6 year old wants to read books way above comprehension level ...

[mathnerd]

should I let him do it or should I redirect him to appropriate books? 

My DS reads a lot of books on astronomy, electricity, nuclear energy etc from the library because he is interested in these topics. But, he seems to be reading books that are at the high school or college level on these topics. He spends a lot of time "reading" them. He is unable to comprehend a lot of the material and some of the things he does comprehend seems like he is leaping to conclusions from what little he understood of them. He also assumes the meaning of the things he does not understand and skips the parts that are too hard.

I am not sure if this is a phase or if he will keep doing this always. So, far, I have provided a mixture of books at all levels. He will read the other books, but will always gravitate towards the harder books.

He insists that he loves reading them, understands everything (maybe a few pages in the whole book) and wants more of these books.

(His reading level is maybe at the 4th or 5th grade level and he is a fast reader and finishes a book or more at that level a day.)

Anybody seen this in their child? Should I just let him keep doing what he is doing?

[Kevin'sMom]

I have always let my kids read at whatever level they want; they eventually fill in the blanks themselves.

[Dana]

I'd let him keep reading.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I'd let him keep reading.

 

Ditto.

[forty-two]

I did it and my oldest does it, too, and I just let her keep trying. There are books she's started 5-10 times, reading them until it gets to be too much, and she gets further each time, with more comprehension. Heck, there's one author that, as far as I know, she's never finished any of his books yet, and she says he's one of her two favorite authors. I always figured that drive to comprehend things above their level was one of the ways gifted kids become so good at reading.

[Dmmetler]

My DD reads professional journals-I'm pretty sure she doesn't understand everything, but she is getting information from it. She was reading adult level books at age 5-6- The only time I specifically stopped her was when she added Jurassic Park to the library stack at age 5-I felt she wasn't ready to read about dinosaurs eating people.

[SKL]

I would keep providing a variety of books at many levels.  Reading the "hard books" can't hurt, any more than being immersed in a foreign language hurts.  When we were kids, we used to read certain college textbooks although we weren't anywhere near "college material" yet.  ;)  We also read encyclopedias, age-approprate books, and Dr. Seuss all in the same day.  ;)

 

 

[WinsomeCreek]

I would let him read. He is adding to his storage banks. I have watched my oldest recall and reference and comprehend things he read when younger, up to years past. He doesn't need to fully comprehend what he's reading. But by letting him read he will have these anchors in his brain to build on and return to. I don't see a downside.

[Dana]

My DD reads professional journals-I'm pretty sure she doesn't understand everything, but she is getting information from it. She was reading adult level books at age 5-6- The only time I specifically stopped her was when she added Jurassic Park to the library stack at age 5-I felt she wasn't ready to read about dinosaurs eating people.

:D

 

Yeah...ds 11 told me he wants to read Stephen King's current book. Then he said he enjoyed watching me sputter. I'm going to preread it and see if I'm willing to let him read it if he chooses. I would let him read JP now.

[sunnyday]

I don't see any downside at all to reading higher level nonfiction even if it's not fully understood. My son's current interests include multiple universe theories, deep space astronomy, electronic circuits and electromagnetic radiation. We've found him National Geographic issues to flip through, and he's been poring over Beyond the Solar System, and I'm reading to him from The Grand Design and Asimov. He got lost and frustrated at the beginning of the Grand Design because it referenced quantum mechanics, so we backed off and found some simplistic explanations of the need for these alternative models for physics on tiny scales, and then we were able to go back to the original book and proceed.

 

Mostly he draws sound conclusions from what he understands of this material; sometimes he comes up with crackpot ideas (he has decided that the earth looks flat because the gravitational field of the planet is curving the light rays from the sun and won't hear any alternative) but I just tell him approvingly that he's made an interesting observation based on what he knows...but that there are actually much better explanations out there with better evidence. I generally leave it to him to find them.

[mommytobees]

I'd like to add another thought for your consideration.

 

I agree with what everyone has stated about letting him go ahead and read....with one caveat:

 

For every book he reads that is of X nature, he needs to read a good *children's* literature book even if it is an "easy" read.  Furthermore, he is required to discuss this book with you and write a report/make a project-- expand what he read into something else.

 

Why?

 

Just because he CAN read above his level does not mean he SHOULD ONLY read above his level.

 

For example, my daughter was reading Harry Potter (1, 2, & 3) at ages 4 and 5 for the first time. But, I still required her to read all of the Magic School Bus books, the Magic Tree House books, and most of the readers in Cores 1 and 2, plus almost all of the read alouds in Cores Pre-K, K, 1, & 2.  This took about 6 months and didn't include the books from the library she supplemented with. 

 

There is something to be learned in the younger books, even if they are an easy read.  Right now, she is 13 years old.  Her favorite books to read are the Percy Jackson books and Loki's Wolves.  She can read at a college level, but doesn't _need_ to read at that level.  She *needs* to experience good literature.  Her summer reading list will be picked through on Monday.  I have a ton of books for her to go through, most of the being the Sonlight high school cores that she'll miss not being homeschooled and that the school she attends doesn't use. 

 

At some point, his ability to read is not the highest priority.  Eventually, it becomes more important to make sure his exposure to GOOD literature is more important.

 

Kris

 

P.S.  The only books we restrict around here are dead animals.  She could read Jurassic Park without a problem, but she won't be reading Where the Red Fern Grows.

 

[sunnyday]

I'd like to add another thought for your consideration.

 

I agree with what everyone has stated about letting him go ahead and read....with one caveat:

 

For every book he reads that is of X nature, he needs to read a good *children's* literature book even if it is an "easy" read.  Furthermore, he is required to discuss this book with you and write a report/make a project-- expand what he read into something else.

 

Why?

 

Just because he CAN read above his level does not mean he SHOULD ONLY read above his level.

 

For example, my daughter was reading Harry Potter (1, 2, & 3) at ages 4 and 5 for the first time. But, I still required her to read all of the Magic School Bus books, the Magic Tree House books, and most of the readers in Cores 1 and 2, plus almost all of the read alouds in Cores Pre-K, K, 1, & 2.  This took about 6 months and didn't include the books from the library she supplemented with. 

 

There is something to be learned in the younger books, even if they are an easy read.  Right now, she is 13 years old.  Her favorite books to read are the Percy Jackson books and Loki's Wolves.  She can read at a college level, but doesn't _need_ to read at that level.  She *needs* to experience good literature.  Her summer reading list will be picked through on Monday.  I have a ton of books for her to go through, most of the being the Sonlight high school cores that she'll miss not being homeschooled and that the school she attends doesn't use. 

 

At some point, his ability to read is not the highest priority.  Eventually, it becomes more important to make sure his exposure to GOOD literature is more important.

 

Kris

 

P.S.  The only books we restrict around here are dead animals.  She could read Jurassic Park without a problem, but she won't be reading Where the Red Fern Grows.

 

So I've been trying to think how this would work, and I think I'm missing something. Are you saying that every time your SIX year old picked up a science-themed trade book aimed at an adult audience, you would cause her to atone for it by making her read a Magic Treehouse and give a report? I guess I can see how that would solve the OP's problem of her son wanting so passionately to read high-level science books!

 

I sympathize with your concern about making sure that advanced readers get exposed to age-appropriate literature, but the OP did not say this is the only reading her son does. In fact she said he reads a 4th or 5th grade book daily, and that she provides books at all levels that he does read.

[eternalsummer]

My DD reads professional journals-I'm pretty sure she doesn't understand everything, but she is getting information from it. She was reading adult level books at age 5-6- The only time I specifically stopped her was when she added Jurassic Park to the library stack at age 5-I felt she wasn't ready to read about dinosaurs eating people.

 

My mom made us mute the movie every time we watched it (when I was a kid) for ages.  It didn't faze me at all because dinosaurs are extinct, so what's the worry?  Freaked mom out, though.  On the other hand, she was fine with Law and Order, which gave me nightmares.

[mommytobees]

So I've been trying to think how this would work, and I think I'm missing something. Are you saying that every time your SIX year old picked up a science-themed trade book aimed at an adult audience, you would cause her to atone for it by making her read a Magic Treehouse and give a report? I guess I can see how that would solve the OP's problem of her son wanting so passionately to read high-level science books!

 

I sympathize with your concern about making sure that advanced readers get exposed to age-appropriate literature, but the OP did not say this is the only reading her son does. In fact she said he reads a 4th or 5th grade book daily, and that she provides books at all levels that he does read.

 

Oh, heavens no!  Please don't think I'm making this a punishment.  Most advanced readers I've encountered are also avid readers.  Second, I said *good* children's literature... Magic Tree House is twaddle, enjoyable, but fluff!!  

 

Alternate advanced reading with age-appropriate literature like Charlotte's Web, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Artemis Fowl series, Roald Dahl books, Narnia, The Borrowers, many (not all) books by Terry Pratchett, The Little Prince, The Hobbit (though I wouldn't give LOTR), Little House books, Hatchet, Ender's Game series, and so on.

 

Expand their reading to not just include reading "easy" books, but to understand *why* we read good literature even if it is below his or her reading level.  Reports don't have to be painful experiences, either. My son's (NOT an avid reader) favorite report was a Lego representation done in still motion of one scene of the book.  He was able to explain why he chose that scene, what the book meant, and why it would be important.

 

You don't have to like what I've suggested and neither the OP or any other person reading this has to follow my direction.  I am, in fact, a person on the other end of a computer, who has stated an opinion.

 

Kris

[sunnyday]

Thanks for clarifying! Like I said, I knew I had to be missing something. I...still don't entirely follow your logic, though I have no doubt as to your good intentions!

[k8c]

With regard to the non-fiction books, I would let him read.  Some fiction books, however, may deal with situations that you aren't quite ready for him to "experience" (like the poster said about Jurassic Park).  

 

Whatever you do, I would make sure that you create a culture where he feels he can ask you questions about things.  Maybe if you encourage it (either by trying to get him to read and discuss the difficult books, or offering to read aloud certain portions) he will then be able to ask about things that are confusing and it might be less confrontational than you having to mention he jumped to the wrong conclusion?  

 

My DD (6 tomorrow!) has less interest in non-fiction books, but would pick up and read anything we have lying around if we don't supply her with enough of her own content level.  We listen to the more mature-themed ones (like Harry Potter right now) on audiobook together and have developed the habit of allowing her to pause whenever she wants to discuss and ask clarification questions.  It drove my DH nuts at first (we also do this when viewing movies) but she has gotten very comfortable when she comes across something on her own that she might not completely comprehend and bringing it to me to help her figure it out.  We have really struggled to find content-appropriate stuff that she wants to read, as she is very interested in dark fantasy fiction.  We have finally found a number of Neil Gaiman works, plus quite a few sci-fi/fantasy graphic novels that she now loves, but it is still tough!

[CrunchyGirl]

Another vote to let him keep reading. The only book I've vetoed so far was one on the Holocaust. At 6 we are nowhere near ready for that discussion, let alone the details.

[Tanikit]

I think both with fiction and non-fiction there are books that are not suitable for a 6 year old child to be reading or looking at and that what is suitable varies from child to child. Non-fiction history (especially modern history) can be traumatic - and yet some children cope with the holocaust better than they would an atomic bomb, others find a discussion on how science fiction characters are created can be traumatic and some find a book that tells them Santa Claus does not exist and that their parents have been lying to them especially traumatic.

 

I say check what your child is reading and if you are happy with it then regardless of the level let him read it. You will find out soon enough what is not ok for your child and also what is not ok for you - if your child start begging for equipment to perform experiments that will require your help and you are not willing to give it to do THAT yet, then take the book away or just say No!

 

I would say if things are frustrating him or decreasing his love of reading then it also might be wise to find things that he would enjoy more - but it sounds like he is enjoying the advanced books, so let him read them.

[mathnerd]

Thank you all for your encouragement to keep my child reading books at all levels. He shows interest in reading non-fiction at higher levels than fiction at this point - because when he latches on to an interesting topic, he likes to research and delve deeper.

As for fiction, he gets a healthy dose of classics in addition to entertaining reads. He also writes 2 book reports every month - one on a fiction and one on a non-fiction book that he read and usually does a good job.

 

My only concern was that he might get those "crackpot ideas" that a PP mentioned due to his inability to comprehend difficult books. One example was that he stated vehemently that there were no more nuclear weapons left - because the book he had read on disarmament said so. Ofcourse, when we hear these things, we take a lot of time to discuss the topic and even read aloud the passages that might have been misunderstood and set the record straight. But, what about the dozens of other misunderstandings that we never get to hear about? My child is the kind that is always convinced that he knows what he is talking about and that he is right. The thought that my child might have misinformation stored in his mind leaves me slightly uncomfortable. I need to convince myself that his love of reading will eventually fill in all the gaps and wipe out the misinformation when he reads up on those topics again at an older age when he can understand all that is being conveyed by his books :)

[ElizabethB]

Here is an easy quick way to have him learn how to divide and decode those words he is currently skipping,

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/WellTaughtPhonicsStudent.html

[Barbara H]

 need to convince myself that his love of reading will eventually fill in all the gaps and wipe out the misinformation when he reads up on those topics again at an older age when he can understand all that is being conveyed by his books :)

 

Yes, I think you'll find it is self correcting over time and there's no need to worry about it.

 

I can be a bit like a freight train picking up speed - the more they read the more of a structure they have of information in their heads and the more they learn. Most kids continue to self correct as they read and learn more about new topics. I bet years from now some topic will come up that you assume he knows nothing about it and it will turn out he knows quite a bit and it came from some book he's reading during this time period. While it may look from the outside like surely that can kid can't be getting anything out of that book that is so far over their head, it can be amazing how much they are filing away.

[MeAndTheBoys]

My 9 year old loves to read zoology-themed books--and he quickly finished everything in the "children's" section at the library and we started checking out regular adult-level books and buying them at the thrift shop.

 

I thought he was just looking at pictures, and he probably was in the beginning--but he has amazed me with some of the things he has read!!!  Especially the books we have purchased that he has spent a LOT of time studying-- he really is reading a lot of the text and making connections.

 

He doesn't choose to read fiction; I try to assign him books regularly, but I really haven't insisted he read a TON of fiction--it's a hard balance because there are things i would like for him to read, but I don't want to cut into his research too much.  Because it really is rather cool---

 

So I would definitely let him keep reading about his interests--

 

ETA--I re-read some of the OP's concerns about misinformation from some books--and did want to reassure that over time, a lot of that does even out.  My son reads a lot of older books from the thrift shop, and some of the information is different than newer books (extinction, things that hadn't been discovered yet, etc) and some books just have conflicting information.  Over YEARS of reading, it is really neat to see how he has recognized and reconciled these differences--that in itself has been a great learning process. 

 

But to be sure, you want to keep an eye on the sources and not provide anything totally whacko, I guess, whatever falls into that category for your family :)

 

Betsy

[scrapbookbuzz]

Definitely keep an eye on what your child is reading but don't discourage reading above-level. How do any of us learn but by being challenged?

[Barbara H]

 

ETA--I re-read some of the OP's concerns about misinformation from some books--and did want to reassure that over time, a lot of that does even out.  My son reads a lot of older books from the thrift shop, and some of the information is different than newer books (extinction, things that hadn't been discovered yet, etc) and some books just have conflicting information.  Over YEARS of reading, it is really neat to see how he has recognized and reconciled these differences--that in itself has been a great learning process. 

 

I agree. It is really a very effective way for kids to start to develop critical thinking skills and perspective on the passage of time. It is fun to compare the future predictions from our old set of 1960s Childcraft encyclopedias with what has happened today. One of the predictions was that we'd all have our own "answer machine" in our house where we'd be able to type in questions and get back answers. Not too far off Google, but sadly I don't have my own personal hovercraft to drive me from place to place.

[IsabelC]

I'd encourage him to read at many levels too. Easy books if he feels like 'slumming it' when he has less energy, or if he has old favorites. Books within his current reading ability to consolidate his reading speed and fluency. Books just above his current comprehension to stretch him. And, if he likes, any books above that (provided, of course, that the content isn't too adult for him). I'd offer to help him with the harder stuff too. While it's wonderful that he isn't scared of reading above his level, it's not so good if he falls into a habit of being content with only half understanding what he reads. I would therefore try, if you can, to balance his literary 'diet' so it's not too heavy on the super advanced stuff, so that he gets plenty of practice at reading for 100% comprehension. Of course, 'skimming' is a valuable skill in itself, but I think that strong comprehension is a prerequisite for learning to skim effectively.

[Korrale]

My 4 year old has been reading my college textbooks. He just reads bits and pieces. He then comes to me and talks about them. He doesn't always understand. But he tries. I don't limit those books because educational psychology is pretty tame. I may limit certain content from other books.

I also agree with a previous poster about making sure that they get a good exposure to age appropriate literature too. Be it through read alouds, audio books or them reading it themselves. It is easy to forget that an advanced child is still such a young child. Henceforth my son reads picture books alongside novels.

[sunnyday]

My only concern was that he might get those "crackpot ideas" that a PP mentioned due to his inability to comprehend difficult books. One example was that he stated vehemently that there were no more nuclear weapons left - because the book he had read on disarmament said so. Ofcourse, when we hear these things, we take a lot of time to discuss the topic and even read aloud the passages that might have been misunderstood and set the record straight. But, what about the dozens of other misunderstandings that we never get to hear about? My child is the kind that is always convinced that he knows what he is talking about and that he is right. The thought that my child might have misinformation stored in his mind leaves me slightly uncomfortable. I need to convince myself that his love of reading will eventually fill in all the gaps and wipe out the misinformation when he reads up on those topics again at an older age when he can understand all that is being conveyed by his books :)

 

Today DS was reading about Copernicus and I guess something was churning in his brain because he came to me with an explanation of why everything in the known universe is moving away from everything else. It amounted to circular logic, "The universe has to be infinite (because logic), so as it expands the space between things *has* to also expand in order to stay in proportion! You see?" And he proudly sat back as if he'd solved the whole thing and put the question to rest, LOL. I feel your pain. But I do think there is still plenty of time for them to learn about how much they *don't* know and learn not to make so many leaps and assumptions. I don't think the half-understood information will stick over time, as they get exposure to more sources of information and absorb more of it, but I do think that feeling of epiphany and wonder and engaging with something Really Important will stick.

 

I think that one way to mitigate this is to read aloud at least *some* of that higher-level stuff, to limit the amount of skipping and misunderstanding that happens. And as others have said, to provide that range of material. After a day of binging on complicated books, DS will take a day to binge on Magic Schoolbus, and I find that these sources kind of set up a resonance for him and enhance his understanding across the whole range.

[IsabelC]

@sunnyday, I think it's amazing and wonderful that your 1st grader is even thinking along these lines at all. After all, many (most?) adults would find this topic difficult to comprehend.

[sunnyday]

He's a fun kid for sure. :) But that's just it, his crazy little brain wouldn't be able to tick things over and make all these connections if he didn't have the fodder, and he wouldn't have the fodder if I limited his reading (and watching, the kid loves Cosmos and Nova) to just the stuff he can fully understand. Even the kids' book he spent the evening absorbed in, "Beyond the Solar System", is written for age 9 and up and the language is pretty challenging for his roughly fourth grade reading level, but the stuff he does get just blows his little mind and leaves him chattering with excitement! It's worth the gaps of understanding and the poor translations that crop up as a result. :)

[mommytobees]

Thank you all for your encouragement to keep my child reading books at all levels. He shows interest in reading non-fiction at higher levels than fiction at this point - because when he latches on to an interesting topic, he likes to research and delve deeper.

As for fiction, he gets a healthy dose of classics in addition to entertaining reads. He also writes 2 book reports every month - one on a fiction and one on a non-fiction book that he read and usually does a good job.

 

My only concern was that he might get those "crackpot ideas" that a PP mentioned due to his inability to comprehend difficult books. One example was that he stated vehemently that there were no more nuclear weapons left - because the book he had read on disarmament said so. Ofcourse, when we hear these things, we take a lot of time to discuss the topic and even read aloud the passages that might have been misunderstood and set the record straight. But, what about the dozens of other misunderstandings that we never get to hear about? My child is the kind that is always convinced that he knows what he is talking about and that he is right. The thought that my child might have misinformation stored in his mind leaves me slightly uncomfortable. I need to convince myself that his love of reading will eventually fill in all the gaps and wipe out the misinformation when he reads up on those topics again at an older age when he can understand all that is being conveyed by his books :)

 

LOL!!  But you are forgetting something!!!  THAT (the bolded part above) is NOT relegated to children who are reading above their comprehension levels!!!  Just wait until the boy is a teenager and decides that you are "Just Mom and therefore not as smart as I am".  LOL!!  It gets even worse when they out-something you.  My DS16 out-Mathed me a few years ago.  Boy, oh, boy has that been hard.

 

You are going to run into this all over life and you can't protect him from those ideas... you just have to try to stay on top of them.  Learn to counter act them with more facts.  

 

Good luck!

 

Kris

[ThoughtfulMama]

I don't limit complex reading.  My DS often picks up and reads his field guide to rocks and minerals with words that I need to slow down to decode myself.  And he's pulled out college biology and chemistry books from our shelves.  But I do make sure that I am also providing appropriate fiction, and that I do monitor very closely for appropriateness. 

[Sbeverid]

Let your son read what he wants to read.  My 7 year old wanted to read Harry Potter, his 1st grade teacher pitched a fit because it was "too dark".  He read books 1 & 2 without issue, quit reading on his own almost at the end of book 3 because it mentioned Werewolves.  Closed the book, handed it to me and said "let me have this when I'm 9."  Fair enough.  He's now reading the Mysterious Benedict Society - same as Harry Potter without the creepy stuff, I'm told.

 

 

[IsabelC]

I suspect that some things adults find too dark for kids simply don't effect kids in the same way. A lot of what we, as adults, find disturbing is mainly disturbing because it's combined with all of our past reading, experiences, feelings and so on.

 

An example of this (not book related, but the same principle):

 

I walked into dd5's room to find a scene that looked disturbing to me. She had taken her Barbie dolls and hung them by their necks from her top bunk rail. To my (more experienced with books and television) adult eyes, it looked exactly like a scene of mass murder or suicide!

My mind started racing: how could an apparently happy 5yo create such a macabre, violent scene? Oh my goodness, what have we done wrong? Has she been traumatized and I didn't notice? etc. etc...

 

I took a deep breath and asked why she put the dolls like that. Her answer, "They are having a ride!" Yep, they were just enjoying a swing - from the neck. There was nothing dark about it. She's never even seen an image of a hanged body. But she has been on swings, hammocks, amusement park rides etc. so she knew what the dolls would enjoy.

 

 

Harry Potter is a bit different, but still, I reckon that little kids, even when they are advanced readers, would be focusing on the adventure aspect of the story, and not so much on things like the characters' morality, the nature of good and evil, and so on, that older kids or adults might be considering.

[cagirlintexas]

I let my son read what ever he wants.  When he was 5 he would pick up Charlie and the chocolate factory.  This wasn't long after he started reading.  He would spend hours reading it.  I knew it was above his level.  Did he fully understand it?  of course not but did he get something out of it yes.  He has reread it many times since then and I have watched his reading comprehension grow.  Just recently I have noticed his comprehension grow and he is picking up harder and harder books.  Like your son he reads at least a book a day sometimes more. I think they always get something out of reading even if it is over their head.