Things You'll Need:
- Bookstore/Library
- Money/Library card
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Step 1
Become familiar with your child's reading level. Offering a book that is too easy to read can be tedious for a child. Likewise, a book that is too difficult to understand can seem a daunting task.
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Step 2
Allow your boy to see you and others in the family reading for pleasure. It's particularly effective if you're reading books which make you laugh out loud as your soon-to-be-avid reader will want to get in on the action that much more!
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Step 3
Take your child to a bookshop or library to find out what appeals to them. Encourage them to briefly read a few pages before making their final selection. This way they will end up with a book that they cannot wait to finish.
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Step 4
Look for books that come in series, such as J K Rowling's Harry Potter books. Alternatively, look for authors who have written several books, such as Roald Dahl. This way if your child gets on well with one writer's style they will have many more titles to enjoy written in a style that suits them.
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Step 5
Understand your child's interests and make your book choices reflect those. Books on nearly every subject imaginable are out there - it's up to you to find them! Whether he's into baseball or bats, dragons or diggers, science or skateboarding, there's bound to be a book that will fit his remit. An online bookshop such as Amazon or a willing librarian should be able to point you in the right direction for the book that will turn your lad onto reading.
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Step 6
Look for books which embrace a variety of styles for more reluctant readers. Some authors use illustrations and even comic strip formats among more traditional text to keep readers interested and amused.
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Step 7
Don't ignore books that may seem gross or like toilet humor. Like men, boys enjoy that sort of thing. Books such as Matt & Dave's "Yuck's Fart Club", Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants series and Ricky Gervais' Flanimals books offer comic relief to what might otherwise seem a boring pasttime.
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Step 8
Non-fiction books are popular with boys. A particular favorite in my household is the Horrible Histories series. With sales in excess of 20 million world-wide, this series focuses on history with the nastiest bits left in. Titles such as 'Vicious Vikings' and 'Vile Victorians' will encourage your boy to read and learn new and unusual (if somewhat gross) facts!
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Step 9
When you give your child their first great book, make or buy a personalised bookmark and show them how to use one. It will make the whole experience more magical for them. Another purchase worth considering is a book light. If your boy is anything like mine, he'll want to be reading late into the evening!
