How to transition from twaddle books…

We do lots of reading aloud.  That is a big help.  My 10YO DS always says, “Can’t we just read a little more?  You always stop at the best parts.”  😉  That is, of course, by design.

Reading aloud, trading off reading (you read a page, he reads a page), audio books, reading a book followed by a movie day, and low-key book clubs with friends help to encourage a kids to read and enjoy more difficult books.

That said, I do make sure I choose books of the child’s interest (there’s no sense giving my 4th grader a biography of Harriet Tubman – that’s better as an audio book or a family-read aloud; and there’s no use giving my 14YO son Anne of Green Gables – it will be torture for him.  He did enjoy it as an audio book, though).

Perhaps choose a book below his reading level that suits his interests (check the book lists on this site).  Also choose another to do as a read-aloud – we’ve done The Secret Garden, Charlotte’s Web, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Black Beauty, A Christmas Carol, Macbeth (and many others with dad at bedtime).  Read just a few pages each day, at most a chapter, and savor the book over several weeks or months.  Allow him the time to develop a love of the storyline, the characters, the story.

My kids still have “twaddle” on their bookcase, but much less than they had four years ago.  Take your time, don’t force the issue and turn him off from reading altogether. He’ll get there!

Very good reply from jawgee.  I was going to say the same things…book of interest below reading level to build confidence.  And reward with a movie or play of the book to look forward to when finished.  My son enjoyed Pinocchio, Alice in Wonderland, and Jungle Book at the end of fifth grade.  He had seen the Disney movies when he was younger, but he said the books were a lot different and way better.  He first became interested in reading Pinocchio when I was reading aloud the reviews from Amazon that it was a little dark and scary and way different than Disney.  I commented that maybe it was a bit much for his younger sister.  Well, he couldn’t wait to get his hands on a copy after that!

We recorded The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on PBS rated G that he wants to watch, but I said he needs to read the story first, but I want to go through that one together.  A Christmas Carol would be good this time of year to read together taking turns and then watch one of the movies or a play.

And reading aloud to him books at or above his reading level should help his interests too.

If they don’t like a book, I encourage them to keep going, that thestory could pick up and get more interesting.  But if it is still a problem, I will help them find a substitute.

Hi Vanessa,

One of my favorite childhood memories is being curled up in bed under the covers with my Aunt Margaret who read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory aloud to me by Roald Dahl. This was before the movies. Also James and the Giant Peach and Danny, the Champion of the World by the same author. The stories are very colorful and I am certain that they inspired a love for reading in me.

When I grew up I ended up working for a few years teaching in a school for boys considered to have severe behavioral handicaps. I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to these boys who probably never even had exposure to twaddle much less any sort of quality literature. They were entranced. Reading aloud to them was like a commercial for how wonderful reading can be. Give it time and I’ll bet that he will come around and even start to appreciate the difference between a junky book and a good tale. My boys like those Wimpy Kid type books, too, but they always are required to be reading a “Quality Book” and I emphasize that the other books are just for fun.

My eight-year-old had been resistant to reading anything good on his own but I found a copy of The Wind in the Willows and asked him to just read FIVE pages and then tell me about it. I was really surprised by how much he took in and I think having him just do a little was good for getting him started.

Hope these suggestions help.