Modern Good Reads discussion

Hi. I have two boys, 13 and 14. They will be in 8th and 9th grades in the fall. They do NOT like to read.

I want to get them reading and then get them into a couple of classics later in the summer. My question here is: Do any of you have ideas, a questionaire that you would suggest to help me help them find out what they may be interested in reading?

I have a band kid, who loves video games and every once in a while, manga. The other is a football player who is into sports. They have read for school but we are not in a district that puts an emphasis on these skills like other schools so I am trying to make up the difference and have been for a while. I just feel like I am fighting a loosing battle. They will be taking the SAT and ACT soon and I really want them prepared. This was easy with my daughter but very different with the boys. Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,
Dawn

Hi Dawn,

For your son who is into sports, there are ya books featuring athletic characters. This list is apparently from 2012 but I'm sure there are more recent ones as well. http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/11/c...

Hope it helps!
Lisa

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-gr...
I googled "books for boys who don't like to read" and there are many sites.

You might start them off on graphic novels, such as King CIty
http://www.amazon.com/King-City-Brand..., and then move to chapter books. My kids started with comics and now will read a book or two.

Ok.
I was like those boys..so, I'll tell you what got me into reading.
(Even though, it's not about sports or manga)
S.E Hinton : The outsiders.
and/or
S.E hinton : That was then this is now.

or/and

Catcher and the RYE..(after the first page, they'll definately finsih it. Force them just to read a page..)

or/and more modern..

Three men on a bender (despite the title, it's not REALLY about three men ON a bender...it's more a coming of age-thriller..)


HAVE THEM READ..the first page of the above books..
Bride them..

Then, the book, they'll like they'll continue it.

Oh..How can I forget..

Even thought, you might not to see this as a good choice:
"the perks of being a wallflower"

I repeat, have them jsut read one page..as a favor to you.
DO NOT be like "You must read all of this"


Or else the book will lose it's magical powers.


Casually ask, o read one page..

I had the same trouble with my boys, and I don't remember any great success. Heinlein's juveniles are rather dated except for Glory Road. Asimov might be better. The Caves of Steel might work. William Campbell Gault is dated too, but he wrote excellent books for boys about auto racing and other sports. Jim Kjelgaard wrote wonderful tales of humans interacting with animals. Try Desert Dog.

And rememeber:
"Reading is like love, they are not imperative verbs..you can't say to someone LOVE HIM"
Point being, as boy(in the past, who did not like to read), have them, (read one page of each book), without forcing anything on them.
Just be like "So, which book has the best first page?"
THEN..
Wihtout forcing them, if they feel an intimate-reaction, they'll read one of the books, on their own free will.

It happened to be with S.E hinton, and Cathcer and the Rye..and the rest is history.

DON'T FORCE THEM TO READ, just ask their opionions on the first pages..hell, vevn first 2 paragraphs..without letting out that you're trying to CON them, into reading.

Take them to a comic book store and let them pick out 2 comic books to read. Take them back weekly.

After a month or two add a weekly trip to the library. Just keep doing it.

Don't assume your boys can be manipulated - just give them the environment and leave them alone. They will find what they WANT to read and you need to let them discover reading on theit own. Reading anything (yes even Batman) is better than not reading.

My mom forced me to go to the library..

I remember seeing books like Clockword Orange..and being forced..I'd pick it up.

Either that or really be like "Hey, I know this mom, who wants to buy a book for her son, he's about your age..READ (my list of book) the first page and tell me which one, I should get him"

Perfect strategy!

How often did/do you read to them?

How often do you take them to a bookshop, a library, or a place that has a stock of books?

My children enjoy going to the library and my daughter (4) comes with me to the Coffee Company, where she goes into the play corner, grabs a stack of picture books, and sits in a comfy chair 'reading' them. She also loves to draw and telling stories.
My son (8) plays soccer and read a whole bunch of soccer fiction, then moved on to stories about friendly werewolves (Dolfje Weerwolfje) and classic novels like Robinson Crusoe rewritten by Geronimo Stilton, which makes the older prose more palatable to younger readers.

Hi Dawn,

At our house it's a hit and miss between earlier favourites (adventure - Rick Riordan type series), classics (Lord of the Rings, To Kill a Mockingbird) and sometimes Wikipedia pages on interesting topics.

The horror genre sometimes appeals to your boys age group (Stephen King), or for the problem solvers Sherlock Holmes.

Non-fiction books are sometimes a draw as well, maybe one on a famous athlete for your sports enthusiast. Also some inspirational ones - a novel based on Gino Bartali a famous cyclist during WWII was out a while back and supposed to be very good (disclosure - never did get around to reading it myself - argh)

Also as others have mentioned, graphic novels might go over well, there are even Shakespeare versions.

Good Luck!

A suggestion from Judy Blume:

“Whatever gets them excited about reading is good! If you want them to read my books don't tell them so. Maybe just leave around a paperback with a new cover and say, 'I'm not sure you're ready for that.'"

David wrote: "'I'm not sure you're ready for that.'"

I used that when I wanted to introduce a friend to the music of King Crimson.

Yeah, the lure of forbidden (or at least discouraged) fruit.

For the video-game kid, I would mention to him some of the books from which his favorite video games were developed. Because they ultimately all stem from heroic fiction tropes. Ask him, what kind of gamer can he be without knowing the backstory of the game? What kind of strategist? Smarter players will eat him alive if he doesn't wise up.

Same principle for the football kid. I would challenge him to read sports biographies. If you don't know the history of the game you won't be much of a player. Tell him that. Its true. If you're on a team and all you know about the game you're playing is what you've gotten from watching games on TV, then you don't know the friggin' game. Remind him that the Manning brothers got to be where they are by being study-ers and doing their off-season reading. That's what ya gotta do to gain an edge. Homework. Knowing history. The smartest players in the sport don't just show up for practice, they make it their life. 'Dumb players' come and go. Winners (these days) are mentally dominant over their opponents.

My son was thirteen when I paid him to read the first chapter of Book1 in David Edding's Belgariad series. It's fantasy and the main character starts out as a twelve year old. He matures through the books to become a king. Wizards, snake people, complicated adventures. You might enjoy them, too. All of my kids read them (as did I) We fought over who got to read the next one first. They are adult books with complex societies.

Thank you all so much!

I work at a library. Most of the boy their age check out horror novels. I agree with Stephen King. Graphic Novels are great too.

For the sports fan

For the adventurous

Graphic novels

science fiction (also good for gamers)

Fantasy

Gamers

Horror

Mystery

These are among the most often books checked out by teenage boys. If you need more or a different genre, let me know.

Dawn wrote: "Hi. I have two boys, 13 and 14. They will be in 8th and 9th grades in the fall. They do NOT like to read.

I want to get them reading and then get them into a couple of classics later in the su..."

Book Riot recently posted these lists:

http://bookriot.com/2015/07/21/ultima...

http://bookriot.com/2015/05/26/ultima...