Books that Will Inspire Your Struggling Reader to Read this School Year

Sep. 21

Books that Will Inspire Your Struggling Reader to Read this School Year

For students who dislike, or struggle with, reading, it is a battle to get them to pick up a book over the school year. As a parent, you recognize the importance of continuing to read, but your child may not.

However, when students don’t read daily, they begin to lose the critical skills they developed over time. For children who struggle with English, this is especially detrimental. So, inspire your child to keep reading daily with these fun, engaging books. These fast reads will keep your child’s attention and have them reaching for more all year long.

 

 

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

Children of the ‘90s will recognize this title.  Magic Tree House follows a pair of siblings on their series of adventures—some totally fabricated, others rooted in historical events. Osborne’s clear and lively writing style continues to entice children for 30 years, and parents enjoy that their child is learning something while having fun.

Since 1992, Osborne has released 108 novels in the Magic Tree House universe, so your child could be busy reading all year long with this series alone. There is even a secondary Magic Tree House series, the Merlin Missions books, which is designed to target slightly older children.

 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid took the world by storm in the early 2000s. Its fun illustrations, relatable characters, and a writing style that is easily accessible to children of any reading ability quickly made it a classic. With 17 novels in the series and 11 supplementary books, your child has ample opportunity to enjoy the humor of this series.

 

Alvin Ho by Lenore Look

For lovers of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Alvin Ho is a great next step. It’s another illustrated chapter book that follows a boy as he navigates school and everything that scares him in life. The Alvin Ho series tackles the sensitive topic of anxiety in a fun way that is accessible to children. It’s valuable for them to see these struggles represented so they know it is a normal feeling, and how to cope with it.

 

Who Was/What Was Series

For parents who want their children to learn more important figures and events in history, the Who Was? and What Was? series are fantastic options. They are quick and to the point, with beautiful illustrations written by various experts. With over 250 titles, it’s likely your child will find a number of books that pique their interest.

 

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is a series of novels following the titular character as he explores the world of Greek Gods in the 21st century. Herald as “perfectly paced” and “electrifying,” millions of children across the world found themselves enthralled by this series and its subsequent spin-offs. This series is geared towards slightly children, so keep that in mind as you offer it to your child.

A television series is currently in the works, so by the time your child finishes reading the series, they’ll be excited to compare and contrast the two forms.

 

Let your child read what they want to read

Author R.L. Stine famously said, “Let kids read what they want to read, don’t try to force them to read ‘good’ books. I always say it’s really important to let kids find what they like and let them read it.” If you gate-keep your child’s reading, they will likely grow to resent reading altogether. Instead, encourage your child to read any book. Of course, you can make suggestions, but know it is always up to them to put down or pick up a book.

If your child struggles with their English homework reading will certainly help, but having a tutor to support them will make all the difference. Call 224-935-2366 or email stella.sweiss@acf-us.org to learn more about the Assyrian Cultural Foundation Tutoring Program.