Jump to content

Menu

DS6 only wants to read Harry Potter


Recommended Posts

My son (who will be 7 in November and is in 1st grade) is reading well for his age, but I'm having a hard time finding books that he is interested enough in to read to himself. Books like early readers and the Magic Tree House series don't captivate him, I think because I have read aloud books like the first 3 Harry Potter books to him. He desperately want to continue the Harry Potter series but I'm not ready to expose him to the more mature themes in the fourth book so we are holding off on that one. It's like all he can think about is Harry Potter and now he doesn't want to read anything else! This is pretty typical for him, once he is interested in something he remains pretty focused on it for months.

 

I bought him the Big Enormous Book of Tashi and he read three stories then lost interest. He likes Henry Huggins well enough when I read them aloud to him, but they are a little too advanced for him to read on his own.

 

He'll read books like Frog and Toad or Henry and Mudge to me when I ask him to, but won't voluntarily read them to himself. Should I be requiring him to spend time reading to himself every day? I hate to turn it into a chore, when he likes reading and is doing well, but I want him to practice so that he can get to the point where he can read the more difficult books on his own.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions of books that may be more intriguing to him?

 

Thank you for your help! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So is the problem that he cannot read books advanced enough to hold his interest?  

 

Or is the problem that he is ONLY interested in Harry Potter and no other books, even though he is capable of reading them?

 

If its problem A, I am also there.  I read aloud for about 45 min a day, he listens to an audio book for about 45 min a day, and he reads to himself out of "easy readers" for 10-15 minutes.  And of course we are continuing to advance his reading skill with phonics instruction.  It's unfortunate that I have to make him read easy readers, because even the best aren't that good.  But I keep the time to a minimum and he knows we have to do it to improve skill.  I don't mind the very short "independent reading" time because he is getting content and rich language though the audio books and read aloud.  

 

But if the problem is B, I don't have any personal experience (yet).  Maybe you could try giving him other fantasy books, since he seems to enjoy the genre.  The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is a classic.  A Wrinkle in Time is often mentioned.  Percy Jackson gets mixed reviews on appropriateness, but it may be worth looking into because it is VERY similar to Harry Potter.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the problem is A, because he enjoys the read-alouds we do together (Henry and the Clubhouse currently) and we are listening to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the car, about a half hour of each per day, plus we read other books aloud for younger sister and brother. I'll continue to be consistent about requiring him to read the easy readers every day, and trust that his reading level will catch up with his interest level! :)

 

I just got concerned because I was re-reading the WTM and it says first graders should be reading at least 30 minutes a day to themselves for "fun" reading. 30 minutes of Henry and Mudge seems a little like torture....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't start expecting a first grader to read 30min a day - start with just 5 minutes and gradually increase the expected time. You will also find that as he finds books that excite him he should naturally want to extend the time - or just tell him he has to go to bed or read and no other options - that is what works for my nearly 7 year old :) You could also tell him he can read the first three Harry Potter books to himself again - they are beyond his reading level from what you describe but it would not hurt him to try if he wants to and he may learn a lot or he may just put them down and give up and turn to something easier.

 

Maybe look at Sonlight's list of readers and pick ones you think might suit your son. Most of those books will engage most children and are readily available - look at the grade 2 and 3 recommendations rather than the grade 1 ones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if the reading level is too advanced but here are some options that are similar to HP but maybe not as much teen themed:

Lowest reading level option I can think of is Nathaniel Fludd: Beastologist series. http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Phoenix-Nathanial-Fludd-Beastologist/dp/0547408455

 

also Theodosia http://www.amazon.com/Theodosia-Serpents-Chaos-R-LaFevers/dp/0618999760/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=05V9PVWYPG09PZ7RHN3Y

 

Something you would need to read aloud: 100 Cupboards series (I LOVED them) http://www.amazon.com/100-Cupboards-Book-ebook/dp/B000YJ84ZA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410213991&sr=1-1&keywords=100+cupboards

 

and my favorite: Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett: http://www.amazon.com/Wee-Free-Men-Discworld-Novels-ebook/dp/B000R33QWY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410214049&sr=1-1&keywords=wee+free+men

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've been buddy-reading Tracey West's Pixie Tricker series, which are at about the level of Henry and Mudge, but MUCH more fun. My DD is loving them so much that I've just bought the first in her new series, which looks just as exciting. All would be perfect reads for a magic loving 6yo, I think!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Masters-Rise-Earth-Branches/dp/0545646235/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410217298&sr=1-1&keywords=tracey+west

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And make sure to include nonfiction books in there too on anything he asks questions about. The differences in writing style might not bother him as much as fiction. My dd devoured the "easy" science readers at that age. The prospect of reading Harry on his own might be so compelling he'll figure out how to read them. :) Also My Father's Dragon series, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Thornton Burgess books.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Percy Jackson.  The Lightning Thief series NOT the Heroes of Olympus (very mature themes in Heroes of Olympus).  Through the entire Lightning Thief series, Percy is a very endearing but clueless early teen boy.  The story is told through his perspective, so mature themes aren't really all that present.  There is the battling of good and evil, but not to the degree as with Harry.  Books four, five, six, and seven of Harry have been slow ones for my son because of how intense they are.  He devoured Percy.

 

Your son can most likely read Percy by himself - though they are awesome read aloud too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say that if you have a 6 year old reading Harry Potter, take 'Yes' for an answer. Let him read it as much as he wants. Eventually he'll burn himself out on the series and move on, and in the meantime you're encouraging a lifelong love of reading.

I should have clarified, he is welcome to read all the books himself and we already own the 4th and 5th books, but I have opted not to read those aloud to him yet. He read the first chapter of the 4th book himself, but stopped because he was having a hard time understanding it. He is closer to a second-grade reading level, so they really are too advanced for him to read himself, although he follows along well when I read them aloud.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say that if you have a 6 year old reading Harry Potter, take 'Yes' for an answer.  Let him read it as much as he wants.  Eventually he'll burn himself out on the series and move on, and in the meantime you're encouraging a lifelong love of reading.

THIS!  My kids love HP and I didn't find the "mature" themes to be too much.  My dh is reading them to my 6 yo now and they've listened to them practically from birth.  It's always the first book they pick up to read between ages 4-8.  But if you're totally not ok with it, you can try Cornelia Funke's books.  

 

Mature themes in Heroes of Olympus?  Please we are not back on that subject, are we?  Anyway, Percy Jackson is also good but more violent than Harry Potter.  My kids also love all of Riordan's books a lot.  I highly recommend them, as well. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THIS! My kids love HP and I didn't find the "mature" themes to be too much. My dh is reading them to my 6 yo now and they've listened to them practically from birth. It's always the first book they pick up to read between ages 4-8. But if you're totally not ok with it, you can try Cornelia Funke's books.

 

Mature themes in Heroes of Olympus? Please we are not back on that subject, are we? Anyway, Percy Jackson is also good but more violent than Harry Potter. My kids also love all of Riordan's books a lot. I highly recommend them, as well.

The mature themes I was talking about are the overall relationship and beginning sexuality of all the characters. It does not matter which sexual orientation and I am personally thrilled that there are more sexual orientations, curiosities, and general openness that one size does not fit all. However, for a child of the OP's age none if the relationship stuff is all that appropriate or even something which is of interest.

 

FWIW: My son was completely shocked that another homeschooling parent would not allow her child to read Heroes due to a character considering or being curious about his sexuality. He was incredulous. "He's just gay! It is no big deal. He might not even be gay. He might just be exploring things." We lived in a very liberal city before moving to he sticks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a child who got "stuck" on HP, at about that same age. However, the entire series had not yet been published so he simply reread the first 3 books until the next one came out. I think he read the entire series at least 10 times, maybe more.

 

IMO, the Rick Riordan books are FAR less complex and nuanced than HP. Many adults read HP, and enjoy it. I know zero adults who choose to read any of the Riordan books for their own interest. However, the kid in question is only 6 so I guess he is permitted as much twaddle as he likes. LOL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dragon Slayer's Academy is on about a 2nd grade reading level, but is fantasy themed and might appeal to a kid who loves Harry Potter. A bit "twaddly", but those early reader series books come in handy when they're at that bridge stage.

 

The other thing that was a help at age 5-6 was old school reading books. The kind that are a mix of sections of longer books, but with more illustrations and bigger print and reprints of picture books. I got a bunch from DD's former school when we pulled her to homeschool (the principal offered to let me go through the books they were replacing and take anything I wanted) and found different ones at Goodwill. DD loved having "big kid books" and they introduced her to a lot of characters and settings that she could then follow up on at the library. It helped keep her from getting too stuck in a "fantasy only" rut.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...