Epiphanies of Beauty

a commonplace of the everyday

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
  • Portfolio

by Christine

7 Books for Young Reluctant Readers

I never thought I’d have a “reluctant reader.” Truthfully, I’m not sure how it even happened.

I read aloud.

There are books pouring out of every nook and cranny in our home.  It’s true. I hate clutter, but the bookshelves runneth over.

I read.

The child’s siblings read.

We are just a family of readers.

But then this child came along and really had a hard time, getting into reading.  He’s more active and would prefer to just go outside and play.  And that’s fine with me.

But we still need to read sometimes.

Reading is harder for this kid, and I suspect for most young reluctant readers, than the others. He got the sports gene and the reading gene is seeming to take a little longer to develop.  But “I Can Read” books are too “babyish” for him. I categorize him as reluctant rather than just emerging because he has determined that because it is not easy he doesn’t want to do it.  I have to have high interest stories for him to be willing to pick up and read so that he gets the necessary practice and develops his own joy of reading.

I look for chapter books with large words, frequent and interesting pictures, and a story worth reading. Also, it can’t be thick.  If it even resembles being a thick book, he won’t approach it yet.

The following books have my young reluctant reader waking up early to read the next chapter.


The Matchlock Gun | Book ReviewThe Matchlock Gun is a Newbery Medal winner from 1942.  They story is based on real life experience of the Val Alstyne family in 1756, two years after the start of the French and Indian Wars.  Young Edward is left at home with his mother and young sister while his father goes with the militia to ward off a potential Indian attack.  The militia was out maneuvered, however, and young Edward must help to protect his family.  There are some who have contentions with this book, but I’m not one of them. I go into a little more of it here.

Jigsaw Jones The Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster | Book ReviewThe Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster is the first Jigsaw Jones Mystery.  It’s a fun and fast read. Jigsaw Jones realizes the mysteries are like puzzles, which he adores, so he sets about charging $1 per day to solve other people’s problems.  In the process, he goes about putting things in alphabetical order, interviewing other people, and doing book research.  And yet, in spite of all the educational push, the book did not feel preachy – to me or my reader.  My reader finished this in a few days. Read a bit more here.

Along Came a Dog | Book ReviewAlong Came a Dog is a Newbery Honor book and completely worthy of a sigh.  Whenever I bring it out to read aloud everyone comes from the corners they are hiding in to join me on the couch. It’s just that good.  A stray dog decides to make his home on a farm – whether the owner wants him or not – and then sets about protecting a lame chicken.  It’s an unlikely friendship in a story with just the right amount of suspense. In fact, every time I read it I worry about that poor dog and that poor chicken and if they’re ever going to make it to a happy ending.  Thankfully, I’m never disappointed and everything works out just the way it should. Read more here.

My Father's Dragon | Book ReviewMy Father’s Dragon is a story that I was loathe to read at first.  Dragon’s, I had been told, are to be conquered and not tamed to be ridden home on.  Still, it was on all the book lists, a Newbery Honor winning book, and I didn’t feel quite right with the entire dragon banning essay to begin with.  So the book – and it’s two sequels – came into our home with joy.  The story is a very serious silly one and comes complete with it’s own map of The Island of Tangerina. If only my own father was that adventurous! Read more here.

The Knight at Dawn | Book ReviewThe Night at Dawn (Magic Tree House #1) is another one of those books that I swore off for the longest time. I don’t think for any good reason, either.  But the Knight at Dawn captured my own knight’s attention within the first few pages and held it to the end.  Not quite as many pictures as some of the other books, but it’s shorter.  There is some suspense – will the kids get hurt or get back to Frog Creek.  This book isn’t rocket science. It’s not a hard hitting history lesson or a moral tale. It’s a just a simple story the new readers still struggling with proficiency can read and enjoy. I talk about it a bit more here.

The Little | Book ReviewThe Littles is a story about a small family – literally, the biggest Little is 6 inches – who live in the wall of the Bigg family.  To survive, they help themselves to the Bigg family’s things: food, old discarded socks, etc.  In return, the Littles do things for the Bigg’s: maintain the wiring inside the walls, fix the plumbing, etc.  None of this known, of course, to the Bigg’s.  In this first book, the Bigg’s head off for a vacation and the Newcomb’s stay at the house.  But life isn’t the same for the Littles and they are determined to scare them away.  A perfect book, of course, because who wouldn’t like little people living in the walls to help clean your room and finish your chores, ya know? A little bit more on the story over here.

Bonus! I can’t count! I only listed 6 books above.  I could include a book about math. There are quite a few, but none that are so interesting they’ll grab my reluctant reader’s attention.  So we’ll count seven as the series.  Is that okay? Will you let me cheat this once? Many of the books above are series so that your reader has plenty to read while he or she grows comfortable with reading. Likely you won’t run out of stories.

Books for Young Reluctant Readers

What about you? What are your favorite beginning chapter books for those struggling young reluctant readers?

Linking up with Anne’s Quick Lit today.

Filed Under: Book Lists Tagged With: Emerging Reader, First Chapter Books, Reluctant Reader

« Paper Towns | Book Review
Faith, hope, and Sweet Forgiveness »

Comments

  1. Becca @ The Earthlings Handbook says

    June 15, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Does he like cats? Three books my son has enjoyed repeatedly that are fairly easy to read:
    Ghost Cat by Helen Rushmore
    Elephi, the Cat with the High I.Q. by Jean Stafford
    Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill

    Ruth Chew wrote dozens of books about kids discovering magic. They’re on about third grade reading level and are lots of fun–very creative ideas. More about them here.

    • Christine says

      June 15, 2015 at 10:37 pm

      Oh! I completely forgot about Averill’s Cat Club! And the magic books sound great, too. Thanks for the recommendations!

  2. Susan says

    June 15, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Like you, I love to read. All 3 of mine — now teens — do too, although they certainly differ from me in other ways. It’s so interesting how our kids are (and aren’t) like us, huh?! I know this list will be helpful to many. When I taught school, I had so many students (mostly boys) who didn’t enjoy reading.

    • Christine says

      June 15, 2015 at 10:39 pm

      Grrr. I notice it’s boys, too. So far, it’s just because this one is too busy. But I hope that’s ALL it is. We’re going to work in some non-fiction, too. I’ve read before that some boys prefer that genre and at this age, it’s up to me to expose him to the various genres…

  3. Anne says

    June 15, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    I hope my kids love to read, too. You never know though, do you? I wouldn’t say my kid is reluctant, but I can’t say I’ve noticed him picking up books on his own lately. His aunt gave him the Jigsaw Jones book, and he thought it was a hoot! He read some of it on his own and some of it with me out loud. Thanks for a great list!

    • Christine says

      June 15, 2015 at 10:49 pm

      My one boy is better described as “prefers to run wild” than reluctant. 🙂 But I think it has a lot to do with just not being comfortable with reading yet. I dunno. I’ll let you know in a few years! LOL

  4. Moira @ Hearth and Homefront says

    June 15, 2015 at 9:16 pm

    Great list! My boys are just starting to go through the early reader to chapter book transition, and we’ve had good luck with the Dragonbreath series and the How to Train your Dragon series. (We are big into dragons in my house 🙂 ) Taking note of these titles for our next library trip!

    • Christine says

      June 15, 2015 at 10:40 pm

      Ha! I think my boys – the one who loves to read included – would love to read a book with a title called “Dragonbreath”. What a hoot. I’ll definitely check out the series. And the other’s, too.

  5. Megan says

    June 16, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    I have a reluctant reader at home as well! We too have enjoyed success with The Littles (a girlhood favorite of mine!). Thanks for this list!

    • Christine says

      June 16, 2015 at 6:29 pm

      Aren’t the Littles great? And I can I say that I think you have the best blog name ever? Books and carbs is just about as good as it gets.

Looking for Something?

Picture the Days

Follow on Instagram

Amazon Associates Disclosure

This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

You can be sure I won’t recommend a product or resource for the sole purpose of being compensated. If I say my family and I use and enjoy something, it’s because we do.

Got Art?

(affiliate link)

Archives

Reader, writer, pontificator. I like coffee, gardens other people grow, the Sacraments, and hyperbole.

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Epiphanies of Beauty © 2005–2023 | All Rights Reserved | Disclosure and Other Policies