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Help! My kkids only want to read adventure stories!
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I have two kids who love to read but for the past year they balk at reading anything other than fast paced adventure stories – like Redwall or Lord of the Rings. They will read it if I require them to (i.e. require a narration) but they are very unhappy about it. Any suggestions?
I choose a variety of books for my kids’ free reading (30-60m per day required). They may choose any book from that list, but have to vary the genre or type so if they choose adventure, they could choose biography next, and so on. For their recreational reading of their own choosing, I strongly recommend a variety of genres, too. I won’t allow a string of LotR or Harry Potter or Maze Runner or ___. They can read one or two, but then they need a different thing to fill their mind with.
Lishie,
I have 3 types of reading at our house.
- Assigned Books – our school studies in literature, history, natural history that are scheduled and narrated
- Free Reading Books – I have a list of titles for each kid for the year. I put 5-7 books on the shelf to start and they can choose whatever they like from that shelf and read it to completion. Most days I require 30 minutes of free reading and occasionally up to 60. Narration is not required. Only stipulation is to vary the type of book chosen, so if there is a series, I ask that they read something between volumes in the series. We have our own library of 5000+ volumes growing to become a lending library someday. I need to narrow the options a bit to make sure they enjoy the full variety.
- Recreational Reading Books – Free to choose any book we have (over 5000) or any from the library that are appropriate. Can read whenever and however long they choose. No narration. No stipulations. If, however, they get in a rut like too many fantasy or too many dystopian books, I strongly suggest variation.
Myself personally, I would go with it. Variety is nice, yes, but I feel it’s more important to cultivate a love of reading. And let’s face it – once we’re adults, we tend to also have preferred genres and that’s what we stick with. Also, we learn more from what we are interested in, than what we aren’t.
So, I would go with it, BUT… I would supply the options. There are some wonderful classic adventure novels – Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Fin, Swiss Family Robinson, Lord of the Flies (depending on their age), Gulliver’s Travels etc…
I agree with 2Corin57. Another “trick” I use is limiting their library books and then I have a selection of things I want them to read on hand. I do this a lot with my middle kiddo who will get “stuck” on a certain series and refuse to move on from it. I let her take out 2 books, knowing she’ll finish them in a day or two and then I suggest she read something from the shelf or something I’ve brought home from the library for her. Sometimes she still balks, but usually she’s desperate for anything to read that she will give the other books a try.
Just 2 more cents worth … Children and teens may cultivate a love of reading, but never appreciate variety of not pushed out of their comfort zone. A kid who can read LotR and Redwall likely already has a love of reading, but possibly an ignorance of what else is out there or possibly a lack of appreciation for it because it has never appealed on its own merits. My dd14 loves reading and has found many, many gems by having a list to choose from instead of free reign to choose anything. She has read LotR multiple times, Hunger Games trilogy, some Harry Potter, but she has also enjoyed some of Charles Dickens’ works (though she loathed Oliver Twist), a different kind of adventure novel in Nature Girl, Mark Twain’s classics, Anne of Green Gables, many biographies, & more. Left to completely choose on her own, some of those wonderful friends would never have been picked up. While each family must decide for themselves and I am in no way saying how we do it is the only or even the best way, it is one way to preserve choice while broadening their horizons.
Thanks so much for the great perspectives! Yes! We do all need to be challenged to go out of our comfort zones. That is part of growing and spreading the feast before our children. I have also been thinking that if my kids want to go to college some day, they need to be prepared to read material that they are not thrilled about. In my research on this topic last night I came across some articles that Linda Fay had written and found that she said it was essential to mind growth to require your children to read a variety of books.
Thanks, all, for helping me think through this!
You all have great points!
I just wanted to add that if the students has a goal of finishing a series, I’d let them. I wouldn’t call it a rut at that point, but a goal. If it’s the second or third read, though, I’d follow the advice already given.
It’s a dream of mine to read through all of the Brock & Bodie Theone books in chronological order. (Chronological as determined by the story line, not in published order.) I have read through several of their series, but never the whole scope and sequence……but that needs to wait until I’m not as busy!
I should have been more clear about what I meant when I said my kiddo got “stuck” on a series. She will find a series she likes, read the entire series and then be reluctant to read anything else and just keep taking out the same books. I would never encourage her to abandon a series she enjoyed, even if it is the 2nd or 3rd reading. I just like to encourage her to read other material too. 🙂
One thing I do to encourage a child to branch out (okay, two things)
1. Read aloud the first chapter or two or three to get them hooked on the story. Then hand it over and let them know they’ll have to read it to find out what happens next.
2. Require that they read the first 60 pages (or some other specific amount, 3 chapters, etc). Then they can tell me what they think of the book so far. Hopefully at that point they are enjoying the story.
My one simple trick to help encourage my children to read new books is to bring home a fresh batch of library books (usually Daddy picks up our stack of interlibrary loan books on his way home). I did this two days ago and most of these 19 library books have already been handled by a child. And we own about 7,000 books. In fact, some of the books I checked out this week we own but are a little more appealing as hardbacks in shiny covers.
By the way, my ten year old just finished his 22nd Thornton Burgess book and his 18th Landmark History book, and has finished The Lord of the Rings series for the second time. He didn’t start reading independently until he was 9. I don’t mind him reading what interests him because he is now always stuck in a book.
Happy Reading.
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