When we wrote Don’t Read This Book, we very much had reluctant readers in mind! So often, children or parents ask for suggestions to tempt those reluctant readers.
Of course, it’s important to understand what is behind this reluctance – but whatever the reason, here are a few tips – perhaps just one might prove helpful:
- Reading doesn’t have to be from a book – try a comic, magazine, recipe etc
- Reading can be via an electronic device; the font size or background colour can be changed and unfamiliar words can be read to you
- Ask an adult to read the first bit to you – so you can get ‘into’ the story/topic
- Ask an adult to share reading with you regularly –read a paragraph each, a page each or you read a particular character and they read the rest
- Audiobooks – Audible or similar and, if possible, follow the text as it is read aloud to you.
- Although aimed at being dyslexia-friendly, books published by https://www.barringtonstoke.co.uk/ are great stories presented in a reader-friendly format that suit most readers
- Finally, pick something that looks even slightly interesting – fiction or nonfiction – choose a straightforward text – nothing too long; perhaps a book that has been made into a film which you’ve seen or a funny book which won’t feel so daunting
- For example:
If you like Murder Mystery, try Robin Stevens series, starting with First Class Murder.
If you like Murder, Mystery and Magic – try Nicki Thornton’s The Last Chance Hotel.
If you like cricket, try Bob Cattell’s Glory Gardens Cricket Club series.
