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At_His_Feet Forum Pro
Joined: April 28 2007 Location: Australia
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 5:20am | IP Logged
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Can you recommend some read-alouds and independent reads for my son? He's not a strong reader, and he seems to enjoy humourous reads. I'm having trouble engaging him in the read-alouds that his older brother enjoys. I think this has something to do with the fact that he is a strong visual learner, and listening is something that he finds really difficult. A few years back he did enjoy Winnie The Pooh. I just need to find some other titles that he'll enjoy.
Thanks,
Tricia.
__________________ Tricia
Mum to 3 boys 17, 15, and 10.
Do whatever He tells you
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Faithr Forum Rookie
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 6:13am | IP Logged
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He sounds similar to my 11 year old. Here's some read alouds my son enjoyed:
The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
For independent reads, my son definitely like humor:
Frindle
The Toothpaste Millionaire
Marvin Redpost books and Wayside School series of books both by Louis Sachar
Bunnicula series by James Howe (he just finished reading another mystery by this author (I can't remember the title at the moment).
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (I'm afraid to list these they are so ultra-twaddly but my son loved to hate them. He'd read them and then come and tell about how awful the books were!).
Nicholas books by Goscinny and Sempe'
HTH
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guitarnan Forum Moderator
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 6:29am | IP Logged
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The Alvin Fernald series has just been reprinted...fun!
Encyclopedia Brown mysteries (they're short stories)
My Side of the Mountain
No More Dead Dogs (hilarious!)
__________________ Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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At_His_Feet Forum Pro
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 6:40am | IP Logged
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Thanks Faith and Nancy. I've reserved a few of the titles you listed from the lib.
Keep them coming!
__________________ Tricia
Mum to 3 boys 17, 15, and 10.
Do whatever He tells you
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Erin Forum Moderator
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 7:01am | IP Logged
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Tricia
When you say he is not a strong independent reader, what level would he be at? For example, would he be at the Little house Chapter book, or magic tree house level?
My ds10 is enjoying the Battle Boy books by Charlie Carter. A great explanation here.
__________________ Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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ekbell Forum All-Star
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 11:17am | IP Logged
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I remember that my mom spent time looking for well-illustrated books and graphic novels for my youngest brother when he was at that stage .
Illustrations can be helpful for those of us who are not auditory learners as it provides something to hang memories onto. Books of comic strips can also be good incentive for practicing independent reading since they provide a quick payoff for the work.
Does your son enjoy non-fiction? I'm currently reading d'Aulaires _Norse Gods and Giants_ and the current issue of Nature Friend to my picture loving girl and she's reading to me from the first volume of The Art-literature readers on art. Lots of time spent picking out details of what we've read in the pictures.
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At_His_Feet Forum Pro
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 5:16pm | IP Logged
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He's certainly not at the Little House stage. He's read and enjoyed a few of the smaller Roald Dahl books. His special interest (he has aspergers) is Pokemon and he has read two Pokemon chapter books which he knows I don't like, and he's horrified that someone could think they are not great literature!
His comprehension of what he reads for school is also not great, but I'm hoping that it will impriove once he reads more. Would you agree?
The graphic novels sound perfect. I'll look into those.
__________________ Tricia
Mum to 3 boys 17, 15, and 10.
Do whatever He tells you
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lapazfarm Forum All-Star
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 6:51pm | IP Logged
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My oldest son was a reluctant reader at that age. What really pulled him through and convinced him that reading was fun were the Shel Silverstein poetry books. It was the predictable rhythm and (of course) the silliness of the poems that attracted him. The fact that they are collections of short poems meant he could read as much or as little as he wanted and kept him from being overwhelmed. His reading confidence skyrocketed after reading them and I give them full credit for really turning him around and into a voracious reader.
__________________ Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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At_His_Feet Forum Pro
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 7:03pm | IP Logged
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Thanks Theresa. I've reserved a few Shel Silverstein books. It's also very encouraging to hear of other boys who were once reluctant readers.
Tricia.
__________________ Tricia
Mum to 3 boys 17, 15, and 10.
Do whatever He tells you
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Erin Forum Moderator
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 9:16pm | IP Logged
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Tricia
You could count all of my boys as once reluctant, now, they never stop reading. Malachi nearly 11 has only become a reader this year and he is still at an earlier stage. My Dominic learnt to read by reading poems and nursery rhymes, he still loves lyrical cadences.
I though of another series, the DK readers. They were particularly written for boy readers and later boy readers in particular. They are written for 4 different levels, they aren't phonetic readers but focus on mostly non-fiction topics in an engaging manner. I'm lending several to a local hs boy, 10 today along with some Little House Readers. His mum wrote and asked for more boy type books for a beginner later reader. Be assured your son is by far not the only one.
__________________ Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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guitarnan Forum Moderator
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 9:46pm | IP Logged
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I vote for DK readers, too - there are some great nonfiction topics in this series. My daughter loved the baseball player bios as well as all the marine biology books.
If you have not read The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, take a look at this extremely helpful book. Your library may have a copy. He talks about the benefits of reading aloud (the statistics will amaze you) and gives a list of great read-aloud titles.
(Side note: If Jim Trelease speaks in your town, run, do not walk! He is so engaging and funny and informative. He will inspire you to read, read, read.)
__________________ Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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At_His_Feet Forum Pro
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Posted: June 16 2010 at 11:50pm | IP Logged
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Thanks ladies! I'm going to need a very large bag to carry all the lib. books I've reserved! I'd forgotten about the DK readers. I have a few titles as like you, Erin, I was once a DKFL book seller!
__________________ Tricia
Mum to 3 boys 17, 15, and 10.
Do whatever He tells you
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Erin Forum Moderator
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Posted: June 17 2010 at 4:16am | IP Logged
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Those were the days I totally loved my time as a DK consultant, I learnt and grew so much.
__________________ Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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