Ok, my DD7 (almost 8) is a good reader but doesn't really enjoy it. She's technically a 2nd grader but has been able to read low-mid 3rd grade level since the mid-to-end of 1st grade.....she's a bit stalled at her reading level due to some vision issues and her lack of reading "desire". Since we're new to homeschooling (since March)...I'm trying not to force her to read since public school did enough of that. She has recently read a few Magic Treehouse Books....reading them is not the problem....she likes them but doesn't "love" them.....but they are about the only thing she'll read because she doesn't like anything better. So here's what she won't read....June B. Jones, Nate the Great......she really wants a series like MTH. She tried to read a My America book and since she's not a history buff....that didn't click. She's not quite ready for American Girl on her own (in her mind at least) and again they're set in history. I know my dd9 has a few Amber Brown books but I'm not sure that's what I want her reading at this point. We also have the Cul-de-sac kids series and the Janette Oke Animal Friends series. She's read a little in the animal series but can't seem to stay interested to get thru an entire book. I recently bought her a used Abeka grade 2 reader called All About Animals. She likes it but still wants to find "a series". I think because her sister is addicted to Dear America books and is literally "plowing thru them"....Raegan wants something that good to read too. Any ideas? Rhonda C.
Junie B Jones, Baily School Kids, Magic Treehouse are the first things that come to mind.. they made my son a book lover!
Have you asked in the childrens section of the local library? My dd liked reading some series books about Fairies. There are several sub series I suppose, Seasons, Weather, Rainbow etc etc.
Haven't tried the Bailey School kids....I'll have to check them out.....no go on Junie B....already doing MTH. Thanks, Rhonda
Librarians have steered her towards those she knows she doesn't like.....Junie B, etc. We have done some non-fiction Rookie Reader science but we're about out of those....since she's not a history kids, I can't get her interested in the Rookie Reader Biographies....tried again today. Rhonda C.
My dd, age 7 LOVES Stanley books (Flat Stanley) and then Geronimo Stilton. Geronimo Stilton is a great series for kids who don't like to read bc of how they're written. My dd loves to read so for her it's just a little snack. She's also into the box car children but I would also suggest (and you probably are doing this) reading out loud just for fun as much as possible. This seems to be one of the best ways to get kids into reading.
Little House Chapter Books might be a good choice. Ask the librarian about them. Also, try "Hank the Cowdog". They're more of a "boy" book, but SO FUNNY!!! Three Cousin Detective Club is another Christian Mystery series for that age, if she likes mysteries. My daughter is telling me right now "Also A to Z Mysteries!!!" They're her favorite, and written on the same level as Magic Treehouse.
Thanks Sneaky Mama, Tried to get her to check out a Flat Stanley book today...no luck. I'm not familiar with the other book(s) you mentioned....have to check on those. Did I mention, she's my super picky eater too...lol? I know once I find "the book", she'll be a super reading lover of books...just haven't found it/them yet...but she has the temperament of a "lifetime lover of books"...if there is such a thing. Rhonda
She can't stand Little House books...tried that too....tried the picture book and early chapter book version. She's not quite ready for Hank the Cowdog....I think DD9 has some A to Z books...need to check her bookshelf in her room. Thanks, Rhonda
OK, no A to Z books on the shelf.....the ones I were thinking of are Animal Ark books which are a bit advanced for dd7....off to the library over the weekend.....thanks ladies!!! Keep 'em coming...I'm making a list. Has anyone's daughter(s) read the Rachel Yoder Series by Wanda Brunstetter. DD9 wants to read them....they're about the antics of a 9 yr old Amish girl....hoping DD7 will be interested too. Rhonda C.
what about some older stuff... i'm thinking of stuff like "sweet valley twins" (the girls are 12 in that series - they also have "sweet valley kids" where they are 6, if you wanted younger {also high school and university, but those are for older kids} ones) or... babysitters club? (or they also made "babysitters little sister" ones) ... oh hey, maybe she'd like the 'choose your own adventure' type books - where you make choices every few pages to determine how the story goes....
Cam Jansen is at about that age, I believe. WE had this problem recently, with my 8yo son. The winner for him was ME reading out loud, one chapter at a time, from Roald Dahl's "The BFG". It has REALLY SHORT chapters - as in, 2-4 pages. The way I got him to stop and participate was to wait until my two youngers were settled for the night (meaning, quietly watching a movie which is what they do before they fall asleep). Then, just he and I went into MY bedroom (which is normally off-limits) and layed across my bed cross-ways on our bellies. I read *very* softly, and I think that helped him concentrate on what i was saying. Any time I thought there might be a word he didn't know, I stopped and asked him. We talked about a few things, and then I would re-read that paragraph before moving on. Afterward, I had him do a notebooking page, but that was for comprehension's sake and not for reading interest. (Just consisted of a box for characters, one for setting, one for words he didn't know, and one for the events in order; one also for what he thought about while I read. Then he drew a picture of what he thought would happen next on the back.) We did this for the first 4-5 chapters of the book. After that, he didn't argue with me any more when I told him to go read a chapter. (That's how I guaged when to stop reading to him - when he stopped getting upset when I said it was time to do so. It's also when we stopped doing the notebooking pages for that book and started just doing oral narration.) At about halfway through the book, he would often ask to read a second chapter. Then he went to "sneaking in" a second chapter. Then a third. The last week he read, he was reading 3-5 chapters a day. (It has like 22 chapters I think, so he was done in a lot less time than I'd expected!) Now, he's all about finding books. He really has enjoyed the Encyclopedia Brown book we got from the library this week. Another option is the Horrible Harry series. For us, it was all about finding the book to spark the interest in reading (in addition to our separate comprehension issues). I think it really helped that, after he was reading the chapters on his own, I had him tell me what happened. It got him excited to tell me what had happened, and for some reason telling me seemed to create in him the anticipation for what might happen next. (Several times, his "snuck in" chapter was read shortly after he'd narrated to me.) Anyway. I hope some of that was helpful, and that you find "the" book for your daughter. It might just be a waiting game for now. Do doing lapbooks along with a book help? Or maybe, seeing a movie first and then finding the book on it? (Think: Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, Lion Witch and Wardrobe....)
DaLynn, Thanks for your post...going to have to ponder a bit. Comprehension has never really been a problem for DD7 (always scored VERY well in ps on her Accelerated Reader tests...like 99%) if it was a book at her reading level....did just as well above her level in most cases. DD9 never read Cam Jansen so I'll have to add that one to the list. We haven't done any lapbooking yet (since we're still relatively new to HSing). I did recently purchase one for dd9 to use for her Sonlight history from HS e-store....more because I wanted to have a pattern for the first one....didn't buy a premade/pre-cut one just the "pattern" but we're not quite ready for it yet. Maybe that'll spark her a bit if she can see what big sis is doing for her history readers. It seems (here lately) that she wants to read more but just can't seem to find the "right" book.....just the interest is a blessing and I really want to help her keep the motivation. Thanks for the ideas. Rhonda
I know DD7...if she's seen the movie, she won't read the book....even if I promise her, it's better. Finally convinced DD9 that books tend to be better but DD7 isn't there yet. Rhonda
I don't know how accessible these will be for you, but here goes anyway.... Paul Jenning (an aussie author) writes collections of short stories - all kids seem to love them. they are usually about gross stuff...like a girl whose mother finds goat poo in her pockets.... Emily Rodda (another aussie author) write lots of series, mostly fantasy. They are fantastic - I think I enjoy them as much as the kids. try 'Rowan of Rin' series, or 'Deltora Quest' series or 'fairy realm' series. Have you tried anything by Enid Blyton? the wishing chair books, or the enchanted woods series (my personal favourite) or famous five?
I haven't purchased a single thing for lapbooking, but I'm creative like that. :lol: (That, and frugal aka-cheap. I haven't spent probably $100 on homeschooling EVER. Okay, maybe $200. Max.) And as far as the comprehension goes, it was more of a 'being able to communicate that he understands' more than actually understanding it, I think. He's just not a 'read then answer questions' kinda guy, and we had to find his groove. The notebooking pages are what did that - the quiet time with mom and short chapters are what worked for piquing interest. And yep, Jackie, it bothers me actually to let him watch the movie first. But, it's the only way sometimes. It happened with Charlotte's Web - I tried to get him to read the book and he refused. So we rented the movie, and I read out loud to the little kids. He eventually went to listening, and finished the book on his own. Recently, he's been into watching Old Yeller. I told him it was a book first, and he was ecstatic - ASKED to go get it. (Um, NO! You absolutely cannot read classic literature in my house! :lol: ) It bothers me - I was raised that you read the book first, THEN see the movie. But if the options are watch the movie first or not read the book at all.... It's just a piquing interest thing, and it works for us. Anyway. We had *two* issues we dealt with, but this has been within the past 6 months, and he's all about going to the library these days.
Don't forget "Savage Sam" if he liked "Old Yeller"! Though it IS a bit violent, more than I remembered. We read it to our kids. Also, "By the Great Horned Spoon" is a FANTASTIC book (it's on Sonlight's list!) that Disney made into "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" (or is it Griffith?) Anyway, its ot an easy movie to find, but REALLY cute! When I was teaching, I had a student who I would often suggest a book to, and promised her that if she enjoyed it, I would lend her the movie.
The A to Z series mentioned is by Ron Roy. By the time I discovered it, the books were to easy for Joyce. Another good series for age 7-10 is the Time Warp Trio (history connected) by Jon Scieszka. Joyce always tested well on her AR tests and has finished the tests for the 7th grade already in whatever computer lab they are doing this year. She was horrible about even attempting to read a chapter book until her Warriors (cats) series my nephew turned her onto a few years ago. She now inhales a chapter book. A suggestion: Barnes and Noble's website has an excellent selection of books. What I do is go to the book Joyce likes, look it up and then they have a sidebar with something like "if you liked this book you may like ...". I then go to our library's website and see if they carry it. Harper Collin's website also has a really good suggested reading section broke down by genre and age level. A book Joyce read in her 3rd grade aap class and loved was Ella Enchanted.
