I have a 4th grade student who is reading closer to a 1st/2nd grade level (still struggling to sound out words – we've been doing a lot of phonics work). I also teach his 2nd grade sister, and he is very much aware that she is ahead of him in reading level, which has impacted his confidence.
We started with Magic Tree House, which is challenging for him but about the right level – the biggest hurdle has been getting him to want to read (he often says it is boring…it's hard to tell if that's a result of the content or it just being hard). At any rate, I'm curious about finding some other high-interest chapter books that maybe feel like they aren't aimed at little kids but are still very easy.
He has an interest in fantasy (he plays D&D with his family and has asked multiple times if there will be monsters in the story), but he also is very concerned about things being too violent. He also really likes cats and things that are silly (e.g., characters acting in ridiculous and unexpected ways).
Anyways, I would love any suggestions for easy and relatively tame chapter books that he might find exciting. I really think that a lot of the issue is low motivation due to lack of confidence and defaulting to 'that looks boring' as a sort of defense mechanism. He's a really creative kid, who seems drawn to stories, so I'm really hoping that getting him to read will be less of a struggle with some more practice and the right books.
by holybananaduck
8 Comments
You might try the Dog Man books. It’s the first series my son really liked and actively asked to read in his free time. You might think it’s below the level where you want him to be, but personally I also think it’s good to show kids that reading can be fun.
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren.
It’s 20 years old now, but maybe Secrets of Droon? It’s similar to Magic Tree House in terms of reading level and length of the books, but it’s more of a fantasy adventure – three kids discover a magic staircase that takes them to a fantasy world with magic and strange creatures, and they team up with the resident princess to go on adventures and fight bad guys. Adventures yes, but I don’t recall anything violent or too scary.
Just wanted to ask if he’s been evaluated for Dyslexia, Auditory Processing Disorder and Visual Processing Disorder? The three hugely impact literacy and when the first one of my kids was finally diagnosed, it was a surprise, because he’d been reading and spelling since before the age of three, like me, and loves his books. After the third kiddo was diagnosed, I’d come to know the signs lol.
For help with phonemes/phonemic awareness, the best help from one of our specialists (a Professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders) was the program Explode The Code. No matter kiddo’s age, start with books A, B & C and work at kiddo’s pace through each workbook lesson. They scaffold upon the previous lesson so redundancy is built in. It develops pretty effortlessly and organically all things “literacy” from reading & spelling to comprehension. It’s inexpensive and well planned out.
Books that worked for us were things that they thought were funny: Captain Underpants, The Bad Guys, Kung Pow Chicken, Franny K Stein Mad Scientist, Dogman, Super Potato, Barb the Last Berserker. Graphic novels are a hit and I’m all for comics – reading is reading imo and for struggling readers, the pictures really aid with comprehension, which improves enjoyment lol
There’s a term for books with easier reading but aimed at older kids — High-Low, high interest- low reading level. Some are specifically written by publishers to align with phonics programs which is great! https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/childrens-books/articles/highlow-books-children Here’s a list with a bunch of options to get started. High Noon publishes a lot of phonics specific books as well, and there’s the Titan’s Guantlet series. Hank Zipzer, Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol, Bunnicula, and Franny k. Stein are all really fun series.
Zoey and Sassafras series, by Asia Citro
I recommend checking out Diana Wynne Jones’s ouvre. She’s like the GOAT of children’s fantasy. Her books are always a lot of fun and several of them feature cats.
Choose Your Own Adventure books are good because the reader chooses what happens next. It’s a book where you don’t have to read every page but if you want to read it a second time (and you will!), you’ll get some good, reinforcing repetition. Also, some of my students loved the I Survived… series by Lauren Tarshis. I think the reading level for that starts at Q, so it might be too hard for now (but not later!). Second what others said about graphic novels!