How important are their school reading books?

[julybutterfly]

Sorry for posting yet another reading book question!

DS (year one) is on lime band books. But I'm really struggling now to get him to read them. I did tell his teacher that he prefers the non fiction ones but she keeps sending him home with fiction. To be honest, after reading at least 3 dull reading scheme books a week for over a year, I can understand his reluctance

My questions in his reading diary get ignored. I've written one in there today in red pen in the hope it will be answered but don't hold out much hope.

So, do I keep nagging him to read his school books or just leave him to read whatever he wants to read from home? He reads a variety of magazines, non fiction and fiction books (which he chooses himself) at home, I'm just really getting frustrated with the dated reading scheme books which he has no or little interest in.

Please ignore the rogue appostrophe, it wanted to join in.

In reception I often wrote that dd refused to read. Now in yr 1, she does read, but not always very enthusuiastically. I have explained to the teacher that she will only read these books once and then we need to change them and so far they have agreed.

I do want to follow the school's system as I do think the structure of the reading is helpful, especially as dd is on a lower, less limey level. At lime, I think I would be a lot less inclined to bother.

Had very similar experience to Seth though - seems dd can be very motivated to read her beloved fairy books even though they are waaaay harder - and I think doing that has improved her reading considerably.

So I would strongly encorouge dc to read the school books but stop short of forcing the issue, for the reasons expat gave. I read a lot myself but never read fiction I don't enjoy. Reading dull non-fiction at least has some purpose to it - but dull fiction is just an utterly pointless waste of time IMO. I would put reading some of the classics (those that are less appealing) in a borderline category as an exercise in cultural history.