Does your child read books that school hasnt given them?

[charliecat]

Mine doesnt really. Shes 8 and has ploughed the way through the Harry Potter books but the book shelf of Animal Ark, Enid Blyton Molly Mindy Mandy etc remains unread I used to read a book a day when I was her age.
Nothing I can do, I dont think, but wondered whether it was just my dd or whether there were other non readers.
Oh she will read the books from school, but there no love there to pick up another

have this problem (?) with my dd who is 6 1/2... her pals are reading everything and really keen but dd just isn't.

She is very active though, so this could be something to do with it...

I would like her to get into books (on her own) too, so will watch this with interest.

yes!
avidly.

in fact mostly reads books that school hasn't given her - she is on the little house on the prairie series at the moment. she is 7.

Definitely - the school reading books tend to be a bit dreary tbh and he gets to choose a library book at school too.

Perhaps the books she hasn't read don't appeal to her. Have you asked her which kind of books she'd like? Maybe Lemony Snickett or something like that would appeal more to her than Enid Blyton.

She read the library books from school as well, and swops them maybe 3 times a week, but if it wasnt for those she wouldnt read at all.
We have just had the whole school holidays and she didnt read a thing.
I read cereal boxes, instructions, leaflets...everything and everything. Its odd to me, but normal to her not to have any Ommpphhhh to read.

That's becasue they day they do reading on the day you take your kids out of school to celebrate their birthdays.

WWB, theres no interest in ANY books Have got a big variety. And visit the library too...no interest. Like a vegetarian in a butchers lol

Oi No insults LOL

Oooh, careful with the vegetarian comments there ...

Does she like being read to? I know it's a bind when she's old enough to read for herself, but maybe you can interest her enough in stories for her to find out more for herself?

Yes, all the time - he's only 4.5 though. Started reading now he's in reception - he's not bringing a book home from school yet which astounds me as he's reading quite confidently and we do at least one book a night. He's loving it.

Doing/Done that WWB, started a book hoping she will want to finish it...nooooooooo.

my ds1 is 6.5 and has recently lost interest in reading books. He doesn't even want a bedtime story anymore.

He brings library books home from school, but they are all factual e.g planets, dinosaurs, cars.

He will read Autocar and Hotwheels magazine but has given up on stories, which makes me sad as I am a big reader (have BA in English)

I think he has taken after dh who never reads fiction, but will read factual stuff.

Struggle to get my DS to even read his school reading book! Can't lure him with Harry Potter books or anything. He just will not sit down with a book, never has. (he is nearly 9). Am a little worried about his reading cos he is a little behind, probably due to lack of practice! But you can't force them! Will read Simpsons comics though but thats about it!

Cant get DD's head out of a book on the other hand! (she is nearly 6) so just goes to show. Either they are readers or they aint!

my dd likes me or dh reading to her- which is fine, but a tad lazy methinks.

Have you/she tried story cassettes?

btw, if your dd she has read Harry Potter, I wouldn't describe her as a non-reader!

Yep have story cassettes, they listen to them as well as music every night.....ahaaaa.....which makes me think I should maybe ban music/tapes for 1 night a week and Ta Da...she might just pick up a book. Daft me...didnt think of that.
I know shes not a non reader BTW, she just doesnt have an urge to read a book, let alone book after book.
My sister gave her the HP set and told her to return it when she had finished, so she was in a sense told to read them so she has its just the lack of wanting/needing/loving to that makes me a bit ...doesnt bother her in the slightest!

Two of my children are avid readers, devouring anything in print but the other two are quite different in their reading habits. Ds2 reads very little for pleasure. He ploughed dutifully through the necessaries for school and had a few favourites such as Dr Who/James Bond etc. But it's done no lasting harm. He has a First in Psychology and is doing a PhD, for both of which he has to read extensively. For him, reading has to have a purpose beyond pleasure or entertainment.

9yo dd2 is similar but does have a wider reading range. She's the type of child that latches onto an author or type of book and reads them repeatedly until something else takes her fancy. It worries me a bit but her teachers say she's well-read for her age and if she follows in ds2's footsteps I won't complain.

DS1's a bit like that. He's a really good reader, and has read all the Harry Potter too, but doesn't seem to read novels for pleasure in the way I wish he would. He does read a lot - but it's the Beano, or Dr Who scripts, or "The Rough Guide to James Bond". He doesn't really get school books anymore, so I try to encourage him to read an 'improving' book for a bit every night (ie a novel he wouldn't normally read) and then just let him read what he wants.
DS2, who's not quite 4.5, is the one who's reading all the signs in the streets and the cornflake packets....