Help dd7 was an avid reader just starting to read longer chaper book but now struggle to get her to read

[lexcat]

Was pretty much read anything was never to sure on long books (over 100 pages) started reading longer book and enjoying the challenge.
Then suddenly has lost interest still will read but struggle to get her interest in most books. Would just let it go but she is expected to read at least 15-20 mins every night as part of her homework.
Any riverting book out their which she can really get her teeth into.
Please help

We all go through phases of not fancying reading. I wouldn't worry.

Why not change pace a little for a bit? Look at non-fiction topics she's into or graphic novels. It is all reading and useful skills to read different kinds of text.

Are there any magazines she might be interested in? Don't know if there are any pitched for that age group and teachers may frown at the idea, but I think any reading be it comics or magazines that is fun is better than no reading at all.

You need to find her trigger book. Try something subversive like the Witches or the Twits, and try reading her the first few chapters of really good books at bedtime and then "forgetting" about them for a few days.

That's a good udea actually. Do you still read to her? If you keep reading to her then that will at least keep her interest in books alive and she will probably get back into reading them for herself at some point.

Yes I do read to her sometimes but mostly when we start a new book just to get her going.
She has a habit of reading ahead of me then complaining I read to slow.
But I think I really do need to get back in the habit of reading to her everynight.
Thanks for the idea of the twits really great book but she has read it about 3x plus she's had it read at school and I've read it to her a few times.

How good a reader is she?
Is she 7 year old level or above?
Short sharp books might get her interest
Magic tree house series - but may be a little easy for her from your OP
Jeremy Strong books are short and funny

What does she want to do instead of reading?

I ask because sometimes children find a new ds, wii or some other tantalising (often electronic) toy much more interesting than reading. Has something 'new' like this been introduced to her life?

Level of read is not the problem well above her age. Magic tree house stories are great, she has all the books and have read each one the moment she got them home. Can't say her really got her teeth in to them as they were very easy and really to short. She always disappointed that it not lasted.
Jeremy Strong says she tried one and didn't like it. But I think I may try reading them to her as I believe Jeremy Strong right up her street.

Trying to think of something harder then but short.....

Hmmm

Mr Gum books? DS1 is loving his.

BTW are you thinking of the same Magic Tree House series as me? They are reasonably new in England though I know they are huge in the US....

I would read to her for 20 minutes - I think it's a bit much to expect a 7 year old to read for 20 minutes every night whether she wants to or not. My ds will sometimes sit and read for an hour (or longer of there's a new Cressida Cowell!) but sometimes not want to read at all.

Oh, and I woudl do a bed time story as well - a competely different book to the schoolwork one. A bed time story is a completely different thing to "homework"

DD2 is really enjoying the World according to Humphrey books atm. Also Emily Windsnap and various Anne Fines - eg Goggle Eyes.

My nine-year-old recommends:

the "Horrid Henry" series by Francesca Simon;
the "Sophie" series by Dick King-Smith;
the "Worst Witch" series by Jill Murphy;
the "Ramona" series by Beverley Cleary;
the "My Naughty Little Sister" series by Dorothy Edwards;
the "Junie B Jones" series, sorry can't remember the author;
the "Mystery" series by Enid Blyton, starts with "The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage";
anything by Roald Dahl;
the "Josie Smith" series by Magdalen Nabb;
"The Cat Who Wanted to Go Home," "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, and "The Otter Who Wanted to Know", by Jill Tomlinson.

She loved all of these when she was your daughter's age.
I'd read aloud every night if I were you but try to make it a treat, not a chore and stop at the cliffhangers.
Hopefully, she'll then snatch it off you to finish herself.
Most school reading books are deadly. Then they wonder why children don't want to read them.

I second Anne Fine! She's great. And Diggers/Truckers series - were they Terry Pratchett?

Thank everyone some great book their quite a few we have read but also so new ideas.
Luckly have talk to her teacher and she is free to read what ever she want as long as their is a record of in her school reading record.

Thanks for all the ideas tried Mr Gum what a starnge but very funny book that is. I read it hoping each night when I stop she may carry on reading herself on such luck. Now half way though the Famous five loving it but stil I've read all of it so far.
Just as I'm about to give up and think I'll have to talk to teach so the pressure is off for a bit. Last night she comes to my room at 4.30 in the morning to tell me she couldn't sleep so she been reading one of the Narnia books (can't remember the name Prince something) and is loving it. I was very suprised as I bought the narnia set from here because of the good price and thought they would be great for when she was a little older. Now she want to read the lot before the summer hoildays.

DS is reading Paddington at the moment. He's just finished Dr Doolittle. And before that The Wombles.

Going off on a tangent, if she's allowed to read anything, would she be interested in reading an age-appropriate newspaper or magazine? I've heard good things about First News and the National Geographic's magazine for kids.

Or get her a junior membership of a club that she might be interested in. DD1 is younger, but is enjoying being a member of the RSPB and they do a really good magazine with stories, articles etc. Should be sufficiently educational to satisfy her teacher and might be sufficiently different to give her a new interest.