Does your 10/11 yr old boy read in the school holidays?

[mummaemma]

Trying to encourage him to do a little reading (15 mins a day). He's 10 going into yr 6 and a needs a boost with his literacy. (currentl level 3b) He doesnt want to read and says its boring.

Wondered if other boys similar age read or not in the holidays.

DS1 does, he reads a book a day (before going to bed). He has just turned 11 and is going into year 7, but he has always enjoyed reading.
He is currently really enjoying the Ian Fleming James Bond books. But has recently read the young James Bond books, the Cherub series (loved these) and the Alex Rider books.

Yes, mine does, but he's always been a reader.

He has free rein over what he reads, and it ranges from the 'How to Train your Dragon' series, to Sherlock Holmes, and endless re-reading of the Harry Potter books.

I hadn't realised that there were Pokémon books, but he's really into the games and TV series, so now he's badgering for those, and a Minecraft book.

If you want to encourage reading, pandering to his interests (whatever they may be) is probably the way to go. Personally, the mere mention of Pokémon is enough to bring tears to my eyes, but I think my son feels the same about my book choices .

Might he be more interested in non fiction books rather than fiction?

The boys have both been reading lots this holiday. Sat in the sunshine on my flippin recliner flipping pages.

DS2 wasn't all that keen on reading so we traded with him in as much as we said right it's bedtime but you can stay up and read to me for 15 minutes if you like. We found that Roald Dahl appealed due to the 'ewwww gross' factor and was great for practising 'expressive' reading.

DS1 is going into Year 6 in September. He does the Summer Reading Challenge at the library over the summer holidays, which involves reading 6 books from the library. He picks up stickers and prizes every time he takes a book out. He chooses a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. He has recently got into those "Quick Reads" books that are in the adult section, aimed at getting reluctant adults to read, as there are a lot of sports autobiography type books amongst them.

OP, to improve literacy skills I would suggest encouraging reading of magazines if he is put off by books. Have you heard of " How It Works" ? It's the most brilliant magazine, covers every subject a young enquiring mind could want. We all wait patiently for our turn with the latest issue. It covers ;

Science
Technology
Transport
Space
Environment
History

I have 2 readers and a non reader ( all boys) and they love it.

thankyou for your suggestions. Will see if i can find those books at the library.

oh and thanks for magazine suggestion too.

My older boys did but they were total bookworms. Youngest DS is only 6 but he does read sometimes, more since we bought him a nook which was a reward for a report which showed his level of effort as 'excellent' for most subjects.

We've also got a subscription to First News, which both boys (one going into Yr 6 and one going into Yr 5) read from cover to cover. It is fairly well written, and has lots of sport/celebs etc as well as current affairs.

I taught this age group and those children who struggled always said that reading was 'boring'. Often they would struggle to read books that were too difficult for them because they didn't want their friends to belittle their choices.

I would recommend a later bedtime, insisting that the extra time is spent reading, and this could certainly involve comics, magazines, non fiction and fiction of his choice; Mr Gum books and anything by David Walliams have all been popular with Y5/6 reluctant readers IME.

Sorry meant to answer your question - my DSs have always read in the holidays, including the library's Reading Challenge when they were little. One would read all day every day, and the other only read at bedtime.

Agree magazines great for reluctant readers (and not so reluctant one's too!!). DS who is 9 yrs gets Nat Geog Kids which he reads from cover to cover every month.

DS has always been more into non fiction rather than fiction - history, animals etc but will read his way through David Walliams and Anthony horowitz books very happily.

Both mine are enjoying the spooky house reading challenge this year

My son has read 30 books so far over the past 3 weeks, he literally never stops reading and the local library has been exhausted of any books he finds interesting.
Reluctant boy readers usually like the beast quest series, Harry potter, David Williams, captain underpants and Similar books.
I think a love of reading can be developed it just takes the right books to develop an interest.

My eldest is dyslexic and has never been big into readin. He's 11. He loves his kindle though and is reading LOTR on it. We read the hobbit together. Could you read a page each? That might encourage him.

Michael Morpurgo books are good and we also get the First News paper which they like. Another book my boys have loved is the Indian in the Cupboard.

Hth

Rosie

No

His sisters are avid readers but DS just isn't drawn to books. He also struggles with literacy so I try to encourage him.

Yes, but again mine have always been readers and I never really worried whether it was the Beano, The Guinness book of Records or a "proper" novel - they would happily switch between them all and worked their way through pretty much everything and anything. They alwasy read before sleeping. A good reading light is a must and it's now a punishment if there is no reading time before bed. They hae done that since they could read independently.

Boys in particular like fact type books - Why do farts smell like rotten eggs etc. or anything really of the ilk or humour books like Captain underpants or Diary of a Wimpy kid etc.

I was in your situation last year. I have made him read a chapter or 2 of a novel every night. He now reads for about 1/2 an hour an evening. Occasionally he even polishes a book off in a day or so. He's no bookworm but he's a solid reader now, reading books at an appropriate level.

OP I wish I could come up with the magic solution to this - some children are very stubborn anti-readers. With my DS also going into Y6 (he's currently at 4b), his routes into reading in Y4/5 have been Tin Tin, the Beano (I was surprised as I recall all the 'dialogue' is in capitals), the Simpson's magazine and occasionally the Argos catalogue...! Christmas always means another set of annuals to read through. He has also enjoyed all the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books as well as the Tom Gates books (which seem to be mostly pictures). We have the whole set of the Captain Underpants books too. He will not read aloud neither will he be read to. BUT I would also suggest reading together The Hobbit which although a bit dull to read aloud, is at least cool because of the association with the movie and you can find out what happens next (I did this with DS1 and you have to hand it to Tolkein to do proper characterisation, similes and metaphors)!

Older DS (Y8) was more co-operative and has a more interesting diet of Horrible Histories (DS2 won't touch them with a barge-pole), Itch books, Hunger Games, Playstation magazine. They have 30 mins reading time before bed. I make DH read too - good example - who also likes the David Walliams books too!

Both have been reading The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and its sequel and they have told me that it is 'unsuitable'... (content relating to puberty)! This hasn't stopped them reading it (I did quickly re-read the first few chapter to check!)

My younger son also really enjoys manga books which are mostly drawings from what i see, but he is reading none the less.

It's just about trying to capture their imagination to the point where they don't even realise that they are reading any more.

Maybe the Alex Rider books or H.I.V.E might appeal? or Artemis Fowl books are good for boys too.

Similar here OP, ds2 would rather do anything but read.

No type of book hold his attention,and I don't think he ever gets to the end. Just wanted you to know not all 10 yr old alive reading

Ooh Skulduggery Pleasant too maybe? The Saga of Darren Shan or the Demonata series if he isn't too sensitive.

Ds is 14 and hasn't read a book since yr 5.
Somehow manages to do well in English.

I agree there are loads of children who don't read - a lot of my son's friends tell him that books are rubbish etc. a lot of children don't like to read for pleasure and still do well academically. I guess we are all different, but when you have a love of books yourself, I guess you just want everyone else to have one too.

My DS (going into Y5) is not a big fiction reader. He much prefers football mags and non fiction ( atlases, Ripleys, Guinness Book etc ) but he has a 30 minute each way journey to football x 3 pw where we trade off iPod usage one way for fiction reading the other. He seems to not mind reading so much in the car. His literacy level went up masses last year and so I am continuing to ensure he reads fiction, incl in the holidays.

He hates football fiction, hates most of the usual age appropriate stuff, thinks the library summer reading challenge is "lame", but has most recently reread some Roald Dahl and just this morning went to the library and chose a few Jeremy Strong books he hasn't read at school yet. He's read most of the David Walliams ones but not really enjoyed them. He likes reading "easy" books.