reading books - year 4 - reads a lot but only the "easy read" books

[schooling123]

my DS is reading a lot, but only easy read books. How to persuade to read other books ( recommended on a reading list)?

What sort of levels can he read at?

Read harder books with him then once he's into them he'll read more independently.

What are the “easy read” books?

My Yr4 DC is rarely without reading matter to hand but it’s often The Beano, Wimpy Kid, Horrible Histories or books they’ve read before. I’m not too worried as I know they can also understand harder more challenging books too, but reading is a pleasant leisure activity so it doesn’t always need to be worthy.

Agree that you read the more difficult books to him. Then as he gets engrossed he may move on but there is no need to worry. The fact he loves reading is the most important.

My ds(yr5) reads within quite limited kind of books as his choice.
I don't normally interfere with what he reads to himself.
But for reading aloud homework, I often ask him to read something totally different.
We also use online reading comprehension websites, one assign material randomly, and one I can assign him what he reads.

Despite his limited interest in books, I am not really worried, tbh.

Irvine, which website you you use?

www.readworks.org/

readtheory.org/

So long as he is reading it doesn't really matter, in my view. Liking reading as a activity will do much more good in the long term, than ticking off "Harder" books just for the sake of it.

Ds liked the easy read ones because he preferred books with pictures. We gradually moved to books with less pictures and his desire for a decent story many that he was soon on to ones with very few of any illustrations. I think the trick, as PP have said is to read with him and when a book "grabs" him, hope that this will be the step he needs.
DS is also Y4 and reads under the duvet with a touch every night now he thinks I don't know

torch not touch!

I agree with Glowerglass. DD likes reading books with colour pictures so she reads a lot of comic books. She loves reading though so I’m really happy with that. I was worried at first because I thought she was behind where she should be, but it’s great to see here motoring through the books and asking for the next one in the series.

I’m not a teacher, but I think of you can talk to him about what he’s read and he’s passionate about it then the rest will come. DD is in yr3 though, so my opinion may be incorrect.

My son loved Manga and graphic novels at this age. You can buy many of the classics in graphic novel format.

I can recommend the Tom Gates series of books. They're funny and each page is illustrated with doodles so the text doesn't feel overwhelming. My son is year 4 and not a confident reader (he's capable but doubts his own ability).

Second Tom Gates and there’s also the Big Nate series which is similar and really fun.

Def read with him and we also found Audiobooks a good introduction as DD liked the stories and wanted to read similar books.

I like to read but def prefer easy books for leisure time as I don’t want to think after working the whole day. So we let DD read whatever she wants during the week and at the weekend something else. Bit by bit she moved her books.

DD didn't like harder books as the text was too dense, and no pictures.

She did however get on well with David Walliams and Guy Bass which were harder than she had been reading but still had pictures.

Not all picture books are 'easy' read. Some have some very complex stories with illustrations that compliment..
It is not a bad thing to like those sort of books. And at least your child is reading something.
Doesn't he have a reading level book that the teacher/TA hears? Non levelled books are usually 'library'/ independent reading, in other words, for pleasure.

My dd is yr 3 and despite being a capable reader has no interest in reading for pleasure and rarely gets past page 3 of 'harder' books. We have discovered she may be dyslexic and struggles with pages of unbroken text and we have to make sure the font and spacing are visually accessible. She finds harder books with well spaced lines and clear text much more appealing. It may be worth looking at things like this. The dyslexia friendly section in our library is growing slowly. It might be worth a look as they have more grown up stories in the type of type setting of easier books. It may help bridge the gap and give him confidence.

Should have said even if you don't think there are any dyslexia type problems.

I second the suggestion of manga and graphic novels. Asterix and Tintin are always good to start with.

I knew the child in the OP would be a boy! Mine is just the same. He got the new David Williams book “Bad Dad” for Christmas, i’ve Challenged him to read it by the start of term (they still have a week off). I know he can read harder stuff, we read Harry Potter our loud, with me and DS alternating pages. I just wish he’d choose to!

I know boys who devour books and girls who are reluctant. My daughter rarely reads for pleasure while my son can complete chapter books in a single sitting. Gender has nothing to do with it.

Did you sign up to read works as an educator Irvine? I suppose parents are educators of sorts...

Yes, Starpatch, I did. It doesn't state you need to be a teacher. I signed up long ago so don't remember exactly, but you can ignore the section irrelevant to you to sign up.