5-7yo boys: what are they into? what interests them?

[Hulababy]

Further to my other thread re. story sacks:

So far all of the children I am being asked to work with, for additional support and encouragement with their reading/literacy are boys.

I need to put together some story sacks suitable for use with these children, but I really need to get them on board and really engaged as much as possible.

So, what do the 5-7yo boys you know/have really like/ What gets them fired up, geys their imagination and interests flowing?

Do they have any favourite stories they like to read/have read to them?

(These are chldren struggling with literacy and we are looking for books to be read out loud to them in a limited period of time, so not chapter books, etc.) Can be fiction and non fiction, and don't have to be just books - other media is fine.

Any help? Thank you.

I've got an almost 5 year old if that's any help. If so I'll post after school.

dr who, indiana jones, batman, superheros.. (comics/annuals)

ooh, did you hear R4 this morning? There was something on Today about boys literacy and they were talking about some new publications, but I can't remember what they were called.

Sorry don't know the answer to your qu though - DS is only (nearly) 3, and the only time I helped with literacy it was with teenage boys and I was disgusted with the poor quality of stuff they had to read - real baby books for teens.

My almost 5 year old ds is Thoms the Tank and train mad. Other boys in his class are POwer Rangers, Pirates and Star Wars.

The little boys that dd is friends with all seem to really enjoy non fiction books particularly about dinosaurs, space rockets, space more generally, castles & knights in armour, inventions, how things work.
IME there are a lot of good non fiction books with reasonably limited amounts of text and lots of pictures which might fit the bill for you, although I don't know if the text would be too complex?

In a pack DS2 (he's 9 tomorrow) got at Christmas there was 2 "learn to read" type Indiana Jones books.
He found them "for little readers", his words, they might help yopu, when do you need them for? I can look these out and send them to you

I have a 7yr old DS and he loves joke books and reference books.

My DS is just 7. He loves power rangers, batman, Ben 10 etc. He also loves making up his own imaginary things - pirates, dragons, knights, fighting etc. Reading is a tricky one - he can and does, although often reluctantly. Something funny usually is a fair bet. Roald Dahl, Horrid Henry etc. Can't think of any short story books at the moment I'm afraid - he's preferred chapter books being read to him for a long time.

Just remembered - any of the Gruffalo books, Smartest Giant in town, Room on the Broom, snail and the Whale etc

CK - I will google and try and find the C4 stuff as sounds very relevant.

Thanks all - going to make a list with lots of ideas.

At present it is to be aimed at Y2, but will eventually have Y1 in too.

It was Oxford University Press iirc launching a new series of books about characters who shrink and battle evil Dr X for primary aged kids - heard it on Radio 5 live coming home at about 1.40

you can buy spiderman/batman etc "I can read" books on amazon. They are aimed at 4-8year old boys and are only a couple of quid

Takvar - I am hoping each story sack will have a fiction and non fiction book in about that topic area. Also going to try and find other media such as magazines, comics, leaflet, poems, plays, posters, etc.

As well as other thinsg to go with them such as games, puzzles, ICT links (we will be based in the ICT suite so have the computers and internet available to use), jigsaws, puppets, toys, dress up, models, craft ideas, etc. These will be things for the adults to do with the children during the sessions.

saltire - we are hoping to start with pupils in a couple of weeks, so getting stuff sorted now. Can you email with details (Or CAT) - claire(dot)king13(at)btinternet.com

My ds struggled at that age and tbh didnt WANT to read independently at that age.

Definitely Horrid Henry

Dragons were a great thing - there were some good Y1/Y2 easy books around with good pics in

Star Wars - 3D and illustrationy books

Bizarrely, the thing that really got him reading (you may not like this) was Pokemon. He needed to understand what the words said to be able to trade properly. Which sort of led him into fantasy, dragons etc.

Oh and the Beano

Agree with all the subject matters mentioned on here.

Although my ds is younger and doesn't read yet, 2 things he really enjoys and asks lots of questions about are Top Trumps (has got one with racing cars) and also his illuminated globe.

He also had a simple atlas and a space atlas from school once which he was mad about (by National Geographic iirc)

He also likes looking at the Tube map.

Another one is dd's cardboard skeleton!

DS1 was into the following at those ages:

dinosaurs
space
aliens
body parts
egyptians/romans/knights
pirates
poo/wee/blood

encyclopaedia type books good; as are the kids factual (horrible history/science) books

Fiction: most things by Roald Dahl, Horrid Henry, Captain Underpants. For the younger end, as others have said, the books by the Gruffalo woman are great (Snail and the Whale; Tiddler). In fact any really good rhyming stories are loved in our house: Jez Alborough, the Slinky Malinky/Hairy Maclary ones too...

I have a seven year old captive member of the species right here as I type, and he says in response:

Lego
Computer games
Books
Drawing
Egypt
Star Wars
Indiana Jones
Toys
McDonalds
Sonic
Playing games

football!
DS nearly 8 is football mad, there are loads of resources at different reading levels, if it is football he will happily pick up the Guardian but there are also magazines, novels and the dreaded match attax cards which appeal to loads at this age.

Have made a note of your email, Hula if you want to delete it now

Lego
Inventions
Cars and engines
Rockets

Lazytown
Mr Men
Tom & Jerry
Scooby Doo
Hole in the Wall
Poo / bums / trumps

He's currently fixated on his Mr Men collection and Lazytown annuals so I'm trying to introduce books such as Always Eat Your Bogies etc to encourage wider reading.