Tween Tuesday: Summer reads
Here's Liz Atwood with this week's installment of Tween Tuesday
School is almost out and while my kids probably fantasize about sleeping late and playing video games all day, that’s not going to happen. I didn’t buy the summer work packets this year, but I’m a firm believer in another tradition — summer reading.
I wish I could say my boys love to read, but they don’t. They start into books, but always seem to get bored and want to give up. I’m sure that it’s because books just don’t move as quickly as movies, TV shows and video games. The trick is to keep them interested.
The National Summer Learning Association, based in Baltimore, has a lot of great resources, including these tips on how to find books for the summer read.
Libraries across the country are sponsoring programs to encourage the kids to read by adding in contests, crafts and games. The theme for many libraries this summer, including the Enoch Pratt in Baltimore, is One World, Many Stories.
Scholastic has joined with PBS Kids to sponsor another reading competition and has lots of resources and suggested books. Many schools also offer reading lists — some suggested and some required.
If you have any other ideas of how to motivate the reluctant tween reader, I’d like to hear about it.
Comments
I am a stay at home mom and spend a lot of time in my kitchen cooking and cleaning. When my children seem bored I will tell them to sit at the kitchen table and read out loud to me while I am cooking and cleaning. I have also had the children read to me in the car while we are running errands or taking a road trip. It's a great way to kill time on the way to O.C. or Myrtle Beach.
Posted by: Lisa | June 15, 2011 8:46 AM
Finding the right story, right style, and right author for each reader can be difficult. After many years of teaching middle school, there is one that stands out for its recommendations from reluctant readers, particularly boys (and I'm not a reading/Language Arts teacher): "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen. The novel tells of a teen being being the sole survivor of a plane crash and having to make it on his own in the woods with only his hatchet as a tool. Many other books are available from this author, including some about the same character, Brian. Happy reading!
Posted by: Sandi | June 15, 2011 2:37 PM
Combining a book with a trip can help keep a child interested. Luckliy, there are lots of interesting books about the Baltimore-Washington area, including those about Gettysburg.
Reading a book along with your child can also help.
Posted by: Dave | June 15, 2011 4:49 PM
On the Anne Arundel County Public Library website they have a link to sign up for e-newsletters that provide a sampling of newly published and other suggested books. One of them is for tween books so it might help you find some titles that your sons will enjoy.
My daughter is 9 and is a voracious reader but I still like to find new books for her to try. Her newest love is the Warriors series by Erin Hunter (it's about cats so nothing violent!). A boy in her class suggested those books to her so your sons might like them too. There is a role playing game that goes along with the books as well as a website. So if your sons like games that might help motivate them to read the books. Good luck!
Posted by: Becky | June 16, 2011 6:48 AM
My 13 yr old has to read at least 1/2 an hour in the morning in order to play/watch anything with a screen. Often the book is so engrossing for him, he goes way past the 1/2 hour mark. He also has to read before going to sleep.In the summer, as long as he's in bed with a book by 10 pm, he can stay up as late as he wants reading. He also has no screen access in his room.
It is much harder to find good, interesting books for boys,imo. I find that girls will read about boys and their adventures, but most boys will not read a book if the main characters are all girls. My son also reads a lot of non-fiction.
Posted by: marylandmom2 | June 16, 2011 9:03 AM