I've been a bookworm from childhood, too. I love that look on the face of a child absorbed in a book.

I have an 8 yr old daughter who has inherited my love for books. She reads so much, that sometimes we have to make her stop, just so she would go outside to get some fresh air.

On the other hand, I have a 10 yr old son who doesn't share this love of reading. I take him to the library, to the bookstore, get him any book he wants, hoping he'll find that one book that will inspire the love of reading, but so far, no such luck.

I'll try the book, you mentioned Scott, maybe he'll like that, but if you can suggest anything else, let me know.

Scott, just a great article. And, I love The Phantom Tollbooth too.

I love to read, but my fiancee is the one who truly lives up to the word "bookworm." Perhaps I'll send this article her way.

Michael,go ahead and pass it on.

Chantal, the trick - as I learned in classes about how to teach reding - is to find subjects that interest him.
Give a non-reading boy a book about baseball and off he may go.

What are his interests?
What movies does he look? What books?

I'll help - I live for chances like this.

I'm such a bookworm that I sometimes have to remind myself to put down the book and interact with other people.

That said, I wonder if fellow bookworms have had the following experience: Some people apparently can't stand the sight of someone sitting quietly reading a book. My current workplace has a large cafeteria-type breakroon. I've found that if I read during lunch break, someone will sit down next to me and start talking to me. It's like I'm being unfriendly by reading. I don't *always* read on my breaks, but when I do I wish people would take it as a polite hint that I'm already having a silent conversation with the book.
At places like doctors' waiting rooms or laundromats, I'm often the only one reading. That's partly because I'm there alone (I don't have kids to keep an eye on), but over time I've become accustomed to being that quiet one with her nose in a book.

Scott....my son is the type of kid that likes everything, and he has said he prefers books with a lot of action. He loves Harry Potter movies, but hasn't really gotten into the books. He just finished reading Holes, but he saw the movie first, so I think that helped.

Today he surprised me by asking if he could stay up an extra 30 minutes to read, so this is a good sign.

My daughter loves Judy Blume books, and many books that are within a series; she loves to collect the books, and that encourages her to read more. What I would love, is to find a series of books that will engage my son, so that he'll keep reading. He's in 5th grade, and reads up to about a 7th grade level. If you can suggest something, I'd really appreciate it.

Finding anything that will keep his interest for any length of time is a challenge. He's a smart kid, and has tons of potential, it's just so hard to get him to be excited about books and school in general. I think he inherited my predisposition for socializing and TALKING too much!

How can a life be survived without reading?

A study a few years ago showed average per capita reading of books by country. I think Finland won with 52, England was 39 and the U.S. 32. Here in Mexico it was 2. That may explain why people interrupt my reading obviously never considering I might think it important.

I decided when I was about 5 that I would always read (even if I wasn't very good at it yet. And have. But some kids need a push or a helping hand. Give a kid a book, a library card, or, best, the example of someone who is pleasured by reading.

Thanks for the feedback. I need to hurry to go sub but I'll respond later.


If you'd like I can provide links to some good sites with recommendations on books for children.

A fan of The Phantom Tollbooth for over 30-some odd years, it was a great joy to pass it along to my children and watch them discover the treasures within for themselves.

Like you, I've always been a major book lover. By the time I was seven, I'd gone through all my 13-year old sister's books, my mom's books, and whatever else I could get my hands on.

Books are journeys you take without ever leaving home.

I have been thinking today about this topic and realized how much more sense it would make for me to teach English and spread my passion for reading and writing that way than, say, teaching social studis.

One of my goals in life is to get more people reading and less people using tv as a substitute for a parent or a book.

Chantal, has he read Hoot?
Or the lion, witch and wardrobe series?

If you go through my authors page you'll find reviews I've done of books, both for kids and adults.

Here are two reviews that might interest you, Chantel:
and this one.

I'd also check out the list of Newberry book winners. Some of them are wonderful.

I don't think he's read Hoot, but I know he's read some of the Lion, witch... stuff. He liked that, but when he took a test on one of the Lion books he read, I think he did poorly on it. Not sure what happened there.

I'll check out your reviews, and ask him about Hoot....

Thanks, Scott.

One of my goals in life is to get more people reading and less people using tv as a substitute for a parent or a book.

There are those households, however, where TV makes a suitable substitute for the parenting which could occur. To hell with marriage licenses. We should license parents. Perhaps implant a birth control device in infants which is unlocked in adulthood upon satisfactory completion of a four year course in parenting.

10 years old is a great age for both the newspaper and magazines. Circle an interesting article and ask their opinion. They can also read the grocery circulars and help plan the grocery list (good life skill--even though it can be a pain to shop with kids, LOL). Most newspapers have the Mini Page which is very well done and some have their own kids/teens sections on a regular basis. Even though it costs more to have the paper delivered (vs. reading it on the internet), it's a great tactile experience. I also have a no tv in the morning rule, so my kids either read the paper or the cereal box.

Discovery Kids is a really good magazine with the bonus of having no ads. Sports Illustrated for Kids is good, too. None of my kids have ever really liked Highlights, though. Ranger Rick is pretty good if you've got an animal buff (I've got two animal lovers).

At that age, both girls went through a Goosebumps (ugh!) phase. Choose your own ending books are also fun. I don't always worry about quality. The oldest will read about tree frogs because that is an interest of hers. She has also read a lot of books that were made into movies. Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are fun. The girls both lost interest in the Harry Potter books, although my 11 yr. old LOVES the Unfortunate Events series. Anything by Eion Colfer has a lot of action and is lots of fun. They are also not quite as thick either.

You can still do read alouds at that age and we do get some audio books for road trips. I can understand what a bummer it is when your child doesn't enjoy something that is dear to you

I just thought of one more thing: there are some neat internet-based reading programs. bookadventure.org is a neat one. It is a freebie, but it is owned by Sylvan.

HAs he read the Nero Wolf books by Rex Stout? Those are fun, interesting, witty and full of action and should be easily enjoyed and appreciated by his age.

I looked at bookadventure.org, looks like a really cool site. The kids enter the type of books they like to read, then a book list is generated, after they read the books, they can take a quiz. I told both of kids that we're going to do this, and they got all excited (nerds!)....so it should be a fun thing we can do over the summer. At least this way, Sharif has more control over the books he reads, he seemed excited about the idea. I think he WANTS to read more, we just need to find things that keep his interest.

He's read several books from the Unfortunate event series, and I know he enjoyed those, so we'll probably pick up some more of those books too.

Scott, he hasn't read any of the Nero Wolf books, but I just asked both of kids about it, and my daughter said she has. I think they have them in their school library, so I'll suggest to Sharif to check them out.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. :)

Other ideas:
Check the winners of the Newberry awards - those are usually pretty good.
That's why I read Joey swalled a key, which is good. I listened today to a student read it to me and was reminded how good it was.
Check out books by Jerry Spinelli such as Maniac Mage - he is well regarded and has action in his books.

And there's always Charlotte's Web

Incidentally I've decided I definitely am going to teach middle school English, partially because I can then try to get students to enjoy the thrill of reading, contemplating and discussing good writing.

Hey Scott.....my son finished reading Hoot and absolutely loved it. It was great to see him actually pick up the book to read without being told to do so!!!

Yesterday we went to see the movie, and he was so excited that he knew everything that was going to happen, it was a real thrill for him.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Now I just have to keep this momentum going...

I'm glad you and he liked it.
Do you need more suggestions? I can swing by Borders and see - I think there's another children's book by Hiaasen out there. If not I know there are a few other adult authors I like that wrote books for younger readers.

suggestions...yeah that would be great. Anything to keep him reading this summer!

thanks so much

Well, Chantal, I usually read books of the movies as a kid outside of school ("Star Wars", "Indiana Jones", "Jaws" etc...would not recommend the latter for younger kids but anyway...), one book I did enjoy in my mid teens was "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens. I also enjoyed the Hardy Boy series.
I'm still not a big fiction reader (prefer non fiction) but I do enjoy the Harry Potter series.

Here is one example of how I play around with words as a result of reading Phantom Tollbooth