creekmom Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I finally found a book that my 8 year old wanted to finish because he actually enjoyed it - Stone Fox. He is a struggling reader, and I've always had trouble finding a book that was on his level but not babyish. Now I'm looking for more books that he can't put down. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 At the start of this school year Eldest was reading, "Frog and Toad". Then it progressed further and further. He once sat down with a box car children book and read two chapters. We did 4 books about " the littles". Then three about " moongooble". Then ten days ago he started reading book four of the enchanted forest series. This is a dense book, 256 pages with no wide margins, no wide spacing. A big book. Since then he has read at least one chapter a day. Tis evening he was commenting about how much fun it is to read when I don't make him. I pointed out I made him so he could practice and one day get good enough to read "the enchanted forest" book he is enjoying so much right now. Still according to him tonight everything else reading related was not good, and this (the enchanted forest book four) is good. "frog and toad" to this in one school year. If you don't know the enchanted forest series, to give you an idea of length the audio version for book 4 is 7 hours long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 For my oldest son it was Redwall. For my now 8-year old, My Side of the Mountain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Mine good hooked on Percy Jackson at 11. He's been a pretty voracious reader since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbb119 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Spiderwick Chronicles was the first set of books ds read for pleasure...and he has been hooked - a bookworm ever since! He read that set 3 or 4 times all the way through. He also likes Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and he would love to read more Captain Underpants, too, though I am not a fan of him reading those (they were gifts) so I try to steer him off that course. He really liked Tom Sawyer and Robin Hood, too. There are lots of others, but for some reason I am drawing a blank right now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Mine's always been a good reader, but finding a good series turned him into a "can't put the book down" reader. For him, that series was Warriors by Erin Hunter. He read all four separate series about the cats, just finished the last one today, and now seems vaguely at a loss as to where to go next, LOL. (I know the feeling!) So if you can find a series they like, it means they'll *keep* reading, too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MunRoLy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 The Mercy Watson series is what finally did it! (He loves pigs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Then he went to the How to Train Your Dragon series, then Percy Jackson, and many more. He's been reading practically non-stop ever since, and that was a few years ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 One Small Square books, My Side of the Mountain - son one Hank the Cowdog, Encyclopedia Brown - son two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 The first series that really got him reading was the Franny K Stein series. After that it was Captain Underpants followed by How to Train Your Dragon. He's read all the Dragon books and can't wait for the next one. It is much harder finding books he's really interested in than it is for his sister it seems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) Captain Underpants then he moved up to Calvin and Hobbes I must say that now he's now the kinda guy that read this for fun and Vonnegut or Tolkien for entertainment. After all these years, I still feel like I must explain why I let him read Captain Underpants. Edited April 28, 2012 by Karen in CO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 This was a long time ago (our two sons are in their 20's and 30's now) but it was the Goosebumps series and the Three Investigators (Alfred Hitchcock's series featuring Jupiter Jones). They are avid readers as adults, often tackling the classics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 My son is 10 1/2 and has dyslexia. His interest level and reading level are very far apart so he listens to a lot of audiobooks. He listened to the first I think 5 of the Ranger's Apprentice series. Audible does not have the next couple. He is working hard at reading book #6 and actually saved up money to buy his own basic Kindle since he liked mine so much. I truly never thought I'd see the day when Cameron would want to read voluntarily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iucounu Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I finally found a book that my 8 year old wanted to finish because he actually enjoyed it - Stone Fox. He is a struggling reader, and I've always had trouble finding a book that was on his level but not babyish. Now I'm looking for more books that he can't put down. Any ideas? DS really liked "Here Be Monsters!" and couldn't put it down. It doesn't have a Lexile score but is not too tough reading-wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandymom Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 When my middle ds was in 4th grade, he would still not read (willingly) anything more than The Diary of a Wimpy Kid type books and he didn't read many books at that. One day, he checked out Eragon (not a lightweight book) from the library and it's been uphill from there. He reads and reads and reads now and will willingly pick up some pretty substantial books. I'm not sure what clicked for him (other than he realized what he was missing), but he was a changed kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Calvin and Hobbes Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Stella Luna was the first story he picked up of his own initiative and ignited his love of books. DS loved all things winged and the pictures drew him in. He was just five though so I'm not so sure that's helpful but I (not 5) found the story entertaining (the first time). :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliegmom Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Geronimo Stilton, Captain Underpants, Diary of a Whimpy and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Calvin and Hobbes for my 8-year old and Beatrix Potter stories for my 6-year old. lol They are such different kids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I started reading it to ds when he was in first grade and after about 6 chapters, I caught him hiding under the covers with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 My 8yo last year jumped from an interest in completing all the Magic Treehouse books to desperately needing to read all the Harry Potter books! It was strange. lol :D We got to the end of the MTH set & I couldn't find book 17 (and didn't want to buy it alone to due cost) - so he didn't read much for a few weeks. Then he picked up HP & read through the series from 1-5 & REALLY wanted to read 6, but I wasn't ready for him to read it, so I said no... so he didn't read much for a few months. Now he is reading the Percy Jackson series, and seems to enjoy it! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Animal books were what hooked my then-10 yr. old onto reading. Books, like 'Gentle Ben' and 'The Incredible Journey' sucked him. He is now hooked on the Percy Jackson series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 For one of mine, it was Ricky Ricotta at age 5. For the other, it's been the Bone graphic novels this year at age 7. Now he's devouring all kinds of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kinspired Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Calvin & Hobbes :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 My son LOVED the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I think that's the series that really got him hooked on reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulubelle Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Aside from graphic novels (cartoon and historically based ones), the Happy Hollisters series really hooked him. Fun stories, bad boy in them, and large print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Wally McDoogle series. My first son found one of these at the library and took off reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Calvin and Hobbs, Geronimo Stilton, and The Secrets of Droon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 For DS12, who's dyslexic, it was the HIVE series by Mark Walden, when he was 10 yo (he now loves Rangers Apprentice, and is just starting Book 10). I had DS11 read Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl when he was 8, and he just adored it. From being a very reluctant reader he then went on to read every Roald Dahl book. These days he'll happily read anything I give him. Cassy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Andrew Lost series around age 6. Since then he's been into Harry Potter, Redwall, Eragon, The Hobbit, The Spiderwick Chronicles and the Chronicles of Narnia. I think his favorites are Narnia, he'll go back and dip into those every now and then just to revisit them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Another Percy Jackson series lover here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 oops...double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 My son LOVED the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I think that's the series that really got him hooked on reading.:iagree: Maybe I shouldn't be commenting, because I'm commenting regarding my 8 year old daughter. But....Diary of a Wimpy Kid is what she recently started reading and she is just devouring the series. I think she has one book left to read. She LOVES them and the books have really turned her on to reading (it helps that she loves both movies too). Prior to reading these she just occasionally picked up a chapter book to read, but not very often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLC Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Redwall - son #1 The Cricket in Time Square - son #2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Seems to be Carter Kane now (same author as Percy Jackson). Not only did it hook him, I want to know what is happening in the story next, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 So if you can find a series they like, it means they'll *keep* reading, too!! My oldest is dyslexic and the educational psychologist told me that reading a series is beneficial because it's the same set of characters (for the most part) and it helps ease confusion. For him the breakthrough books were the My Father's Dragon series. I think he was about 8 or 9 when he read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thea Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 For my ds it was Peter and the Starcatchers. For my oldest, Because of Winn-Dixie I'm still looking for the book to hook my youngest.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 For my ds it was Peter and the Starcatchers. I have been trying to remember the name of this book for months now. I remember finding it a ways back and thinking I needed to remember it for when my son got older. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 For my oldest son it was Redwall. :iagree:Redwall totally hooked my son too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I finally found a book that my 8 year old wanted to finish because he actually enjoyed it - Stone Fox. He is a struggling reader, and I've always had trouble finding a book that was on his level but not babyish. Now I'm looking for more books that he can't put down. Any ideas? Andrew Lost did it for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnbacademy Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Thornton Burgess' animal stories, ie: Reddy Fox, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famof5redheads Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 The Boxcar Children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Garfield comic books. The library had a bunch of the color version ones. This is truly what got my son hooked on reading for pleasure. After that it was the Bunnicula books that got him reading chapter books on his own. He now reads all the time and a wide variety too. :) He recently finished the Warriors books, which are quite hefty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 DS jumped from reading Henry and Mudge type books to George Washington's Socks and George Washington's Spy by Elvira Woodruff. Then for several months afterwards he only wanted to read books at about the Magic Treehouse level. Then in February, DH bought him the Michael Buckley book N.E.R.D.S. and he got hooked. Since then, he has read the 2nd book in that series, the first 2 books in the Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy series by William Boniface, and the first 2 books of George's Secret Key to the Universe series by Lucy & Stephen Hawking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 For my dyslexic son, it was the Boxcar Children series when he was almost 9. For the younger one, it was the Magic Tree House series but he was more like 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 The Mysterious Benedict Society series did it for my son. We started the first book as a read aloud, but he took the book and read the rest on his own. He did the same with the other books in the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekmom Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 Thank you for all the great ideas!! I'm taking notes! My ds 8 picked up Fablehaven on Friday and has read over 100 pages - the most he's ever read in his life. He's so proud to be engrossed in a novel. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 I haven't read the responses but here is my answer. DS1, who turns 11 tomorrow, is very slow reader and to say he hates to read would be an understatement. I bought the first 3 Harry Potter books for $0.50 each at our local thrift shop and left them on the table thinking it would be years until he could read them. He saw them and was so happy and began reading them immediately. He is working his way through the 7 books and reads in his spare time now. I almost cried when he said you know Mom, I love reading. I also started doing "Reading Friday" instead of school work. We all lounge around the house (usually in sleeping bags or in forts) and read on Fridays. We eat popcorn or junk, and I let him drink a soda. Anything to make it fun. He is also reading Owls of Ga'Hoole and wants to start Lord of the Rings and Chronicals of Narnia when he's done with Harry Potter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelmorris Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Billy and Blaze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekster519 Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 The first series he loved was Magic Tree House. Now it's Percy Jackson, Andrew Lost, Geronimo Stilton and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He will read pretty much anything he can get his hands on now. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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