tammyw Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 DD8.5 is a book FIEND, so this kills me. He loves math, science, and all things to do with the computer, ipad, iphone :001_huh: Part of the problem comes from the fact that I've never had nearly as much one-on-one with him like I did with her. Growing up, all we ever did was read. With him I had to worry about quite a bit more. He still likes to be read to sometimes but not all the time - she reads everything but would also drop everything for me to read to her. They are clearly different but I want to figure out how to get him more interested in reading. I've looked at Jim Trelease's book and the other "How to get your child to love reading" but I'd like some "been there, done that" success ideas? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I pretty much wrote your post last month. In our case, I just had not hit upon what he really liked. I tried some different suggestions from the boards on read-alouds, and it turns out though that he loves books about dolphins. So we have been reading several about dolphins (fiction ones). I also was making the mistake of reading to him at the level my oldest liked at that age (who was an avid reader), and it was too hard/complex for him. I backed off the classics or harder read-alouds and pulled in some Magic Treehouse and Flat Stanley. Bingo for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 I pretty much wrote your post last month. In our case, I just had not hit upon what he really liked. I tried some different suggestions from the boards on read-alouds, and it turns out though that he loves books about dolphins. So we have been reading several about dolphins (fiction ones). I also was making the mistake of reading to him at the level my oldest liked at that age (who was an avid reader), and it was too hard/complex for him. I backed off the classics or harder read-alouds and pulled in some Magic Treehouse and Flat Stanley. Bingo for us. Do you have your old post? I'd love to look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Try non-fiction. Get science and history readers from the library. Stick with picture books for a bit longer until you get him hooked on being read to. My oldest is a big reader, but he didn't really LOVE reading himself until he got very fluent at an upper elementary reading level. Then it was easy enough for him to enjoy it. He still doesn't like fiction chapter books that much, though he'll read them. He prefers things like SOTW or a history encyclopedia. Now he's also getting into joke books and such, but he wouldn't have understood those at 5.5. :) Basically, be patient. Have lots of boy-friendly books around (science, history, Star Wars :tongue_smilie:). Don't expect him to love Charlotte's Web just yet. I think he's young enough that it shouldn't be too much of a worry yet. Just keep reading, and try to remember he's a 5 year old boy. He probably has a lower attention span for reading, and probably still needs picture books. That's ok! My 5 year old had to work up to sitting through a longer book, and to be honest, I don't think he has a clue what I'm reading when I read one. He likes the picture books that I get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 He's probably at a funny stage - not ready for longer, deeper books but kind of done with shorter picture books. Try longer picture books, try funny books - both picture books like Mo Willems's work or Big Plans or New Socks or The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash - and chapter books like George's Marvelous Medicine and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Try reading aloud easy chapter books like Magic Treehouse (if you can stand it) or Stink, and remember that the first books he loves will be different from your dd. Try more audio books. Try more nonfiction. Strew the house with appealing nonfiction and offer to read it if he picks it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 He still likes to be read to sometimes but not all the time - she reads everything but would also drop everything for me to read to her. By all means, try what the others have suggested, but could it just be a personality preference? This sounds like my boys - they like to be read to some, but they are boy-boys and there are SO many Lego fortresses to build, Bey Blades to battle, and neighborhood Circle Bike Attacks to win too. As long as he does still show some interest in books, I wouldn't be concerned if he won't drop everything to come sit and listen - there is a very finite amount of sitting still time in the 5 y.o. male world. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Will he read books on the iPad? My mechanical, engineering minded child learned to read using the same books on the iPad that he refused to even listen to in paper form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Do you have your old post? I'd love to look at it. I asked for specific examples of readalouds my son might like and got some good suggestions. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=319752 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Will he read books on the iPad? My mechanical, engineering minded child learned to read using the same books on the iPad that he refused to even listen to in paper form. This is an interesting idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Sounds like there are some great ideas above! Just wanted to add that my (homeschooled) brother didn't like to read alll through his childhood. Now he's a seminary student and reads thick, dry, difficult books *for the joy of it*. Also, my 10 year old (also homeschooled) nephew didn't enjoy reading at first. Recently he read all 3 Lord of the Rings books and loved them! So don't be too discouraged :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 One thing I like to do with my oldest is read together, I'll read a page or two and ask her to read up to a certain place (I'll mark the page) - this helps her to get hooked into the book and excited to keep going. Otherwise a big book looks like a daunting marathon! Also, audiobooks are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Try non-fiction. Get science and history readers from the library. Stick with picture books for a bit longer until you get him hooked on being read to. My oldest is a big reader, but he didn't really LOVE reading himself until he got very fluent at an upper elementary reading level. Then it was easy enough for him to enjoy it. He still doesn't like fiction chapter books that much, though he'll read them. He prefers things like SOTW or a history encyclopedia. Now he's also getting into joke books and such, but he wouldn't have understood those at 5.5. :) Basically, be patient. Have lots of boy-friendly books around (science, history, Star Wars :tongue_smilie:). Don't expect him to love Charlotte's Web just yet. I think he's young enough that it shouldn't be too much of a worry yet. Just keep reading, and try to remember he's a 5 year old boy. He probably has a lower attention span for reading, and probably still needs picture books. That's ok! My 5 year old had to work up to sitting through a longer book, and to be honest, I don't think he has a clue what I'm reading when I read one. He likes the picture books that I get. He recently fell in love with the Star Wars movies. Are there books that would be appropriate for him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 DK makes Star Wars early readers at all levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 DK makes Star Wars early readers at all levels. Thanks! I'll look into these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 AUDIOBOOKS! I put one on every single night for my boys. Some of their favorites are "Trumpet of the Swan" and "Dominic". Not sure, but I think it is because they both have some "fighting" in them! They also really like "Paddington Bear". I am a huge fan of audiobooks. My oldest began several series of books he thought he wasn't interested in after I got the first book on audio. It's a great way to expose them to classics and great writing, and with a professional reader who can make it sound a lot more exicting than I can. My boys also love anything by Jim Weiss (3 Musketeers, Tom Sawyer, Sir Francis Drake, Greek Myths, etc.). These are stories rather than books. I think that once he listens to audiobooks and sees how great books can be, he might change his mind about books in general. And the pressure is off you trying to make it exciting enough! Try the Roald Dahl books, too. My ds6 loves the Pooh Bear books, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 My DS4.5 is not anywhere near as interested in books as my other kids. He will sit snuggled up for exactly 5 minutes of reading before he has had enough. However, if I allow him to quietly play while I read or play an audiobook he will listen for 30-45 minutes at a time. I also strongly second the suggestion of looking for reading material that speaks to his personal interests. Keep looking, you are sure to find something that hooks him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Audiobooks are not exactly "a hit" for my reading-allergic boy, BUT, he will listen and do things at the same time. Same with reading fiction to my other son who loves any story, and is always making his own up. DS engineer has to be doing something. That may be looking at his own books while we read other things. I second the non-fiction choices for a boy who doesn't care for stories. This child has books on wind energy, weather, snow-leopards and such that he loves to listen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 He's young yet, I'd just keep reading aloud to him. I don't know if every kid will really love reading, but I know mine were much older when they started really enjoying it. My dd was interested in the process and enjoyed learning all along, but she didn't read on her own for pleasure (ie without me saying it's reading time) until about 9 or 10. My son never liked the process, although once he got to the Frog & Toad book level he liked it somewhat. He also was about 10 when he started reading on his own for pleasure. Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Button has had book-resistance ... in addition to the iPad ideas, audiobooks if he likes them, you might want to try Five in a Row-style teaching if he's happier to listen to a book once he knows it (Button had to be bribed with chocolate for the first telling, but we were fine for the subsequent four days :) -- he was seriously novelty-averse); the Sonlight core readalouds that seem to fit his level (you could look at their list and get a few from your library to try this); and maybe introduce Writing With Ease 1 to him (see threads for making it gentle if he struggles with the narration). Button and several other kids here have gotten interested in the books excerpted in WWE1, even if they aren't loving the narration exercises. Amazing Pop-up Geography Book Diary of a Fly; Diary of a Spider; Diary of a Worm Toot and Puddle (several books of these) are some books he's really gotten into; and My Father's Dragon has been an addictive read-aloud/audiobook for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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