A BOY, A BOOK, A COUCH, AND A GREAT LIBRARY!

Boys and Books
By Kelli Brooks

I’ve been getting a lot of queries lately that go something like this: “I cannot get my son interested in reading. Do you have any suggestions?”

First of all, please note that “You are NOT alone!” Nationwide in the library world, we are hearing that “Boys Are Not Reading!” Recent studies show (and adult male experts agree) that the most important thing is not necessarily the quality but the quantity. (Another tidbit: Studies show that boys today do not have male role models who read for pleasure in sight of them. Most men read alone, isolated from the noise and busyness of the home. That’s a topic for another article!)

I have two boys and it CAN be a challenge to get them to read. Here are a few lessons I have learned:

Avoid pooh-poohing his choices, no pun intended. My son was determined he didn’t like to read. He then discovered Dav Pilkey and his crazy Captain Underpants humor. Suddenly, he was reading it at every opportunity. I, being the good librarian I am, snubbed his reading choice: “There is good literature available…you must try something else!” Of course, I lost THAT battle! I wasn’t prepared for the change he underwent—suddenly, reading books was no longer a chore but a great time; his nightly Pilkey fix became a nightly book reading habit; and eventually Mr. Pilkey was replaced with other authors—yes, even some topics that did NOT include bodily functions!

Have a variety of genres and subject matter at his fingertips. Load up on historical fiction, fantasy, humor, mystery. Or maybe your boy is not into fiction—I was shocked to learn that mine wasn’t. Is he interested in asteroids? World War II? Maps? Gardening? Bigfoot? Guinness World Records?
Find a series that he likes. This is like the gift that keeps on giving because it can eliminate a lot of time spent trying to find new material that he likes. There are all kinds of series, far beyond the well-known Harry Potter. For example, Science Solves It! is a Beginning Chapter Book series; the Innovators Biography series profiles inventors like Stephanie Kwolek, discoverer of Kevlar, the substance used in bulletproof jackets; the Graphic History series tackles historical events in a comic book form.

Think outside the box. If reading is a struggle, try alternatives to push him in that direction. For example, books on CD are stories read aloud to your child and are great for car trips or before bed reading. Another option is a different form of reading, such as Reader’s Theater, which is a read-aloud/drama activity, or a Paws to Read type program, where your child is encouraged to read aloud to a therapy dog. (BTW, we offer BOTH of these programs at our library!) Here’s a more radical idea: I have a friend who pays his child to read a book and then write a book report. His argument: In life, we are sometimes paid to do things we don’t always like to do, plus it is a goal-oriented activity.

Remember: If it establishes a habit or links reading with positive feelings, it is a good thing! I learned my lesson: At this age, it’s not necessarily WHAT they’re reading; it is THAT they’re reading at all.

To sum up, I say, “Use your library!!” Let us help you tap into your son’s hidden reading desires. We buy the variety of titles so you don’t have to. Our supply stretches across the state now, thanks to our Evergreen system! If we don’t have the book you are looking for, we can likely get our hands on it. We also have programs designed to encourage a love of reading and expose them to all kinds of books. And if you have any questions at all, there are several very friendly librarians at the ready to tackle your challenge!

Good luck!