Boys and reading

[biscuittime]

Sorry not really an AiBU but posting here for traffic.
How can you encourage 11 yr old boys to read? I have a sporty, computer games loving boy who just won’t read. Books are too boring. I have tried buying a range of books from sports biographies, sas books

At primary school he read David Williams and Tom gates, wimpy kid books.

Are there any good recommendations of books for boys?

Thanks

Is he struggling to read, or can he read fine and just has no interest in doing it in his spare time?

Do you read? Maybe try everyone reading together for an hour in the evenings or the weekend. Model the behaviour you want. I don't think children see adults reading enough anymore.

My dais 10 and exactly the same. I try and get him to read a little every night in bed but usually he just doesn't want to. I have bought him loads of books, let him pick them himself etc. He struggles to read though and is currently about to have his second test for visual stress and dyslexia so I think that plays a big part. He has always been out off doing things if he doesn't master it straight away.

@gobblersknob I read all the time - my DC see me reading. I’ve read to a of them since they were born. 2 DC love reading. The 12 year old DS will not read. We have tried everything. He has dyslexia.

Sorry OP no advice but looking with interest. I have now downloaded audiobooks and DS listens to them. He also reads some factual books like science books and I read to him every night. We are reading Percy Jackson at the moment.

If books are boring, what about comics/magazines? If he plays computer games, then there are books with tips and cheats that he might like.
My DS is 10 and we read together every night but he also reads gaming books, and graphic novels on his own. Recently, he also read an abridged version of Shakespeare which took me by surprise tbh but he picked up one and enjoyed it so made his way through the rest. Possibly because it seemed 'old' for him, possibly because I said some had lots of fighting and death
When he had fallen out of reading, I also tried reading plays with him taking turns to be different characters. He found that fun.

&dragonsnextwife my DS is exactly the same - if he can’t master a thing first off he drops it. My DH gets really frustrated with this as he feels he will never manage in life if this is his attitude. But his dyslexia tutors don’t seem to worry as much about it

Lots of people dont get much pleasure from books. If he needs to read to develop his skills then news papers and magazines might be good. There are sports specifc and gaming magazines.
As for literature maybe hunger games?

I bought my children graphic novels. Some of them are a bit gory so you have to do your research: but they really did kickstart a love of reading in my children. Also, if they struggle with reading you can get some good books for their age with audio versions: they can read along while listening to the audio book. It helps.

graphic novels? If he likes Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates that's the natural progression.

I don't know much about graphic novels but what about Asterix or TinTin?

DS was like this at that age, he got into the Rick Riordan books in comic strip format and that inspired him to read the normal format books and he then got into other books.

I stopped reading fiction at around 12. To be fair, I was a very advanced reader even when I was at infants school teachers said they'd never seen a child read so well and fluently. By 7 I had 4 tickets at the library (which is the most adults could have) and every three weeks I'd be switching to 4 new books. By 9 the librarians allowed me to use the adult section as I'd be devouring Agatha Christie.

Then at 12 I stopped and only read non-fiction. It's barely changed. If you looked at my bookcases I have hundreds and hundreds of books but 90% of them are non-fiction. I probably read two fiction books a year.

Does he like the Marvel films? Have a look at the graphic novels on Thor, Captain America etc. Maybe listen to some story CDs at bedtime to get him interested in some authors. The Rik Riordan “Percy Jackson” are popular with boys. Both my DS and DD LOVE the Skulduggery Pleasant books.

Both mine, at 11 and 13 still have books read to them my me and DH at bedtime. If we’re feeling a bit tired, they read to us. He may be open to that as it’s ‘dead time’ - he won’t be thinking he’d rather be doing something else.

Thanks for the suggestion- I do read and have lots of books around the house. I always used to take them to charity shop and let them choose a book

But he’s not the strongest reader unfortunately

The Cherub series are pretty cool

I didn't read at all at that age, thought it was boring, my mum read all the time but I hated it. When I was about 18 I started reading again and now read everyday so I wouldn't worry about it personally. Would you want to do something you found boring?

If he was an average reader I would have said leave it, but it he already struggles I think it's important for him to get the practice. With not being a strong reader he probably finds it hard to follow the plot and read at the same time but I think you need to try and enforce some sort of book before gaming rule, even just once a week to start him off. Take him to a comic book shop or book shop and let him pick some things out and see what happens. Just be careful how hard you push because you could end up having the opposite effect. Does he read the text okay on the games he plays?

Try the cherub series. Ds went off reading for much the same reasons as yours op but these got him hooked

A lot of kids are not so keen on novels but like autobiographies and theoretical books, philosophy, ethics, history and science etc.

Can you incorporate reading into bedtime? So bedtime is, say, 9pm, read till 9.30?

Comic books/graphic novels. They don't take as long to read and don't really feel the same as slogging through a novel. Check subject matter first though, even some of the superhero stuff can be a bit gory - don't simply trust that it will be suitable because it's Batman or Superman.

Books can never compete with games.

My son would always choose games over books, so I limit games to Sunday only. On the condition he does a few chores during the week, gets his bus on time etc. The more time he spends in front of a screen the less time he spends reading. He would rather stare at his ceiling for an hour than pick up a book.

However, making sure he gets the library often enough to have a good supply of reading material (there's that tree house series too and David Baddiel novels are popular). I read to him every night still, a chapter or so and he has finally developed the habit of reading before bed. Only when he's really into a book and very very bored during the day will he pick one up and read unprompted outside his nighttime reading routine.

But I agree with pp it's important they see adults around them reading for pleasure too.

Would a comic subscription be an idea?

I think if by 11 they aren't into reading they probably never will be. And that's okay. I personally don't understand it but there are lots of people out there who get little to no enjoyment from books. Doesn't mean they are unintelligent or uncultured, reading for fun just isn't for everyone.

If he likes football why not start out with the F2 books, they are more about football skills and not an actual story but at least it will get him to read. I bought that for my son and also football themed books like the football boy wonder etc...

Check subject matter first though, even some of the superhero stuff can be a bit gory
This^^
Plenty of graphic novels are very adult-themed.