Any tips of getting reluctant son to read?

[KatieBw]

My DS is 8 and won't read by himself. I have always read to him and still do every night. We all read in the house and have masses of books. I restrict screen time and really encourage books and reading but worried in turning it into an ordeal as he shows zero interest. Any tips on fabulous books he won't be able to resist?

I have 2 boys- they much preferred non fiction to fiction.

Also it’s important they get to choose the books

Dog man?
Wimpy kid
Tom Gates

Any magazines?

Mine loves the Beano. I get it delivered so it doesn't have the stupid plastic toys these things have when you buy in the shop. I know it isn't prose, but it still exercises word recognition and story flow. Every little helps. For mine it's a confidence thing.

Some children just aren't readers though. My DS1 wasn't and still isn't. He's just left school with a 6&7 in English so can't have done him much harm!

Have you got any proper silly fart and poo books?

Or if he has any specific interests, do you have any non-fiction books about those subjects?

Me too... 8, nearly 9, year old DD just ‘hates’ reading.

I read bedtime stories to her which is fine, I enjoy it & it means her vocabulary, comprehension etc is great as we can read rich books beyond what she could read for herself - but I want her to choose to read as a leisure activity which she just doesn’t do... we have 2 magazine subscriptions, just signed up the Beano too, masses of books, constantly picking up things I think she might like & never clicks. I think my eldest who is a bookworm has marked out reading as her territory & there’s some sibling dynamics going on...

Joke books, graphic novels/comics, non fiction on subjects he's interested in, instruction manuals or hobbies where he has to follow detailed instructions, subtitled movies, puzzle books...

Think outside the box basically but I agree the last thing you want is to turn it into a hated chore.

Anything

What's he into? At that age my ds was football obsessed, he loved reading the Tom Palmer Football academy series. Diary of a wimpy kid was a hit too and beast quest.

National geographic magazine children's version. Tintin. Good luck.

Mine’s the same. Probably made worse by the voracious reading of his big sister - I think he feels he can’t keep up so won’t try at all. We don’t compare at all, of course, but he does.
He has taken to Tom Gates and the 13 Storey Tree House series, Dog Man and other comic strip style books. All written, presumably, for exactly this target market. He also still loves me to read all his old picture books (Oliver Jeffers, Supertato, Kipper etc) and takes a few of these to bed each night by himself so I know he reads them too.

Bookmarked this page, thanks

We have the same, he hates to read out loud. He tends to read a few pages of a book and give up.
He does always put subtitles on any tv programme he watches and reads along, not ideal, but it does mean he reads every day!
Some great book ideas on here!

My middle one refused to read. We are a household of avid readers. He was car and football mad so I bought him Top Gear annuals, football magazines and annuals. He also read the football supplements/ back pages of the local newspaper. His teachers throughout juniors encouraged it because at least he was reading.

Mine is the same. However he LOVES Tom Fletcher's books and will read these independently. Try Creepers, it has been a hit with some of his non-reading friends too.

I'd go with the non fiction recommendations. Mine craft even?

13 Storey Tree House books are fab for this age.

@LadyEggs

Mine is the same. However he LOVES Tom Fletcher's books and will read these independently. Try Creepers, it has been a hit with some of his non-reading friends too.

Do you mean The Creakers? My ds, now 9,loved this last year!

My DS enjoys The Guinness Book of Records and Ripley’s Believe it or Not. Joke and interesting/gross fact books, and whatever he’s into at the time. Currently WWE annuals are popular.

Is there anything he enjoys watching that links into a book series? My daughter's 8 and until lockdown she hated reading. She really got into 'horrible histories' on BBC iPlayer (seemed educational so I didn't limit it) and suddenly wanted the books too, and has read the whole series, plus is now devouring factual history books, dorling kindersley etc. She's moved from that to reading the 'worst witch' series and the 'how to train your dragon's books again because she enjoyed the BBC TV series. I could have posted the same as you in February, she just suddenly got the point in reading out of the blue, I did not expect it at all. Go with anything he seems keen on, facts books, comics based on films, but I also wouldn't rush it, I think it just has to click at some point.

Another vote for Tintin, also Asterix and the Beano and Garfield books. My son reads these in bed after we've had his bedtime stories. I take the view that he's enjoying the experience of reading so hasn't got it in his mind as a chore. We're a very bookish family, and these mean he feels like he's bookish too and can join in those conversations. I strongly believe that the most important thing is keeping the child's attitude to books positive, so they can develop into more committed readers over time.

Agree mine also preferred non fiction at around that age. 13 storey tree house series also very good or maybe go a bit younger and sillier Astrosaurs by Steve Cole are funny space going dinosaur space police battling evil carnivores. My hamster is a ... series also good but I can’t remember the author sorry

Do you read? Because I find the minute I pick up a book, my ds will read too.

And we have lots of silly books too. Like captain underpants and Tom gates. Comic style, not too arduous. Then I read the more noble books (if you will!) at bedtime.

A kindle transformed my non reading children into book fiends! That and not allowing too much screen time, so they get bored and look for something else to do....give them the kindle! Works brilliantly. Make sure you get one with a nightlight. My teens go to bed with kindles and read for an hour before bed. I never thought I would see the day and read all through the lockdown.

Brilliant recommendations- thank you all so much