Rob Reid - Reaching Reluctant Young Readers

Reaching Reluctant Young Readers

Reaching Reluctant Young Readers

Rob Reid

Rowman & Littlefield

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Reid, Rob, 1955 author.

Title: Reaching reluctant young readers / Rob Reid.

Description: Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016048343 (print) | LCCN 2017008556 (ebook) | ISBN 9781442274402 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781442274419 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781442274426 (electronic)

Subjects: LCSH: ChildrenBooks and readingUnited States. | PreteensBooks and readingUnited States. | Middle school studentsBooks and readingUnited States. | Childrens literatureBibliography.

Classification: LCC Z1037 .R38 2017 (print) | LCC Z1037 (ebook) | DDC 028.5/50973dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016048343

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Printed in the United States of America

For Eau Claire

Preface

I have worked most of my adult life with young readers of all abilities and interests, and nothing gives me more pleasure than to spark the interest of a reluctant reader. I started as a junior high English teacher, spent a few decades as both a public library youth services librarian and as a youth services state consultant and, for the last twenty years, have been teaching at the University of WisconsinEau Claire, specializing in childrens and young adult literature. I also spent time on the road as a storyteller and Ive visited classrooms working with children on all aspects of literacy. I take great pride working with reluctant readers, and even if I didnt make all of them lifelong readers (I have followed up on some who have indeed made reading a regular part of their life), at least some read the books I pitched to them.

Over the years, I have used many methods to pique the interests of reluctant readers: storytelling, creative dramatics, music, readers theater, booktalking, and reading aloud to them. In recent years, Ive put more emphasis on these last two methods: booktalking and reading aloud. Ive combined them by showing the kids a particular book, reading the authors opening lines, giving my pitch (my word for booktalking), and then reading a short stand-alone passage from the book to hopefully seal the deal. In other words, to get the kids to read the whole book on their own.

There is little on the market in recent years on tactics to use with reluctant readers for this age group. Most of the books published in the last ten to twenty years focus on teen reluctant readers or solely on male readers. Its rare to find a book in the field that provides resources for the female reluctant reader.

Reaching Reluctant Young Readers was designed to profile books that will appeal to this age-level reluctant reader, both boys and girls. The 150 featured books are scripted as booktalk/read-aloud presentations for adults working with kids. This project also lists hundreds of other recommended read-alike titles. At the time of this writing, every book listed was in print and available for purchase from most bookselling vendors. Most public libraries have many of the books, and all libraries can access all of the books through their interlibrary loan services.

Id like to give a special shout-out to three authors who broke barriers to turn reluctant readers into engaged readers: Jeff Kinney, Barbara Park, and Dav Pilkey. Jeff Kinney wrote the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series that made the concept of the hybrid chapter books even more popular than it previously was. I wrote a book review for the first book in the series and concluded by stating, This is now the first book Id give to a reluctant reader. And I got a nice reply from author Kinney himself. Barbara Park made bridge books, books that bridge the gap between easy readers and longer chapter books, more popular with her Junie B. Jones series. Junie is a hit with young readers because of her spunky nature and use of colloquial everyday dialogue versus speaking proper English. And Dav Pilkey created the Captain Underpants series, another form of hybrid chapter book that did wonders to make reluctant readers run for the library shelves.

There are dozens of other wonderful authors inside who can do the same thing for young reluctant readersmake them run for the library shelves.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to:

Shawn Brommer at the South Central Library System, Madison, Wisconsin, for inviting me to speak about reluctant readers at a workshop. It gave me the idea for this book on the car ride home;

Cheyenne Braker, for her research assistance;

my book club group who helped me brainstorm titles;

the L. E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, the Altoona (WI) Public Library, and University of WisconsinEau Claires McIntyre Library;

my students at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, who shared stories of why they didnt like to read as a child, as well as those students who shared reading success stories;

the staff at the Red Balloon Bookstore, St. Paul, Minnesota, for their help;

Charles, for his support from the beginning; and

the students at the following schools for letting me pitch the books to them and also for answering my question, What book would you give to a friend of yours who doesnt like to read?:

Flynn Elementary School, Eau Claire, WI

Lakeshore Elementary School, Eau Claire, WI

Longfellow Elementary School, Eau Claire, WI

Sherman Elementary School, Eau Claire, WI

South Middle School, Eau Claire, WI

Fairchild Elementary School, Fairchild, WI

Gilmanton Elementary School, Gilmanton, WI

Tainter Elementary School, Rice Lake, WI

Introduction

Who Are the Reluctant Readers?

Children may be reluctant readers because they have an inability to read, something that makes it physically hard for them to read. Other children may be labeled alliterate, because they are uninterested in reading, even though they have the ability to read and may, in fact, have high reading skills. It is this second type of reluctant reader this book addresses, the alliterate child.

Both males and females may be reluctant readers. Most of the focus in the literature is aimed at males. However, some research says otherwise. Nielen et al. (2016) states their research shows little difference between male and female reluctant readers. Anecdotally, I teach college-level teacher education courses where more than 90 percent of my students are female. I have heard from many of them, far more than I would have expected, that they were nonreaders as children.

There are many reasons why children, both boys and girls, may be uninterested in reading:

1. Some children might not be confident in their reading skills. They have the ability but fail to use the skills they have. Reluctant readers dont believe they can! (Jobe and Dayton-Sakari 1999).