimed at slightly older children and experiences that he doesn't relate to (e.g. wimpy kid is about American kids who are at middle school and he just doesn't get it). We have reading from school every night so for his bedtime stories I'm happy to read to him whatever he likes.

For a few suggestions to expand the range he absolutely loves the 13 story tree house series which I think appeals to lots of boys as it's so silly. Has also enjoyed the Roald Dahl books with us. I'd also look at slightly more 'grown up' picture books - we like cat in the hat, the day the crayons quit, the book with no pictures, Mrs armitage on wheels, oi frog amongst others.

Kids this age often like non fiction too - usborne do lots of good books on space, science, history etc which he has also enjoyed.

My youngest is 7 and in year 2. She still enjoys most of the picture books from when she was younger but I generally get her 'new' books from the library every week so they are different and a bit challenging. She reads these to me at bedtime.

She is a decent reader but mostly does early chapter books: Bad Kitty, Dragon Masters, Super Rabbit Boy, Ivy and Bean. I think she is ready for more text heavy books, but she likes the illustrations and can get overwhelmed if the book seems really wordy.

I will try her on Judy Moody and Worst Witch soon (both were favourites of her older sister).

My eldest didn't really read until year 3 (despite being a book loving household) but now at 11 adores reading and is ahead of her peers so please don't worry if you child is not reading much yet!

Just make sure there are books around and met him read where his interest takes him.

Ds is 7 and in year 3. We read our way through a pile of Roald Dahls and currently Da I'd Walliams

Dint worry too much I dont think you can push them to read. Both DCs have had pretty much the same reading opportunities. DD read anything and everything from the age of 4 . She was reading Jane Austen when she was 10. DS just 7 is just not interested but I keep trying. Hes finally started with The 13 Storey Treehouse books and is loving them.