Article- Why reading ahead of your grade level isn’t necessarily a good thing.

[staceyobu]

Sometimes it's just logistics. A longer book keeps the kid occupied longer and is easier to keep up with than a stack of picture books.

 

This is true. The kids bring books to look at for long car trips. The last time we went on a trip, DD brought 3 easy chapter books. I figured they would last for a ten hour round trip. She finished them 3 hours in. If I'd brought picture books, there wouldn't have been enough space in the car to hold enough to keep her occupied. I was thinking for our next road trip I need to find something longer but engaging!

[ChandlerMom]

I'll go in the somewhat dissent group: to me this article didn't seem to differentiate between reading level and reading content. And the parents in the article doesn't sound like the people I know, maybe the FOF who treat their kids like extensions of their own egos.

 

Anyway, my 8yo dd has the decoding skill, vocab, and comprehension (incl reading inferences, which just comes naturally to her) to read just about anything. That doesn't mean I LET her read just anything or that I took away "lower level" books. Maybe it helps that she has younger siblings, so flits easily from adult nonfiction to board books.

 

I've posted and seen other people post threads about looking for higher difficulty books that are age appropriate for younger readers. i think around here at least that's the norm: a general understanding that the mechanics of reading, the enjoyment of reading, and the content of reading are all very different things.

 

And sorry, no Jane Eyre or Hunger Games here. :tongue_smilie:

 

ETA: @Adventuremoms: if you mom was foolish enough to use the phrase "age appropriate" she deserved a rebellion. :D

 

@geveryone: If a child is hs and has no idea of the "adult complex themes" out there, how would they ever know what they are 'missing'? I never understand the value in a child reading material with adult themes. Fortunately my eldest doesn't like "dark" content and books I thought might be iffy but let her read are invariably the books she says were "too dark" and didn't like. Why would I let her read romances if I have no intention of letting her date until college? :lol: If she yearns for more adult content, I'll gladly pull out my stack of college textbooks. There is some great YA material, but a lot seems to be more about porting adult content to the privacy of kids' bedrooms and is all part of the "peer-orientation" culture -- something of which I want no part. I know this sounds super conservative (I'm not), but I will decide what content my dc will benefit from, not the publishers, not Disney, not the media.

Edited December 21, 2011 by ChandlerMom

[NittanyJen]

Hmmm. I don't think she ultimately said to disallow your kid to read good literature. It sounded to me as if she was lamenting parents who turn reading into some kind of competitive snobbery instead of joy.

 

My son reads some very advanced, challenging books. At age 10, we even do discuss questions about war and sexual themes that come up in his reading. But as the author was pointing out, that oesn't mean we wrinkle up our noses and tell him he's too big to read Dav Pilkey, Wimpy Kid, Calvin and Hobbes, Kate McMullin, or whatever he chooses in between.

 

The joy of reading includes reading widely. It includes reading for depth and reading for silly. It includes keeping an open mind, and having choices, and feeling joy when you open a book.

 

I'm in my 40's. I enjoy Shakespeare and Faulkner. But I also enjoy books with pictures (oh, that Calvin!).

[Sasharowan]

My kids, from the almost 16 to the almost 6yo, love picture books, especially the ones that incorporate plays on words with the pictures. I usually read aloud to the youngest with the others hanging over the back of my chair. Picture books are often picked with the idea that I am reading them and so I try to get interesting ones. Ds10 and DD12 prefer to get picture books for history and science since they often understand from the pictures better than just words.

[TracyP]

Quality literature transcends form (picture book, chapter book) and reading level.

 

 

Yes! I look for quality in the books that are read in my home. I do try to stretch my kids in their reading abilities, but I do not limit them to only "hard" books, and I definitely don't limit picture books.

 

 

I agree with others that the title is misleading. The first thing I thought was, "How do you stop a child from reading above grade level?":confused: After skimming the article, I didn't see the author even attempt to make an argument against reading above grade level.

[momto2Cs]

Be a reading omnivore.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I consider myself a reading omnivore, so why shouldn't my kids be such as well? Honestly, I enjoy a variety of books, ranging from picture books I share with the kids, to Shakespeare, to Nora Roberts, to nonfiction, etc. I try not to steer my kids' free reading. I've noticed my ds10, who reads well, goes back and forth between harder and easier material, which is fine.

[mom2scouts]

My second son was reading 200 page novels at the age of 5. He could read anything that I could find that had an age appropriate story. He also did something he called "reading the shelf". We had an extensive collection of picture books and children's books and he would start at one end of the shelf and read every single book on the shelf. I was happy he was reading and entertaining himself, so I didn't care about the reading level of the book. I let my other kids pick out library books and then I get them a few too. Sometimes I'll start a harder book as a read aloud and they'll get interested and read the rest themselves. Reading for entertainment can include a variety of reading levels.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Yes!!! I have boys who read above grade level, but we LOVE picture books. And *I* still LOVE children's books. A great book is good at the age of 5 AND at the age of 50! A lot of re-reading happens in this house, too (which is one reason I enjoy having so many books on our shelves rather than borrowing everything from the library--those books are our friends! :)).

 

I agree with another poster, that the language and vocabulary in some picture books is of the highest quality, and the illustrations/art alone are often worthy of revisiting books over and over.

[silliness7]

Wonderful article!! Thank you for sharing. I did agree with it. Here is a passage that really resonated with me.

 

 

But in the fuss about literacy and reading levels and school achievement, something fundamental gets lost: the pleasure of the book for its own sake. Books that are delightful for ten-year-olds are not necessarily delightful for six-year-olds, and too often both parents and teachers encourage children to read books that are too old for them, or discourage them from reading books we have deemed "too young," thus guaranteeing that reading will always feel like a chore.

 

There is one curriculum provider that I've always wanted to adore but took serious issue with their book selections. Epic of Gilgamesh in 7th grade is not my cuppa. kwim?

[ekfk]

My eldest daughter lost interest in picture books when she was about 5. She prefers chapter books and long reads. I have a younger child, so there is no shortage of picture books. She just isn't interested in them.

 

In terms of reading, I do a mix with my kids. Books that are too easy, books that are just right and books that are a little too hard. I read the hard books and explain the meaning of words or ideas my child wouldn't get on her own.

 

I disagree with the idea that children shouldn't read books because they won't completely get the meaning. There were a lot of books, movies and songs that I enjoyed as a child that I didn't completely get. I get the books that my child wants, even if I think some of what she is reading goes over her head. If she enjoys it and wants to keep reading it she is obviously getting something out of it. She rereads a lot of her books, so I'm sure she gets something new each time. A lot of ideas in children's movies go over the heads of much of their young audience. Yet no one suggests that kids shouldn't watch the Winnie the Pooh movie or Beauty and the Beast because they wouldn't fully grasp the meaning. These ideas are oddly reserved for reading.

 

The author of the article seems to assume that there is some epidemic of parents denying picture books to their kids because she has overheard some conversations. Considering that 68% of kids in the US read below grade level, it's safe to assume that parents like this are an exception rather than the rule. I spend a lot of time in libraries and I mostly hear parents asking their kids what do you want. Or would you like to try this book. It's important to separate parents who want to expose their kids to more challenging material but don't force things from parents who go to far with pressuring their kids to do things they don't want to do. Unfortunately both kinds of parents are often unfairly lumped together.

 

You also have to be careful about overheard conversations. It can be easy to misinterpret what is going on. I have told my daughter in bookstores that I wouldn't buy books that were too easy for her because I don't want to waste money on something she would lose interest in quickly. She would be free to get those books from the library. You may also have cases where a child is reading below grade level and a parent is desperately trying to fix the problem. Maybe the author didn't overhear what she thought she overheard.

[eloquacious]

 

I disagree with the idea that children shouldn't read books because they won't completely get the meaning. There were a lot of books, movies and songs that I enjoyed as a child that I didn't completely get. (...) She rereads a lot of her books, so I'm sure she gets something new each time.

 

Yes, this. I remember reading the Scarlet Letter in the 6th grade. I read it again, years later, and asked myself what on earth I thought of it when I first read it. I couldn't tell you, of course - sadly, I didn't keep a book journal. (How fascinating that would be to read through!)

 

The best literature offers something on every level, and is open to many readings. Because the reader has changed, grown, matured, etc., the book will be different to them. I hate to sound like a postmodern literary theorist, but at least in this regard (when it comes to the reader constructing meaning) I partly agree. I do not, of course, mean, that the words "an apple" should be taken to mean whatever the reader makes of them, only that someone who has had more experience with apples both real and literary (i.e. allusions to Biblical stories or fairy tales, etc.) would understand something more in such a reference.

 

I'm writing on Tylenol Cold, so any meandering should be pardoned.

[Julie Smith]

My eldest daughter lost interest in picture books when she was about 5. She prefers chapter books and long reads. I have a younger child, so there is no shortage of picture books. She just isn't interested in them.

 

 

For awhile a few months ago my kids lost interest in picture books. I could even read a chapter book to them with pictures and they couldn't be bothered to look at the few pictures in the book.

 

But then I started reading picture books in French and English. (dh read French, I read English, taking turns on every page). We would also have conversations about translations between languages. Both kids are now into picture books again.

 

Eldest said it is interesting to hear how different words can match the same pictures, but make the pictures different.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Julie Smith
I blame my iPad for all typing, spelling grammar...

[Mabelen]

They may be a minority but I have met some of these kinds of parents at my younger dd's school. They do encourage reading but they push push higher reading level books and discourage anything below that level. Their children tend to have very high reading ability but I do think the pleasure for reading aspect is shot in the process.

[ekfk]

I have no doubt that parents like this do exist. The problem I have is that the writer of the article fails to distinguish between parents who are forcing kids to read advanced material and those that include advanced material in a mix of different reading levels. I've read articles like this before and they always make the mistake of lumping different kinds of parents together based on a single area of commonality.

[TracyP]

You also have to be careful about overheard conversations. It can be easy to misinterpret what is going on. I have told my daughter in bookstores that I wouldn't buy books that were too easy for her because I don't want to waste money on something she would lose interest in quickly. She would be free to get those books from the library. You may also have cases where a child is reading below grade level and a parent is desperately trying to fix the problem. Maybe the author didn't overhear what she thought she overheard.

 

 

This is true. I have, in fact, done this very thing. The picture book section of my small local library is PACKED with "character" books. My Little Pony, Bob the Tomato, Elmo, etc., etc. I'm sure I have made comments like pick one, and then come here and pick from this section. I am not going to stand 2 feet from the librarian and rant about the quality of their book selection.:tongue_smilie: This could be completely misconstrued by someone...especially if they don't realize that I have a stack of good picture books on hold up at the counter.

 

However, I have seen people get huffy about a suggestion that their dc might enjoy a picture book. It is clearly upsetting to some that a child who reads ________ would stoop so low as to read a picture book. I think the point of the article was a good one to make.

[ekfk]

I think the article makes both good and bad points.

 

I don't have a problem with saying that kids should be allowed to read things that are easy or below their level. I don't have a problem with saying that kids should be able to read for fun, even if there is no academic payoff. Those points I completely agree with.

 

The parts of the article that troubled me were the suggestions that kids shouldn't read advanced books because they won't always get the meaning. Or that certain ideas (that are probably in most movies they watch) are too mature for them. And even the implied criticism of parents who get advanced material for their kids when many kids actually enjoy or want it. Those points I simply can't agree with.

[Happy2BaMom]

The problem I have is that the writer of the article fails to distinguish between parents who are forcing kids to read advanced material and those that include advanced material in a mix of different reading levels. I've read articles like this before and they always make the mistake of lumping different kinds of parents together based on a single area of commonality. ....

and

 

And even the implied criticism of parents who get advanced material for their kids when many kids actually enjoy or want it.

 

I agree with the above.

 

Sorry, but I am a dissenter as well. The author makes some good points about not forcing children, but her evidence is based upon a few anecdotal episodes from which she makes blanket statements, such as this one: "too often both parents and teachers encourage children to read books that are too old for them".

 

 

When I was teaching in public school, more than half of my students' parents didn't read to them or encourage them to read anything at all. So, based upon my experience (following the logic of the author of the article), I would say "too often parents don't encourage children to read any books, including those that are below the child's reading level.

 

When we lived in the DC area, there were some of "those parents". But I really don't think it's this big epidemic. I think it's her social circle, and it's unfair to make generalizations from that.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Happy2BaMom
clarification

[Ritsumei]

 

There is one curriculum provider that I've always wanted to adore but took serious issue with their book selections. Epic of Gilgamesh in 7th grade is not my cuppa. kwim?

 

I don't know. Maybe not the original (haven't tired it yet), but I just finished reading Gilgamesh the Hero (a text-heavy picture book version with beautiful language) to my 5yo, and he LOVED it. Asked for it. Was disappointed when we finished. And I felt the same way. It's the first book in a loooong time that I thought I could turn right around and read again. Gilgamesh's story is compelling.

[mom2att]

I disagree with the idea that children shouldn't read books because they won't completely get the meaning. There were a lot of books, movies and songs that I enjoyed as a child that I didn't completely get. I get the books that my child wants, even if I think some of what she is reading goes over her head. If she enjoys it and wants to keep reading it she is obviously getting something out of it. She rereads a lot of her books, so I'm sure she gets something new each time. A lot of ideas in children's movies go over the heads of much of their young audience. Yet no one suggests that kids shouldn't watch the Winnie the Pooh movie or Beauty and the Beast because they wouldn't fully grasp the meaning. These ideas are oddly reserved for reading.

 

 

I think that the bolded above is the key. If a child is willing to re-read a book, even years later, with a little more life experience under his/her belt, then I don't really have a problem with kids reading books deemed "too old" for them. It's the kid who dismisses reading To Kill a Mockingbird as a young adult because s/he read it at 9 and didn't think it was all that--that's where reading ahead of age level becomes detrimental.

[Haiku]

It's the kid who dismisses reading To Kill a Mockingbird as a young adult because s/he read it at 9 and didn't think it was all that--that's where reading ahead of age level becomes detrimental.

 

Yep. I think the assumption is being made by some posters that children will read a book as a child and then revisit it later, when they are more mature and will "get" it more. Unfortunately, that's often not the case. When a child reads something that he or she doesn't "get," it can be attributed to the book itself being boring, and the child/young adult never revisits it.

 

Not to mention that To Kill a Mockingbird centers around a rape trial, which I would not want my 9 year old dd reading about.

 

A while back I asked for opinions on whether my kids were old enough for me to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, one of my favorite books, to them. I remembered it as being a sweet story about a girl growing up in NYC around the turn of the century, kind-of like a longer version of the All-of-a-Kind Family books. Posters here reminded me that there are some very adult things in that book. I re-read it myself and couldn't imagine exposing my kids to it ... yet. I was in college when I read it, and I loved it. The main character is also sexually assaulted in the book ... again, not something I want my 9 year old dd reading.

 

Tara

[justLisa]

Yep. I think the assumption is being made by some posters that children will read a book as a child and then revisit it later, when they are more mature and will "get" it more. Unfortunately, that's often not the case. When a child reads something that he or she doesn't "get," it can be attributed to the book itself being boring, and the child/young adult never revisits it.

 

Not to mention that To Kill a Mockingbird centers around a rape trial, which I would not want my 9 year old dd reading about.

 

A while back I asked for opinions on whether my kids were old enough for me to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, one of my favorite books, to them. I remembered it as being a sweet story about a girl growing up in NYC around the turn of the century, kind-of like a longer version of the All-of-a-Kind Family books. Posters here reminded me that there are some very adult things in that book. I re-read it myself and couldn't imagine exposing my kids to it ... yet. I was in college when I read it, and I loved it. The main character is also sexually assaulted in the book ... again, not something I want my 9 year old dd reading.

 

Tara

 

I agree with your posts.....my issue is I have a child who makes his mind up the very first time he is exposed to something and that opinion will stay with him for all eternity LOL. We have to be very careful about when/how we expose him to things. He is just very sensitive, especially in regards to the screen and books! I have always been that way myself.

 

DS loves non fiction. He likes reading about explorers, and scientists. Even biographies though, I find have some kind of hairy experience that is a bit too descriptive. It's hard to pre read every adult type book for him so we try to find things we have already ready or skim through. My mom was taking an astronomy class at university and he found it fascinating. That's a little different though, that is more of a text book.

 

I've never even considered giving DS at 7.5 an adult story line to read, so when *I* think of above grade level, I was thinking like understanding big words and college textbooks or something LOL!

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I wish I had time to read through every comment on this thread. Very interesting! Does anyone know how I can get a good list of picture books? Ones that my son and I could look through and see what interests him? Or should I just take him to the library and have him pick a few each time?

[jennynd]

Yep. I think the assumption is being made by some posters that children will read a book as a child and then revisit it later, when they are more mature and will "get" it more. Unfortunately, that's often not the case. When a child reads something that he or she doesn't "get," it can be attributed to the book itself being boring, and the child/young adult never revisits it.

 

 

Tara

:iagree:

DS won't even read a book if he see the movie. He said it is wasting time since he knows the story

[Mrs Twain]

I wish I had time to read through every comment on this thread. Very interesting! Does anyone know how I can get a good list of picture books? Ones that my son and I could look through and see what interests him? Or should I just take him to the library and have him pick a few each time?

 

Honey for a Child's Heart is a wonderful book. It has book recommendations for many different age levels and interests. It has many picture books listed. We have read through a lot of the recommendations, and they are consistently good books. You may be able to find Honey for a Child's Heart at your library.

[Walking-Iris]

Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook. Books Kids Will Sit Still For (my absolute favorite). Books To Build On. All of those are books that we use to shape our reading lists.

 

I read the article but just can't read all the previous posts. ;) I agree with the general tone of the article. I don't believe that children in any way should be pushed to read above their "level" or to read a certain book because it's deemed more educational than others. And picture books are wonderful ways to talk about art as well as just reading! I also agree that just because a kid can read the words doesn't mean that they should. A kid may be able to read Number The Stars when they're 6 or 7 if they are good readers---doesn't mean that they should. I wouldn't stop a child reading a book with complicated or possibly disturbing material if they chose it---but I certainly wouldn't push them above their maturity level--no matter what they are capable of decoding.

 

Having said that I do censor somewhat the books we check out or buy for content that I don't agree with or I feel is a waste of time or money---mainly just junk books. I like a lot of the series books, but some are just not worth it. Some are great for kids to start reading bigger books. Magic Tree House books are delightful to read aloud---my 4 year old is obsessed with them--and they have helped my older ds make the leap into reading for longer stretches of time. I had to finally get rid of the Captain Underpants and Wimpy Kid books. Yes my ds was reading but when i started really looking at the content I just couldn't have them in the house any longer. ymmv.

 

I do believe that if I surround my children with great children's literature then they will begin to make strong choices.

 

I also disagree that children won't revisit a book already read. That depends on the child/person. I read Tolkien in middle school (my choice--not for school) and loved it, but really didn't get it. I've read it many many times since then. There are way too many classic literature books to name that were assigned to me in school that I didn't like or only read excerpts of that I have since read as an adult and consider my favorites.

 

You can have something like Peter Pan for instance read aloud to you as a 5 year old, read it yourself say in 4th grade or so, and then read it again as an adult, either to your own child or for the fun of it and gain new understanding each time.

 

A lot of that depends on the general attitude about reading in the home. It's not enough to simply give kids books, or to read to them, or to have them read as some assignment--it's the attitude about reading. Children seeing parents enjoying a book, talking about what they are reading, making reading a pleasant experience and less about grade level or school assignments.

[eloquacious]

:iagree:

DS won't even read a book if he see the movie. He said it is wasting time since he knows the story

 

This is the problem I had with my middle schoolers, who had been given "easy reader" versions of stories in previous grades.

[jennynd]

This is the problem I had with my middle schoolers, who had been given "easy reader" versions of stories in previous grades.

I don't think "easy reader" was the problem. DS is 7 years old and reading 6-7 grades books . He reads chapter book since he was 3. I think that is the problem. He think he is smarter than everybody else and simply shovel the book to the side if he see the movie. However, he will read the books in the series if he likes the movies. He reads the "how to train the dragons" series after the movie but skip the st book.

 

Anyway, the point is for kids like that, will it be better to wait for them to read books with complex meaning.. like Narnia...

Edited December 24, 2011 by jennynd

[eloquacious]

I don't think "easy reader" was the problem. DS is 7 years old and reading 6-7 grades books . He reads chapter book since he was 3. I think that is the problem. He think he is smarter than everybody else and simply shovel the book to the side if he see the movie. However, he will read the books in the series if he likes the movies. He reads the "how to train the dragons" series after the movie but skip the st book.

 

Anyway, the point is for kids like that, will it be better to wait for them to read books with complex meaning.. like Narnia...

 

Then again, can you blame him? I do the same... hence my strict rule against seeing the movie before I've read the book. ;)

 

There are very few exceptions to the rule. One is my current read, Elizabeth Gaskell's "North & South." Despite Richard Armitage's awesome Thornton, I wanted to read the book myself... and I'm so glad I am!

[Walking-Iris]

I think with book to movie situations it really depends. My ds has seen the Harry Potter movies and that has prompted him to be interested in the books, same with Lord of the Rings. He likes the movies, but can't quite grasp the books just yet. I think if the movies seem to help a child make the jump into reading it's okay--but if they seem to hinder reading, it may be best to wait. Again that depends on the particular child's personality and learning style. My ds is an auditory and visual learner, so movies and audiobooks actually enhance his reading experience.