Reading - 7 year old

[Franny1]

Do people think seven is still young re reading for pleasure? My seven year old DD is good at reading (she’s end of year 2 but reading year 3 level books at school) and likes being read to (which we’ve done every night since birth) but just doesn’t seem interested in reading for pleasure herself, either fiction or non fiction. We’re quite a booky household and her brother is a bookworm so I don’t get it..
She has good friends who love reading already and I read everything I could get my hands on at her age, but maybe she’s still a bit young and I’m overthinking it?? Had anyone else had anyone transform after this age?

My dd is an avid reader and gets into series of books in a big way. But she will never be told what to read and she refuses to start a series. The trick I found in the end was getting her the audiobook of the first book, she gets hooked and wants to know more so then we go and get the actual books.

What is your screen policy in the house. Does she watch tv, play on the iPad and so on.
How does she entertain herself if she doesn't read?

My eldest two were big into reading very early on, my youngest is a math whizz and creative little being and not a huge fan of reading. She does love audio books and being read to but at 8 only reads comics or fact books for pleasure. I encourage when it's a natural moment to do so but otherwise leave her to it.
I did see an ad earlier by Caitlin Moran for I think the telegraph? about a "hub" that has info about alternatives to reading. I didn't watch whole thing or click through as wasn't that interested but might be worth a look for you?

Yep tried this - it totally gets her into the books but then she stil insists we read them to her rather than reading them herself!

We have a bit of TV most days at the end of the day but we don’t really have screens otherwise. No ipads, gaming etc. When she’s playing by herself she likes Lego, imaginative play, playing with her teddies…

This is just completely an idea I'm putting put there- obviously I don't know you or your daughter or what books she is reading. You say she's reading above her age level at school which means she can but it's maybe not easy as such. Ive read Chaucer but I wouldn't pick it for fun! Could you try going for a lower level of book so that it's relaxing and easier for her? It's hard to be pushed all the time. Maybe take her to the library with the stipulation that any books she chooses she has to read herself? Ps I'm not a parent- I'm the teacher so I get to tell them what they have to read! But I'm just trying to think what might make it more of a fun thing rather than a learning thing (and she'll still learn!)

That’s a good idea from @GoFaster83also think. I also think it’s about finding the right series at the right time. DD 17 is a huge bookworm and was a great reader at 7, loved being read to but didn’t really read for pleasure. It took a while and was only around 8/9 I think that she found a series she could not put down. Once she had that experience of reading through a whole series voraciously, she had the drive to keep doing it. I would just keep reading to her, encourage her to browse and choose books for herself and keep modelling being a reading household.