DS8 reading books far too easy - should I bother pushing him?

[AllAboutTheGin]

Hi, title says it all really. DS has just finished year 3, only just turned 8, with a 4C for reading. Which I think is pretty good? He can read anything really that is age appropriate, and really does love to read - but he won't read anything at his level. I provide him with so many books that he LOVES me to read to him, we go to the library all the time, sometimes I get him started on a book and he'll take over, but more often than not I find him reading and re reading the same old easy, dare I say rubbishy, books. He read the captain underpants series about 8 times over the last two years and has only recently tired of it. He is now re reading a load of Tom Gates books. He has read and enjoyed most if not all David Walliams, Roald Dahl, the Pamela Butchart series, How to train your dragon, Spiderwick Chronicles, Electrigirl, various 'novels' based on lego and spiderman movies. But when it comes to anything a little more challenging, or really anything without pictures, he gives up after two or three chapters, even if its really his cup of tea. Things I have read to him that he has loved but wouldn't read himself are - Bear Grylls series (the slightly older ones, not the early readers), Enid Blyton Adventure series, Harry Potter (actually he wanted to read enjoy this so much that he did read large chunks to himself), the Matt Haig Christmas books...
His teacher says he works so hard at school he deserves to chill out and read whatever nonsense he wants, but I find it SO frustrating! I have a bookshelf full of books waiting to be read and if I'm going to have to read them all to him its going to take forever while he stays up late in bed re-reading bloody Tom Gates!
Basically should I be bothered or try encouraging him a bit more to read out of his comfort zone? He's currently infuratingly in the middle of Hamish and the worldstoppers and taking his time over every chapter when I know he would devour a David Walliams in a couple of days!

OP, a question for you. When you read something yourself,do you always choose Dosteovsky or some other literary classic, or something that is challenging or teaches you something you don't already know? Or do you, quite a lot of the time, just choose a favourite author or something that doesn't require much thinking about?

OP, I do understand where you're coming from (as well as agreeing with the general gist of the comments, which you've obviously happy to take on board).

My DD is also aged 8, also end of Y3 and also an advanced reader. While she reads what she wants to read (with the occasional gentle recommendation from me!) I am also keen for her to develop her vocabulary and be exposed to a variety of writing styles / genres. It's really great that you read to him every day and can broaden his perspective that way: DD does like to be read to but has a habit of reading over my shoulder and getting ahead, which I find frustrating!

Have you tried audio books? DD got into Michael Morpurgo that way and now loves reading his books, but you can get a David Walliams box set quite cheaply from The Book People, as well as 'classics' such as Wind in the Willows, and no doubt loads more. We find these to be a fun way to introduce new/longer books.

RedSky, of course I don't always pick up a heavy book for myself, but I think I have made my point that he generally does read whatever he wants - I was really just looking for reassurance that this was the right thing to do. I wasn't sure if I should be encouraging him to read more challenging books and now I understand that re reading is a good thing.
Interestingly though, he has suddenly devoured Hamish and the worldstoppers which he abandoned after I read him the first few chapters because he found it daunting/too wordy. Before this thread I left it on the floor outside his room and in the car a few times to see if he would pick it up, and actually it worked, he did pick it up eventually and has really loved it. we are going to the library later to get the next one in the series.

As for audio books, not sure it would work, he shares a room and his brother would then want to have one of his own... He wouldn't want me to stop reading to him anyway and there wouldn't be time for both. Nice idea though. We have some much younger stories on cd that they listen to occasionally together - horrid henry etc.

We just listen to audio books in the car, not in the house. However, DD is an only child so we don't have to 'vet' them for suitability for a younger sibling. It might not suit you but was just a thought :)

Try having a really good reader that actually hates reading. Now that's frustrating and feels like a waste.She's not particularly fussed about me reading to her either, and if she agrees to it it's her "baby" books.
Even when she picks books herself because they sound/look interesting,it's a few pages and forgotten.

I've learned to accept it. She's a good reader,has a vast vocabulary and reads when she has to (for school). I still grumble about it,just not to her.

If he likes Tom Gates, Middle School series (by L Pichon) might appeal. Also, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which I don't think anyone has mentioned.

Each to their own. Our approach worked. DS is doing really well and his English skills came on leaps and bounds. The school reading lists are by age group. The discipline of reading time also helped.
Now things are much easier with pleasure reading and English study books in between, increasingly advanced as DS grows up.
English exams require a lot more these days than they used to. Being well read by age 12 has helped a lot.