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

Mine boys are both reluctant readers but like reading the Guinness book of records...

DS1 read a lot, and also carried on with me doing bedtime reading until he was 16 (by that time it was complete works of Terry Pratchett). Now at 30 his reading is exclusively Manga.

DS2 gave up bedtime story at 11, more or less stopped reading during teenage years, and now has started reading again, mainly non-fiction.

My brother was a very advanced reader, something like reading age of 14 at 8, but stopped reading books in his teens. He only started again in his 30s when he met his now wife who recommended booked etc.

Percy Jackson books? Both my boys like them. DS1 Is allowed to stay up half an hour later to read. Would that work?

Graphic novels are always a big hit. If he’s into football, think about any of the football books by Tom Palmer and Alan Gibbons or footballers’ biographies (age appropriate) - you start out with the Ultimate Heroes collection by Matt and Tom Oldfield - there are loads of them now and you can pick them up fairly cheaply in sets.

^you could start out with

My son loves Asterix, Tintin and Beano. Also picked up in charity shops books like Ripleys annuals which are full of weird info and pictures that he found fascinating. My husband read Biggles with him at bedtime which he loved

It's really important boys are reading fiction so I wouldn't push the magazines, non fiction too much. It's also really important boys see male figures in their lives reading. Has your local library got a "boys into books" programme? Is there something you can read together, not out loud but at the same time to discuss? I ask my son to read before bed, 20 mins just to switch off from screens etc, maybe let him stay up a tiny bit later if he agrees to read? He may then get into a book?

Sorry I haven't good actual book recommendations!

Comic books/graphic novels. DH reads them and has been lending some to our friend's ten year old usual non reader. Just be careful some have adult content, most people who work in comic book shops are very knowledgeable and helpful, you could maybe take your DS to your local one and they'll chat with him about what he likes, their enthusiasm is quite contagious

Same trouble here. A teacher once said as long as my son was reading something newspapers etc it all counted. There's a newspaper they have in school First News that's great for children. You can buy a subscription and get in some shops. My Son has to take a book to school he likes biographies, factual books rather than fiction.

Try the Young Bond books by Charlie Higson - my DS loved them at that age. Also agree with reading at bedtime, so he has to be in bed by a certain time but can read for half an hour after that (or just turn out the light if he doesn't want to read).

I read all the time as does my eldest son but the youngest doesn’t like it at all. I’ve tried all sorts but nothing helps

Hmm I’m not sure graphic/ comic books are the answer. Wimpy kid type books are more year 3 level so he is going to struggle at GCSE if he keeps reading that type of stuff to be honest. Assuming he has no SEN could you try short stories and some quality newspaper/ magazine articles together( highlighting/collecting new vocabulary)as a bridge and build up to some simpler quality novels or email his secondary English teacher for advice. She/ he must be used to this issue and will have some recommendations. There are some sciency mags if he’s into that. Do approach school, they will be experienced in dealing with this issue and will know him better than an Internet forum.

My teens have fallen out of love with reading at secondary due to homework commitments but they were above the required level anyway so not an issue. Not a stealth boast or being heartless just trying to give a bit of reality.Year 10 comes round pdq. Don’t berate( I’ve tried that) but do limit screens. Mine have been known to turn back to reading in desperation/ boredom.

Let us know if you have any success. I have one much like OP's DS, have tried everything suggested here. Doesn't work. Mine reads the Beano religiously & that's it. Doesn't like other comics... not even much of a Calvin & Hobbes reader. I can suggest C&H to OP, if she hasn't tried them. Good vocab & lots of volumes to choose from.

Competitions is one thing... DS got into more regular reading when there were contests for how many books they could read, that kind of thing.

I have/had 2 bookworm DSs. Just the youngest won't read, argh.

My DS was the same, he could read but didn’t see the point! We bought him more non fiction books about stuff he was interested in like outer space/animals/Guinness book of records which he did read but only in short spurts. Sounds like you’ve tried that though. DS did really well at school and is now doing a science degree so it didn’t hold him back, but being avid readers ourselves we couldn’t understand why he didn’t love it!

We recently decided to have Mondays as screen-free days for the family. No phones, tv, computer games, etc.

Music, books, board games, basically everything else is an option. It can be tough as I often prepare work for the next day in the evening, but I now do two days worth on Sunday.

My youngest is more likely to pick up a book on Monday and isn't a big reader. We've also subscribed to the Phoenix comic, and we use an app for chores... we set 30 mins of reading as a way of earning bonus points. If you'd like an app invite, PM me!

Books you can dip in and out of might be an option, encyclopedia type books.

Some people find the text of novel offputting, too many words on a page and can be daunting.

Find something he's interested in and start there. So an encyclopedia of a sport he plays.

Instructions are also useful, would he build a model? Follow a recipe?