Does your child always read books by the same author?

[Yorkiegirl]

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No
DS1 reads lots of different authors and genres; he has his favourites of course, but does read widely.

Do you know the Children's Good Book Guide (8-12s). It has some great suggestions for "if you like this, then why not try ...", which are a good step to branching out a little.

Having said all that I know of course that you're not a bad teacher; and you show far more interest in the children's reading material than many other professionals I know!

DD1 loves JW... gah! However, they are fantastic in the local children's bookshop. They have helped steer her towards other books and so far they haven't gone wrong.

DS1 went through an Antony Horowitz phase, but again the local bookshop came good.

I also teach, and I also think we need to expose children to as wide a range of literature as possible. I think it is a bit like food for kids now in that many of them have a limited diet at home and so need encouragement at school to try something new. Having said that I have a 9 year old who would, given half a chance read the 9 year old equivalent of chick lit- ie Jacqueline Wilson , Anne Fine etc. We are really trying to encourage her to read different types of books. Tonight dh has sat with her and read a Michael Morpugo short story which she has enjoyed but has needed an adult to really access all the rich language. She technically has a reading age of 13 or 14 if you pay attention to these things and we don't. It makes me realise that she still needs our support to develop her reading skills as much as ds who is 5 and devouring with relish Boff and Chip stories. I think a lot of schools tell children they are "free readers" and let them loose without bothering to give much input into choice and preferences. Some parents follow that lead and then the child can get lost in a continuous choice of repetitive books.
Don't stop Yorkiegirl- stick to your guns!

At our school kids work through reading certificates - gold one gets them a Book Token.

They have to read X non-fiction books, choose X from classics, X from a list of modern authors and choose X from a list of poets (3 from each poet?)

X & lists change as Certs get harder. Top level is for Yr 6's, beginners from good Yr2.

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I love reading my kids books! Just read my first Alex Ryder!

The certificates work really well. They are nicely printed & handed out in a "Mentions Assembly" (Once a month for Lower, Middle or Upper school when parents are invited).

Milliways - that sounds a great scheme. Can you elaborate on the details?

I will see if I can dig out the old certificate work books & post tomorrow. DS is supposed to be doing the advanced one, but got sidetracked by new books for birthday & christmas, so as long as he is reading I'm not bothered. DD did really well & got Advanced in Year5 - she found she enjoyed a lot of the harder classics as well!

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It does give them a structure. The choice gets bigger (choose any 20 of the following authors, read one book by each author - advanced level, modern fiction, whereas beginners names the titles, choose say 10 out of 15). DS found he liked a lot of poetry this way as some are modern, funny etc, others classic.

My kids school does a similar reading scheme every spring. There are 3 levels, bronze silver and gold. DD in Ks 2 has to read 3 fiction books by different authors, including one from the library; write a blurb for one and design a cover I think for another. Silver is mre difficult and includes non fiction and gold includes poetry as well.

Ok, I have found the Beginner & Improver details...

Beginner:

1. Happy Family Books I've read. (Title & Date) - 6 required.

2. Read a book by - Roald Dahl, Dick King-Smith, Tony Ross, Ruth Brown, Shirley Hughes, Susanna Gretz, Jane Hissey, Jill Tomlinson, John Burmingham, Joan Aiken, Allan Ahlberg, Beatrix Potter, Nick Butterworth, Val Biro & Mick Inkpen.

3. Read: Funnybones, Mrs Armitage on Wheels, The Bad-Tempered Ladybird, Tidy Titch, The Lighthousekeepers lunch, Trouble with Dad, Whatever next, Dancing Ann & the Green-gruff-grackle, Mr Tickle, The Owl who was afraid of the dark, Sophie's snail.

4. Fill in a (very small) book review chart - 1 book

5. questionnaire - 8 q's, on how you look after books, how often you read, how to improve etc.

This sounds like a great idea Milliways. I like it a lot!

The Improver details are:

1. Modern Fiction. Choose 15 books from the Author list (of 25) + 3 other authors of your choice.

2. Modern Poetry. Read at least 3 poems by each poet (of 15) and choose 3 other poems you like by different poets.

3. Banana Books - Read 10

4. Non-Fiction. Read at least 5 non fiction books covering different subjects

5. Assorted story books. Read 2 books from each of the groups on the list. Well known Folk Tales, Fairy stories, Stories from other lands, Picture books, longer stories.

Can post author lists if anyone wants.

Intermediate & improver just get harder, more books, wider range & include classics.

Hope this is useful

Very useful. Thanks Milliways!

Yes, I would like author lists if you've got the time to type them out. I'm going to copy this info into a document and go and talk to the literacy co-ordinator at our primary school. It sounds great!

So is it all presented in a little booklet, where they write in/tick off the books they've read. Then when the booklet is complete they get a certificate? Is that correct?

Modern Fiction Authors - Improver:
Ahlberg Alan, Aiken Joan, Ashley Bernard, Berg Leila, Bond Michael, Browne Anthony, Dahl Roald, Edwards Dorothy, Edwards Pat, Hall Willis, Hargreaves Roger, Hawkins Colin, Hoff Syd, Impey Rose, King-Smith Dick, Lavelle Sheila, Lobel Arnold, McNAughton Colin, Milne AA, Muir Frank, Murphy Jill, Ryan John, Strong Jeremy, Tomlinson Jill, Townson Hazel.

Modern Poets: Michael Rosen, Kit Wright, Judith Nicholls, Alan Ahlberg, Grace Nichols, Wes Magee, John Foster, Charles Causley, AA Milne, Brian Patten, John Cunliffe, Jack Prelutsky, Edward Lear, Ogden Nash, Eleanor Farjeon.

This was great for looking up authors in a library!

Each child has a cardboard folder, decorated by them, with preprinted pages to fill in. Grids with Authors, you fill in title, date read. etc etc.

The beginners one is all in large print, pictures, and a page of "my favourite book is etc at the front.

Parents sign to confirm what has been read. Certificates are printed in colour & big deal made when they are presented. Advanced gets a book token as well.

DS is on advanced, but has left the folder, which also has Intermediate details in, at school for Half Term. Can get next week if yoiu like - but you should get the idea.

Hope this helps

Th folder is one with those lace things holding pages in BTW

Milliways - I have no idea what "one with those lace things" is.

I was just wondering whether you would be willing to photocopy the pages and post them to me? Obviously I would pay for the postage and photocopying.

I am really excited about this: I can imagine it working. Our school are great at getting children to the point of being fluent readers, but sometimes then their enthusiasm wanes and they fail to progress. I can see a scheme like this as being a means to bridging a gap.

I can probably copy these at work sometime. Do you want me to wait until DS brings home the advanced stuff next week. Also-they will all have his scrawl all over them

CAT me your address - it'll only be a stamp so don't worry about that!

Milliways - yes, please wait until next week and include the advanced stuff as well - thanks. I'll CAT you my address.

(I realise it will have his jottings on it - that's fine - it's just to give us an idea, as we will want to adapt/draft something ourselves to suit our school library.)