You’ve heard over and over that boys don’t like to read. I’m a firm believer that if you give a boy a book that speaks to his boyness, he won’t put that book down.
The best way to learn history is to read biographies – at least that’s what someone told me a long time ago. Accelerated Reader programs do encourage students to read more, but if the library doesn’t have the tests for the “boy” biographies, then that reading “doesn’t count.” One middle school in our community had AR tests for biographies for female historical figures, but not for the male historical figures. As a result, boys were choosing books that were historically anemic, unless they wanted to read about girls. Check your schools and make sure they have books that provide male historical biographies over the men who built our nation, who inspire, and speak to the maleness within our sons.
Let’s lay some ground rules for reading.
Rule 1–Let your son help you choose. Notice the word help. Setting perimeters makes a difference. Garfield cannot be the only choice. You need to have knowledge of the selections available, though. Sometimes the books you want aren’t on shelves, but can be ordered or found in the local library.
Rule 2–Make your son really read. I try to establish an hour a day. If they aren’t reading an hour’s worth of pages, then I set page numbers or chapters. You might need to quiz them over their content. However, usually, after reading the first 10 pages, your recalitrant reader will probably become somewhat absorbed into the story. Once they know that you aren’t going to let this dog go, they settle in, and do the job. I’ve found that some sons take to reading without much prompting early. My sons became authentic readers, that is readers who desire to do it without prompting, at different ages.
Rule 3–Make choosing books a mother-son outing. Need I say more?
This page has the following sub pages.
- ♥ Mom’s Bookshelf Must Haves
- ♥ Snugglebuggle Books
- ♥ Learning to Read Books
- ♥ 2nd and 3rd Grade Books
- ♥ 4th-5th grade books
- ♥ 6th-9th Grade
- ♥ Good-Bye Bedtime Books! Sniff!
- ♥ The Youngest Templar: Trail of Fate Review
- Book Review: Masquerading as Jane Austin
- ♥ Bittersweet October! Delicious Autumn!And Books for Fall!
- ♥ A Tale of Two Dickens Readers: Mom and Son
- ♥ Do You Need to Read to Be Successful?
- Boredom – A Call to Imagination
- JunkYard Treasures
What a treasure trove of good recommendations! Thanks for sharing.
My 4-yo loves books and is only beginning to read independently (really simple learn-to-read books). I’m trying to “help” him, but don’t want to “help” him too much that reading would become a chore and take away his love for books. 🙂
I’ve been looking and looking for “boy” books for my 8 yr old and he now loves The Boxcar Children. I can’t wait to try out some of your suggestions with him!
Great reading ideas here. I think it helps to encourage reading by example, too. If Mom and Dad are enjoying reading, and discussing what they’re reading, it becomes a family activity as well.
Thanks for stopping by my blog, I enjoyed visiting here!
Good job! Girls love a guy who can read. It didnt take me long to transform my bf into a reader, and now he can`t put books down. We recommend books for each other, and he recently finished is first 1200 pager! I found your site from your comment on my blog. I wanted to say thank you so much for your sweet words, your comment made me day!
too true, too true… home schooled three boys… if you find the right book… they will read… in the process of writing fiction for young adults… disliked what was available for my boys a few years back… have a great day in the Lord
One of my sons loved to read from the word go, the other one,,,, well, it took some time but finally he seems to have become a reader. What clinched it was exactly what you say, finding something that speaks to his boyness (which happens to be different from his brother’s boyness). He loves anything by Michael Morpurgo, whose books don’t infantilise children and don’t flinch from ‘difficult’ subjects.
I’m enjoying working my way around your blog – so much to read! – I’m just a beginner at blogging, and I do appreciate the thoughtful comment you left. Thank you.
Hi I just left a comment on your gifts post then took some time to look around I am so excited to read your post on boys, I am a mom of many boys and one girl, so happy to have found you!