John Scieszka, brilliant children’s author and first National Ambassador for Young People and Literature, has spent his tenure trying to reach the reluctant reader. He states in his blog on the Huffington Post:
- Let each child choose what she or he wants to read. I’ll never forget my own son’s reaction reading Little House on the Prairie (a favorite of many readers): “Are they really going to spend this whole chapter making a door?”
- Expand the definition of “reading” to include non-fiction, humor, graphic novels, magazines, action adventure, and, yes, even websites. It’s the pleasure of reading that counts; the focus will naturally broaden. A boy won’t read shark books forever.
- If a kid doesn’t like one book, don’t worry about finishing it. Start another. The key is helping children find what they like.
Scieszka knows the importance in building the passion in readers. Let’s work together to compile a list of books that incites passion in young readers. I’ll start:
Betsy-Tacy Series, Maud Hart Lovelace
Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowlings
The Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson
Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle
Running Out of Time, Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Tags: Add new tag, blogs, Child, Children's literature, consulting, curriculum design, education, educational blogs, educational training, Literature, Little House on the Prairie, Reading
11:05 am on January 14th, 2010
The Trixie Belden series, by Kathryn Kenny.
11:59 am on January 14th, 2010
Thinking back to when I was a young reader(2nd-5th grade) the books that stick out are Gone Away Lake(and the sequel), Jackie Robinson and the Year of the Boar, and classics such as Peter Rabbit.
As a kid I enjoyed Fantasy and my favorites were,
Eldest Cycle(Eragon)
The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Harry Potter Series(which became popular right as I turned 12, I had the pleasure of growing up with Harry and this series without a doubt influenced my passion for reading like no other books.)
While it is rare that I pick up a science fiction book, Enders Game continues to be one of my favorite books.
As a 6th grader I read Holes, and loved it as well.
1:40 pm on January 14th, 2010
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg
1:42 pm on January 14th, 2010
This was another for me that was absolutely MAGICAL. I still love rereading this book occasionally…just the possibilties of it are amazing!
3:00 pm on January 14th, 2010
Ah, the memories. Some of my favorites from a range of ages:
Hello House
Stinky Cheese Man
Amelia Bedelia
Encyclopedia Brown (series)
Sideways Stories from Wayside School (series)
Anything by Matt Christopher (sports fiction – perfect for the tomboy or real boy)
5:09 pm on January 14th, 2010
The Secret Garden
The Sweet Pickles books (esp. Me Too, Iguana)
and my brother LOVED Rifles for Watie
7:14 am on January 15th, 2010
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s series (over and over and over again)
The Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary
The Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series by Betty MacDonald
The Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope
A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
I could probably sit here doing this all day — what great memories. I can’t wait to share all of these and many more with my little girl!
8:15 am on January 18th, 2010
Here are some more recent books that kids are going nuts over — we can’t keep them on the library shelves for more than a day before they are checked out again!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (series) — Jeff Kinney
The Warriors (series) — Erin Hunter
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series) — Rick Riordan
Bone (series) — Jeff Smith
Babymouse (series) — Jennifer Holm
A Series of Unfortunate Events (series) — Lemony Snicket, aka Daniel Handler
As for the books that turned me into a passionate reader, many of them have already been mentioned (Ramona, Secret Garden and Little Princess, Basil E. Frankweiler, Gone-Away Lake). Some others that jump to mind are:
Nancy Drew — Carolyn Keene
Little Witch — Anna Bennett
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret — Judy Blume (and really any other Judy Blumes!)
Nothing’s Fair in Fifth Grade — Barthe DeClements
The Westing Game — Ellen Raskin
The Babysitters Club — Ann Martin
Matilda — Roald Dahl (again, any book by Roald Dahl!!)
The Trumpet of the Swan and Charlotte’s Web — E.B. White
12:57 pm on February 2nd, 2010
It’s so important to draw attention to reading, and attract reluctant readers to it,especially boys. In fact, I’ve recently completed a feature magazine article on this subject that came out in October, “Help for Struggling, Reluctant Readers.”
I grew up as a reluctant reader, in spite of the fact that my father published over 70 books. Now I write action-adventures & mysteries, especially for tween boys, that avid boy readers and girls enjoy just as much.
My blog, Books for Boys http://booksandboys.blogspot.com is dedicated to drawing attention to the importance of reading. And my new book, Lost Island Smugglers – first in the Sam Butler Adventure Series – coming out in June.
Keep up your good work.
Max Elliot Anderson
10:58 am on March 10th, 2010
As a Mother of two reluctant readers, I must say that this book has helped my two boys create an amazing interest in reading. “HELLS AQUARIUM” by Steve Alten, about the giant prehistoric shark Megalodon. Thanks to this book, my kids now read at will. http://www.amazon.com/Meg-Hells-Aquarium-Steve-Alten/dp/1935142046
11:05 am on April 4th, 2010
i probably would not have assumed this was splendid some years back but yet its crazy how age evolves the manner of how you experience distinct ideas, thank you for the piece of writing it happens to be pleasurable to start reading anything intelligent now and then in lieu of the typical rubbish mascarading as blogs on the internet, i’m going to play a couple of rounds of facebook poker, adios for now
8:42 pm on July 15th, 2010
good morning, I love all your writings, keep them coming.
8:52 pm on July 15th, 2010
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