5 Tips to Help Reluctant Readers Fall in Love With Books

Tips to help reluctant readers fall in love with books

1.       Listen to audiobooks.

2.      Choose visually appealing books.

3.      Take turns reading.

4.      Choose books with white space (that means avoid densely packed/wordy pages). Your child wants to feel successful turning each page. Slow page-turns can make reading feel weighty.

5.      Help your child choose books with subjects that are fun and interesting to them.

THE TRUTH ABOUT 5th GRADE (HarperCollins), written by award-winning author Kim Tomsic and award-winning cartoonist, Mark Parisi, is ideal for 2^nd-5^th grade readers who love humor, sloths, wild science, and a funny touch of poetry. This laugh-out-loud story is written as "he-said/she-said" diary entries by two BFFs with different perspectives about the "truth" about fifth grade. For avid readers, reluctant readers, and for fans of Invisible Emmie and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Critical praise:

"The truth is: readers are going to LOVE this HILARIOUS he-said/she-said diary!” — Sarah Mlynowski, author of the NYT Bestselling Whatever After series

 

"The book includes plenty of humor, such as a memory of a ladybug flying up Alex’s nose... The illustrations are appealing and break up the text, making it accessible to reluctant readers. ... “Lively, fun, and deeply relatable."  — Kirkus Reviews

 

"As the besties struggle to get on the same page, [Alex and Charli] navigate friendship rivalries, pranks, and violations of privacy via fast-paced chapters that highlight their differences—and similarities—and offer laugh-out-loud moments."  — Publishers Weekly

“This illustrated diary-style novel delves into the changes and frustrations fifth grade can bring … [It’s a] comical tale of fifth grade that fans of Diary of Wimpy Kid and similar books will enjoy.” — School Library Journal

Graphic Novel Reading List from the Association for Library Service to Children

Thanks to Mr. Schu's blog called WATCH, CONNECT, READ I found this list of the Association for Library Service to Children- A Graphic Novels Reading List. 

About Mr. Schu

He is a K-5 teacher-librarian who works diligently to put the right book in every child's hand. Book trailers are one way to connect readers with books.

Mr. Schu says:

The Association for Library Service to Children updated the Graphic Novels Reading List. It is a wonderful resource that highlights the best graphic novels for grades K through 8.  I hope you will share it with your colleagues and students. Maybe you'll even mention it on your library or classroom website. I shared the lists with parents during parent-teacher conferences. 

It is broken down into grade levels (click on links below): 

K - 2nd grade - Color

K - 2nd grade - Black and White

3rd - 5th grade - Color

3rd - 5th grade - Black and White

6th - 8th grade - Color

6th - 8th grade - Black and White

By the way, here's a blast from the past listing some of my (Bookshelf Detective's) favorite graphic novels (I recomment for 12th grade reading or older):


Persepolis by Maryjane Satrapi  

Stitches by David Small 

Maus by Art Spiegelman