Has anyone found anything their reluctant reader actually enjoys reading?

[Dramatic]

DD is 9. She has hated reading since she started learning in reception, she found it difficult and still does so any suggestion of reading anything is met with moans and groans and refusals. She won't even read things that would be beneficial to her (instructions for a game or craft activity).

She has ADHD which complicates things a bit and I suspect some form of dyslexia too.

Does anyone have any suggestions of things their reluctant readers have enjoyed?

Nostalgia rush!

My son is a very reluctant reader, total opposite to my eldest.
Hes in Y4 and still really struggles, hates reading at home etc and no interest in reading for pleasure.

He adores cooking and baking so we do a lot, but he has to google the recipe and then read the instructions to me.

He loves science, so we will do experiments and he has to find and read instructions.

If we’re out, I’ll say I can’t read a sign so he has to help and read it for me

Basically anything I can do to get him to read without him realising he’s reading.

And when that fails good old bribery so I can sign his school diary🤷‍♀️

@Dramatic There’s definitely still time! Reading apparently didn’t click for my BIL til he was year 6, but then it did.

But I suppose I just wanted to reassure you that even if it never does click, things can still work out. I wish I’d known a decade ago it would all be ok in the end, would have saved a lot of worry! Just keep doing the little things you can do ❤️

Is she is still struggling with phonics has she had her hearing tested? My dd is dyslexic and probably adhd but it was the fact that she can't pass a hearing test when she has the slightest bit of a cold that had the biggest impact on her reading.

The ottaline books by Chris Ridell were the only thing I could get her to enthusiastically read for a long time.

My son is 8 and was a reluctant reader but discovered bunny vs monkey books by Jamie smart. They are like comic books with pictures on every page, speech bubbles and thought bubbles and funny words. Got him reading for fun and he asked for more for Christmas.x

Horrible Histories

Both my DDs love the Babysitters Club graphic novels. They aren't wordy at all and they enjoyed the stories

Going to second quite a few recommendations here - graphic novels. Bunny Vs monkey by Jamie smart and dog man by dav pilkey.
My DD (8) can read well but dosent enjoy it. Since she started with these two series she's been reading for over an hour a day for pleasure- I ended up buying them all as was so pleased she'd found some she liked. She also likes books like Ripley's believe it or not because it's short snippets you can dip in and out of.

Her and my 11 year old love The Phoenix comic magazine. Jamie Smart (mentioned above) does some comics for them. All short and each story can prob be read in a minute or less so it doesn't feel overwhelming.

For my child with suspected adhd:

dogman
wimpy kid
monkey vs bunny
beast quest

For sure try dogman. Its a comic style book so not loads of reading. Movie out at the minute too to get her interested

As well as books, putting the subtitles on the TV permanently has really helped my ND 9 year old's reading.

I read about it, and thought we'd give it a go...the difference it made to his reading confidence (and therefore his enthusiasm to read) was amazing.

My DD enjoyed poetry, Michael Rosen was a particular favourite because they were humerous. I suspect it's because poems are (mostly) short and therefore felt manageable and still interesting.

Also audiobooks aren't cheating. We listened to audiobooks on long car journeys. Just William stories read by Martin Jarvis are still a family favourite and nostalgic treat. (DCs are late teens and 20s now)

Lottie Brooks got my reluctant "reading is boring" 9 y/o reading

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Same for one of mine.
The other reluctant one read bloody rainbow fairies for a good couple of years. Thankfully they’ve now realised there are more interesting stories out there! They read for pleasure now where it was really hard to get them to read before, I think they needed to be good enough to read bigger and more involved stories to get it.

@Becomingolder mine loved them as well, short chapters, not many words to a page and beautiful illustration

I don't believe there's necessarily an answer. ADHD / Dyslexia can mean reading is always a chore and the effort involved means the meaning (the enjoyable part) can be lost. But books with less text on a page, more illustrations, dyslexia friendly ones where the text is spaced and printed on off white paper, using coloured filters over the text (you can buy packs of different colours and the child can decide which helps the most) or books with high interest for the child - maybe non fiction would interest her more.

If it helps, the average reader in year 6 is often not that interested in actually reading but has sufficient comprehension to reach the expected standard for their age.

Neither of my children liked reading, despite being immersed in books as children. Both can read as adults in terms of the needs of everyday life.

Lottie Brooks series were very relatable for my reluctant reader, also helped her understanding of friendships.
Pamela Butchart books are very funny and not too challenging.
Audio books are brilliant for listening together then you can talk about the story, make predictions etc. We did other things while listening (Lego, painting nails, sequin art, colouring etc) which took the pressure off.
The Land of Roar series are great audiobooks.
Find an independent bookshop and take your child with you to ask for recommendations - our local one has incredibly knowledgeable staff who are really enthusiastic, my DD definitely preferred their recommendations to mine!

I work in a school that uses Accelerated Reader, you can quiz audiobooks as well as books you have read - it’s all about their understanding of the story.

My DD is in Year 6 now and a prolific reader but still loves audiobooks. She doesn’t need or want me to listen with her anymore but still does Lego, art etc while she listens.

The naughtiest unicorn books with the fat unicorn Dave at unicorn school

Percy Jackson and warrior cats there's also a graphic novel version.
Science comics series
zita the space girl

I think the Simon thorn series is being published as a comic/ easy read version aimed at children who find reading difficult.

Mine loved lottie brooks?

My daughter loves those books! She started reading them at age 9 but the themes are quite mature so it depends on the child I think

Comics. Snoopy books. Are there any animals/pets she likes? You could find that she enjoys factual or fun facts books related to one if those subjects?
I'd focus on something she's interested in and then find a book related to it and get her to go with you a bookshop to choose one or two and then it wont seem like such a chore. Maybe sounds a bit obvious but there's a book on nearly every subject after all.

Non fiction

Books on animals, space etc

Tom Gates
Dirty Bertie / Angela Nicely
Rabbit and Bear range
They're awful, but the reluctant reader girls in my class have all gone through a rainbow fairies phase.