A book a day. All summer long. That’s about 70 books, devoured on long car trips, on short car trips, first thing in the morning, long past bedtime, in waiting rooms of all descriptions, anytime the world slowed down a little too much for an adolescent brain. Not one of those books assigned by a teacher, making them all the sweeter.
I know readers like that. I was one of them, back when summer meant freedom (physical and intellectual) and not just heat. I’ll admit that those are the readers I often have in mind when we put together our annual summer reading issue, aiming for as many recommendations as possible, to keep parents one step ahead of those insatiable readers. We found more than 70 great books this year (across all reading levels) for those of you on the one-a-day plan.
But I know not all kids are like that. Other things, besides books, have captured their attention. Maybe reading hasn’t always come easy. Maybe they read a little behind — or even ahead — of grade level, so it’s tough to find books that sync with both their abilities and their interests. Even a long, varied, and — if I may say so myself — drool-worthy list like this one isn’t going to hook them.
Experts from Scholastic recommend a laidback, but persistent, approach to encouraging reluctant readers. Most importantly, look for books that match their interests, not yours. Think Captain Underpants is juvenile? Too bad. In fact, that’s probably the point. Even if you’re a fiction fanatic, accept that books full of factoids, like the Guinness Book of World Records, might just be what reels your young reader in. Read to and with your child. Make sure they see you reading. Remember that magazines and even web sites count.
For teens, the American Library Association compiles a list of excellent picks for reluctant young adult readers. You can find the full list at ALA.org. Their top choices for 2009 (if you’re looking for some titles to leave casually around the house) are perhaps predictably dark and a little out there: Life Sucks, by Jessica Abel and Gabriel Soria; One Hundred Young Americans, by Michael Franzini; Permanence, by Kip Fulbeck; No Choirboy: Murder, Violence and Teenagers on Death Row, by Susan Kuklin; Wake, by Lisa McMann; Body Drama, by Nancy Amanda Redd; Skulls, by Noah Scalin; Retaliation, by Yasmin Shiraz; Custom Kicks, by Kim Smits and Matthijs Maat; and Ghosts: Caught on Film, by Melvyn Willin.
And, of course, as parents we need to accept that not all kids are going to be on the book-a-day schedule. And that’s just fine.
