In the Weekly Quandary, we pull from the comments, the weekly open thread or email question that we know (or at least suspect) plagues more than one parent. You — the readers — provide the advice: How have you made this work better in your family?
Last week, Motherlode sought “Books for Middle Schoolers Who Aren’t Yet ‘Teens,”’and amid that fantastic discussion, another question arose: What about the reader whose interests have overshot her reading ability?
My 9-year-old daughter is “typical” (pretend that really exists — used here to say age-appropriate) in her interests, but a year or two behind in her reading ability. Thus I have trouble finding books she’s both able to read and has interest in reading.
Audio books are wonderful; they’re what keeps her able to talk about popular book series with friends (e.g. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc). But need to find more for her to actually read herself. Have already tried “Wimpy Kid” series (good) and “Dork Diaries” (also O.K.). “Stepping Stone Classics” series books have also been great. Other suggestions?
Can we help this parent out? As a side note, I’ll say that my child whose reading comprehension appears below grade level in school still reads many books that must challenge her — if she’s engaged. She loved “Matilda” recently and, at a slightly younger age, “The Little Leftover Witch” (a seasonal book that I loved as a child, too). Looking over the pages, I know there are many words she must not have known, and hearing her talk about the book, I know that there are things she didn’t understand, but I’d still count it as a win. I also want to suggest graphic novels (try the “Zita the Spacegirl” or the “Amulet” series) and comics, the best of which, like “Calvin and Hobbes” reach readers at all levels about sophisticated concepts.
Last question: When a child who struggles with reading is assigned a book report, where do you stand on audio books and reading aloud? I favor reading chunks of the book aloud, because it gives me a chance to explain words and concepts that, even spoken, a young reader may not get. We do this with other books my younger children are reading, too. But, sorry, I won’t explain “why I liked this book and whether I would recommend it.”
What books and strategies work for your not-at-grade-level reader?