Boys and Reading – 2 things that can mix!

I hear all the time from parents and educators that the boys they know do not like to read.  This is a BIG problem!

Students who do not like to read typically have poor vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and writing skills.  They struggle A LOT with the verbal sections of standardized tests, and with the word problems on the math sections of these tests.

Solid reading skills are essential for success in school and in life!

I had the same problem with my son when he was younger.  One thing I did to help him improve his reading skills was to offer him a variety of different books, much like we would do with a picky eater, until he found ones he liked.  I found that if I could get him hooked on a series, then he would read all the books in the series.  He especially liked: The Series of Unfortunate Events, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, The Hardy Boys, and books by Mike Lupica about sports and Louis Sachar (Holes).

He was required to spend a minimum of 30 minutes a day reading, and often he would read longer than this if he was into the story.  We would also watch the movie based on the book after he finished the book (if there was a movie).

My son liked having his own copy of the books, and I was happy to buy him books, if that made him want to read them more.  Of all the things I could buy him, books were the most valuable.  His younger sister (who is 12 years his junior) is reading many of the books he enjoyed years ago.  I am sure we will pass this library along to future generations.  A legacy of reading is a wonderful gift to give a child.

I started reading to my daughter when she was a few days old.  My husband thought I was nuts, but she loves to read now, and she often stays up late on the weekends reading a good book.  Her vocabulary is very advanced and she is a great writer.  A love of reading is a gift that lasts a lifetime.

One of my earliest and fondest memories as a child is sitting on my grandfather’s lap as he read to me.  I was reading chapter books by kindergarten, and I remember reading to my classmates in kindergarten.  Thank you grandpa Niven for giving me the gift of reading, what a wonderful way to be remembered!

We once offered to give several boxes of picture books to a neighbor with young twins, and they only wanted a few books.  They did not want “books to clutter up the house”!  I was shocked that anyone would say such a thing.  If anything is going to clutter up a house, it should be reading material.  Years later when I ran into the mother of these boys, she told me there were struggling in school.  Maybe if she had encouraged them to read all those years ago, they would not be having trouble in school now.

There is a great web site that helps boys find good books to read:

http://www.guysread.com/

Check out the books I have suggested above, and on this web site, and get your boy reading!

Anne Yount

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