Encouraging a reader to read different things?

[Kat77]

If he likes the Fourth Grade Nothing book, there are 3 more "Fudge" books that follow! Even if he doesn't want to read them, they are a hoot to listen to on road trips, or family reading. I was reading them with a younger guy, too, so I skipped a couple of parts, re. Santa.

SANTA WHO? Sorry, could not resist.

 

[meandtheguys2]

SANTA WHO? Sorry, could not resist.

I was so happy I'd caught that! My boys loved those books!

 

[Keara'sMom]

When our dd mentioned the Santa part (I didn't pre-read--oops!), we just reminded her that the book was fiction...

 

[meandtheguys2]

When our dd mentioned the Santa part (I didn't pre-read--oops!), we just reminded her that the book was fiction...

Well, I have to remember that line! It is perfect!

 

[Tikicampers]

I am so happy to hear about people reading with/to their good readers. It seems that so many people think that once kids can read well, they no longer need to be read to, but it is a great way to work on comprehension skills. I do think that if your child just will not read a different genre, that reading something together would be a good way to get him to.

 

[Mkrop]

If he likes the Fourth Grade Nothing book, there are 3 more "Fudge" books that follow! Even if he doesn't want to read them, they are a hoot to listen to on road trips, or family reading. I was reading them with a younger guy, too, so I skipped a couple of parts, re. Santa.

Which one talks about Santa? Tales of fourth Grade Nothing?

 

[Mkrop]

By all means, gently let the teachers know this and offer up some suggestions. Many teachers are young females.


Ooh, Dahl is so much fun to read together! Try Georges Marvelous Medicine it is a short book and darn hilarious.

I will let them know, good idea!

ANd I will put George on our library list thanks.

Also I just got back form B&N and got him some books on King Tut and mummies for his upcoming trip to the King Tut exhibit w MIL and FIL! So we will see if he like those!

 

[Keara'sMom]

Which one talks about Santa? Tales of fourth Grade Nothing?

I don't remember, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the "Fudge" books (Double Fudge, Super Fudge, Fudgeamania...). We don't own any of those, but I'll see if I can find out for you without my dd suspecting anything.

 

[Alysa]

When they told me at the ultrasound that I was going to have a son, I was shocked! I wailed to my husband "I can't have a boy. I don't know any books for a boy!" Crazy I know, but I had dreams of passing on all my Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre, Little Women, etc to a daughter. I had read cherished favourites to him, imaging him as a girl. I laugh now but at the time I was panicked. Since then I have had a lot of time to practice with my nephew and I have been broadening my horizions by reading "boy books" to get ready. What a gift my boy has given me! While searching for books that might one day appeal to him online I came across the quote that went something like this. "James doesn't care about reading why Amy has two mothers now, he wants to read the book where Amy's new mom is a vampire and she and her biological mother are battling for Amy's immortal soul". It made me LAUGH! "cause I know that will be my boy. And he is not yet two!
Anyway - some books my sister and I have recently got my nephew that he has enjoyed (the one who only wants to play video games 24/7): the Pendragon series, The Tale of Despereaux, the Artemis Fowl series, Bunnicula, Redwall, The Thief Lord, the Series of Unfortunate Events and the current favourite is Spiderwick. I'd say don't make him read them but give him a lovely fat pile and offer incentives for each one read. Good luck!

 

[MNdisneymom]

...I read a lot of "boy" books when I was younger (in between Laura Ingalls Wilder and that type of stuff...) Some of my favorites were the Henry Huggins books. I think there are around 5 of them? And he is a much more fun character than that annoying little twit Ramona (I remember thinking she was a little annoying, even at a very young age.)

 

[meandtheguys2]

I think it is Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Will see if I can find them and figure it out.

My boys have devoured the Redwall series, and the Flying Dutchman books also by Brian Jacques.

We've not read Artemis Fowl, though. I never could quite figure what they werea bout and grade level.

They also enjoyed the Henry Huggins books, as I did when i was their age.

 

[Keara'sMom]

The more I've thought about it, the more I, too, believe that the Santa reference is in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. You might want to give it a quick read before he gets to it. Hope nothing was spoiled...

My dd seems to like the books that another poster mentioned for boys! Right now, she's reading the third out of four in a series called The Sisters Grimm--her 4th grade teacher read the first two aloud to the class, and all of the kids loved them!

I have to agree about reading to kids. My dd is fully capable of reading most books independently, yet she loves it when my dh and I read to her, which we do most every night. She seems to prefer it when my dh reads old favorite picture books (repeatedly...), while I get to read interesting chaper books!

 

[Mkrop]

The more I've thought about it, the more I, too, believe that the Santa reference is in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. You might want to give it a quick read before he gets to it. Hope nothing was spoiled...

I did start readin this morning. He is reading a Matt Christopher book and then I asked him to look at the King Tut books before he goes to the exhibit
so I shouls have time to finish it.

I think he kind of knows about Santa but is afaid to admit it, his BF told him that it is your parents not the tooth fairy the other day, and I asked him what he thought about it and he said he is not sure whether to believe him, I asked DH if we should talk to him and he said no, wait until he asks us, I am still not sure but if the book addresses it then I think I will need to talk to him. Gosh I hate to think he wont believe anymore, oh well I knew this day was coming, sigh!

 

[Keara'sMom]

Gosh I hate to think he wont believe anymore, oh well I knew this day was coming, sigh!

Boy, have we been wrestling with this! Our dd is 10 and still believes but is questioning. She has asked us in the past, and I always deflect things by saying, "Well, what do YOU think?" I believe we might have had our last year of believing...very sad to think about, especially since she's our only child. There are times when I think we should just be up front with her, though. I won't evade the issue any more, I don't think.

Anyway, it sounds like you're doing a great job with the reading thing, especially if he's reading about King Tut! Here's a for effor!!

 

[Mkrop]

Boy, have we been wrestling with this! Our dd is 10 and still believes but is questioning. She has asked us in the past, and I always deflect things by saying, "Well, what do YOU think?" I believe we might have had our last year of believing...very sad to think about, especially since she's our only child. There are times when I think we should just be up front with her, though. I won't evade the issue any more, I don't think.

Anyway, it sounds like you're doing a great job with the reading thing, especially if he's reading about King Tut! Here's a for effor!!

Well lets hope so, I bought King Tut books, and I told him I would like him to read them next after the baseball book, so he will probably start them tom. I hope he likes them, and the exhibit too. So we see if he will read them, keep your fingers crossed!

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Since I am putting off cleaning, I went and looked at my Judy Blume books. The Santa chapter is in Superfudge - Chapter 10.

Happy Reading!

 

[Keara'sMom]

Since I am putting off cleaning, I went and looked at my Judy Blume books. The Santa chapter is in Superfudge - Chapter 10.

YEA! Now the OP doesn't have to worry about the assigned book!

 

[Mkrop]

Since I am putting off cleaning, I went and looked at my Judy Blume books. The Santa chapter is in Superfudge - Chapter 10.

Happy Reading!

And I am so glad I could give you an excuse NOT to clean!

 

[Taqwus]

As a former child reader, the one thing I liked the most was the book sales we had at school. Every so often we would get this 4 page colored pamphlet with all kinds of books on it and I would choose from
Then when I was older I was in some sort of bookclub
One thing I would recomend is letting your child pick their own, but also put in one of your choice every third one

 

[lisaj68]

Thanks guys! You really opened up my eyes. My DD8 reads Junie B. Jones books over and over again! She has the entire series in her room and a HUGE selection of different books, too, but always chooses Junie B. books.

We are about to leave on a camping trip and she has 4 JBJ books picked out to bring with her...I think I will have her return them to her room and choose something else. Or at least 3 of them