Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. I read in print, listen to audiobooks and listen to book podcasts. I have my own Little Free Library and my own Bookstagram account, and I have started four book clubs—the one I host now just celebrated its first anniversary! I bring books to read when I substitute teach. I did read to my children all throughout their childhoods and still do read to my boys every night. In spite of all of this, only two of my three kids loves to read. So how do we encourage the love of reading in our kids, especially the reluctant readers in our families?
I grew up relishing reading. I loved The Baby-sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin, the Shiloh series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and everything by Roald Dahl. When I became a parent, I prioritized reading to my kids and read to them as infants before each nap and bedtime as part of our routine. I would read picture books most of the time, but for their long afternoon naps I read the entire Narnia series by C. S. Lewis to each of them when they were infants. It will always hold a special place in my heart. We have done many read-alouds since then, and my daughter got hooked with the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park when she was a fresh reader and she just took off. She has been reading constantly since then, and now we can share and talk about books we love. As long as she has a pile of books at the ready, she’s always reading something. Now, has she always scoffed at all my recommendations? Yes. But has she also loved all my recommendations once she gave them a chance? Also, yes. These days, she reads middle grade, YA and is venturing into some adult fiction, so it’s been fun to share more books and reading experiences with her.
My sons are a different story. They are great readers, but they haven’t fallen in love with the act of reading and being sucked into a story quite like my daughter and I have. My older son has enjoyed a few book series, including the Ali Cross series by James Patterson and the Double Vision series by F. T. Bradley, and it was often with the help of positive peer pressure because friends were talking about them. I recently got him into reading my copies of Roald Dahl books and have been back to reading aloud to him while he builds with Legos. I’m reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and I’m hoping once we read the first book, he will want to pick up the next in the series. But if he doesn’t, I will gladly keep reading to him. My younger son is at the perfect age to fall in love with reading. I’m soaking up all the picture books with him since this special time is fading, and I honestly love a good picture book! Plus, I’m making sure he gets his reading minutes logged with either his reading to me from a grade-level chapter book or my reading a chapter book to him. These are just some of my favorite memories with my kids, and I’m trying to instill the love in both of my boys during these slower winter months.
So what are some ways to encourage a love of literacy for these kiddos who aren’t gravitating toward reading in either their free or scheduled time? Do a quick search on which books are popular with their grades or email your librarian at your public or school library for some suggestions. Check out some bookish podcasts or browse the lists on their websites for some ideas too. Use peer pressure to your advantage and ask your child’s friend’s parents which books they have been enjoying or suggest their child lend a favorite book to your child. This could lead to a book swap every couple of weeks or even a book club if they get other friends to join them. My daughter loves “making” her friends read her favorite books and loves getting reading “homework” from them in return.
Battle of the Books is another great program some schools offer. Even if your school doesn’t yet participate, you could make it a challenge to see whether your child could read the books listed in a certain time period, like a winter book challenge. If your child does well with incentives, consider a reward for pages or books read. Another fun tactic is getting to watch the movie together with a favorite snack after your child has first read the book.
If your child isn’t competitive, shift gears toward staying curious and encouraging learning about any topics of interest—because there are bound to be books on those interests. Children can read to learn more about their favorite animal, sport or video game. Or they could read just to laugh—Garfield or Calvin and Hobbes books, for example. Reading should be a pleasurable experience, so it doesn’t always mean reading a real chapter book.
As mentioned earlier, my middle son prefers to listen to me read while he builds with Legos or draws, and my daughter has gotten into listening to audiobooks over the past year. I personally love using audiobooks while getting other tasks done, and we have enjoyed a few audiobooks as a family while running errands, shuttling kids to their extracurricular activities and racking up the miles on road trips. Some favorites we’ve listened to together include Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk and Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. My favorite middle grade audiobooks are the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend.
Read-alouds and audiobooks still count and are important because kids are still getting to enjoy the stories while learning new vocabulary and how words are pronounced. Another favorite perk is the inside jokes I now have with my kids about books and stories we have shared together. So if your child hasn’t found a love of reading just yet, don’t be discouraged. Keep reading, keep encouraging and remind your child that school and life will be easier and more interesting the more they read.
Stephanie Loux is the mother of Layla, 13, Mason, 12, and Slade, 8, and enjoys sharing her love of reading with her children.