Should I make DD read more challenging books?

[Campaspe]

First, the good news. DD, in Y4, loves reading and is good at it. She loves Wimpy Kid, David Walliams, Dork Diaries, Tom Gates, the Beano etc. However, she was told today not to read David Walliams in school and to challenge herself by reading books without pictures. The teacher specifically suggested Michael Morpurgo and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

I'm a bit concerned now that all DD reads is this really modern, light stuff, which is great fun, but maybe not developing her skills given that it's all she reads? On the other hand, I don't want to put her off books given that she loves them and I have to admit that I wasn't reading 19C classics at 9.

How concerned should I be and how much should I try to control her reading? I tried to insist on THe Borrowers tonight, but DD found the language difficult and didn't like it. What books might bridge the gap between the likes of Wimpy Kid and more challenging fare? Thanks

You can have illustrations and it not be childish.

There is a glorious illustrated Hobbit for example.

Do you still read with her? I'd be tempted to start a really gripping story and then leave it lying around, to see if she'll be willing to wait for the next time you are free to continue it or if she'll pick it up for herself...

I attended a seminar in the summer titled 'how to get your child to love reading' the very first thing the presenter asked was 'why do you as an adult read?' well for enjoyment of course, next 'do you as an adult ever read a book to improve your reading?' -rarely. The outcome of the talk was that the way to get your child to love reading is to let them read what they enjoy, yes expose them to lots of choices take them to the library to choose books introduce them to something like the telegraphs children's book review website ( all written by children).
Do some children read because something difficult is going on in their lives? Yes of course they do we as adults do it to - escapism. My own DD definitely used reading at a tricky phase in her life (my ExH's creation) she was eventually able to voice that reading allowed to go somewhere different and was a coping mechanism for her, but it is not true for every child.

I'm going through this with DD in yr5. Her teacher said Jacqueline Wilson was not a high enough standard for her.

i have moved her onto the Chalet school, which she is enjoying and finding more challenging. If she hasn't read Enid Blyton Malory Towers move her onto those, they are an easy read but good vocab and expression and tons of them to keep her going.

I'm not saying the school is right or wrong here, but dd's writing is not great and is probably related to the books she is (not) reading.

for the life of me i can't find any books reviewed by children on the telegraph's books website

I apologise my mistake the guardian not the telegraph wrong paper name popped into my head. Can't link through mobile site, but on main guardian site three new book reviews by children have been published today.

Try some good audio books - a hugely underrated resource. I'm not sure why David Walliams is being lumped with The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates as the vocabulary is far more sophisticated. Also, what is wrong with illustrated books?
Micahel Morpurgo is well written, frequently depressing and much rated by teachers.
Recommend 'The Curse of the of The Ugly Pigeon' for a funny school diary type book with illustrations and a more challenging vocabulary. Aimed at girls.

I think there is something to be said about racing a wide variety of books , older books have different vocabulary and some of them challenging but brilliant stories such as secret garden and Littek women so no harm in doing some older books and maybe reading them with her? I lived all those books when younger in addition to contemporary books. Just bought the lemony snicket books for my 9 year old . She can choose out of those which she likes

But what if she likes none of them, Daffyd?

Audio books just aren't the same though, are they? You're not developing your reading skills, which are also developing your spelling skills.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with audio books, but it's not quite the same as developing reading for little ones.

Audio books are fabulous for learning new vocabulary, how a book should be read aloud and for stretching a reluctant reader onto harder books. They also develops a child's 'ear' for sentence structure and story arc.
They do need to be reading themselves too, of course.
Good readers can be atrocious spellers.

I'm sorry, but if you're a good reader then you're learning how to spell, surely?

Of course audio books can help. I don't deny that. But they're not a substitute for reading. Being able to identify words, and how letter combinations work to create specific spellings.

We'll have to agree to disagree on the good reading equals good spelling point. Good readers read too fast to actually stop and examine individual words - they're busy living in the story.

Dm was told I shouldn't read Enid Blyton ( I was an avid reader) and I should read Lord of The Rings. I took one look at the book and have never read a book to this day.

I might have gotten round to Lord of the Rings in time but between being forced to read a book I had no interest in and then being told after each book I read I had to write a review about it killed any interest I had in reading.

If your dd wants to read certain books then be grateful she is reading. The alternative is not reading anything.

I'm a really fast reader, Geraniumred. I always have been. I have no idea why you would think that would mean poor spelling?

I'm not saying that good readers can't be good spellers. I'm saying that not all good readers are naturally good spellers and that the two skills are separate.

I was reading toddler books (think mr men) until i was 14 when i discovered Douglas Adams and jane austin.

I agree my Ds is well above average for reading but below for spelling..

As a child my Dad cancelled smash hits so I could read swallows and amazons ..I have never read swallows and Amazons ..I never read it and never have..

My Ds is diary of wimply kid, tom gates type lover but I encourage him to read other stuff he enjoys to me... I passed the library today and picked up a book on electric cars..He has read this tonight with some challenging words... I never would force him or make him feel bad for not wanting to read something. I find he gets put off by thick books despite been capable of reading it so we tend to read them together.

There is some really interesting stuff her. My DD is an avid very fast reader, who is all about the story and getting engrossed. She is a poor speller. I read harder books outloud still, but I think audiobooks would be great for getting into more complex stuff. My DD loves those too. The being forced to read hard stuff and book review warnings were really interesting. I like the philosophy that reading for pleasure should be just that. Pleasure and harmless escapism.

Children are only children for such a short time - she has the rest of her life to read the classics. Let her enjoy the books she does and be glad that she enjoys it. It important for it not to be a chore.

You could of course research other books - there are some brilliant modern books for children.

I agree with everything everyone says.

Ds is in year 7 at a selective school & reads David Walliams.

If she likes him has she tried David Baddiel. Ds reviewed his books for
Lovereading4kids

The first is called The Parent Agency & the second The Person Controller

It's good to share new ideas for books children might like, but why all this pressure to read books that will 'challenge/push them on' when it's about what they read for enjoyment? It's nobody's business what anyone, adult or child, chooses to read for pleasure.

As a child I read everything I could lay my hands on. Nobody made me read/not read anything, whether that was cartoons (I loved Asterix), Fairy Tales, or Russian classics. I loved Enid Blyton, also The Gormenghast Trilogy. I read some books which were probably 'inappropriate', but didn't understand them until I was older.

Children should be given the chance to choose books freely, the only thing that is important is that they are reading and enjoying it. My DD is a voracious reader, she's really enjoying the Hunger Games books just now, but I still find her reading picture books/fairy tales at times. So what? Maybe they're comforting to her, maybe she's thinking more deeply about the stories, or enjoying the artwork. I've still got my children's books, I still enjoy them and my first degree is in English literature.

Definitely wouldn't force her to read more challenging books but would share other authors with her so she can find what she enjoys.
(Whispers as a teacher I'm not huge fan of Michael Morpurgo) very well written but they don't excite me as a reader.
Sometimes we are too quick to dismiss books and push children onto books we deem more challenging/difficult but many picture books contain quite sophisticated language so no books should be regarded more worthy than others. The important thing is she wants to read.

When my dd was a similar age, I had the same concern and raised it at school. The response was just let her read. I have bought all kinds of books but still she likes what she likes!! I guess interest will widen as they get older?? My dd is now 10 and still likes the fluffy formulaic books that I tried to avoid but she has also read a couple of sporting biographies and loves cooking and baking books!

I think there is a lot to be said for leaving your DC to read the Dork Diary type books on their own and for "sharing" more challenging books with them by alternating reading. Try reading a chapter a night of, say, The Secret Garden, by alternating pages reading aloud.

Morpurgo is dire

it anthropomorphises animals in a silly way. It always ends rubbishly, and leaves kids disappointed.

The endings are never much good ("born to run", I am looking at you. The boy did not recognise his old dog. Dog slinks off. The end. Ffs. In his desire to avoid a cliche "happy ending", Morpurgo chooses a cliche bad ending.)

Eva Ibbotsen is good, Roald Dahl, little house on the prairie series, Astrid Lindgren, but really I would not worry too much. Just take her to the library and let her choose.