How to Raise a Reader, Part 1

As school librarians, we are often asked how to make kids read more. Here's my answer based on years in a school library as well as having raised three grown children who all love to read. The most important thing is choice. Let them read what they want. I'm going to say that again.

Let. Them. Read. What. They. Want.

Got it? That means if they love to read comic books, let them read comic books. If they will only read horse stories, let them read horse stories.

If you are concerned that your child won't try anything new, remember that reading is a hard skill to learn and  practice makes perfect. They are practicing. Familiarity with the plot or format means at least one less thing to worry about as they read. Have some faith that your child's reading tastes will progress. Honestly, do you know any adults who still read the Hardy Boys for their own pleasure?

Absolutely introduce new stuff. Make variety available by borrowing library materials on your own account. You must be willing to invest your own time and resources in this endeavor, or your child will wonder just how valuable it is. Read new books or genres out loud to them. Miss Manners had a brilliant strategy to get kids to read: read out loud to them until you get to a cliff hanger, then perkily say, "Okay. Lights out." Of course you have to make sure they have a working flashlight first.

I'm a big advocate of reading aloud, but it's important that it is pleasurable for both parties. Years ago, I had read three Redwall books by Brian Jacques out loud to my then 9-, 10- and 12-year-old children. It was great; I did the voices and we relished every feast day menu, going so far as to plan our own, until they realized Deeper-n-Ever Pie was made out of vegetables. By the end of number four, the fun had worn off for me and I told them it was time to read them themselves. "But," whined my 9-year-old, "I can't read that well." "You're going to want to practice then," I said without pity. There were just so many great stories to share with my kids, I didn't want to spend any time on books that weren't fun for me too.

Read aloud with your kids as long as they will let you and schedules permit. I'm pretty sure that we read our last novel together the summer my oldest son got his driver's license, but 15 years later we still take turns reading aloud picture books on Christmas Eve.

If you need strategies for opening up a non-reader's mind to new stories, try making bargains -- "I'll read Knuffle-Bunny (even if it's for the umpteenth time), if I also get to read one chapter of The Children of Noisy Village." The bargain must be reasonable (i.e. one chapter, not the whole book) and you must have read Knuffle-Bunny or whatever so often that you both have it memorized. Trust that their tastes will change, and that all too soon you'll be wishing you had even one more snuggle with a contented, sleepy preschooler and Mo Willems.

The point is that when reading is pleasurable, they do it and they'll keep doing it. Kids stop reading because it becomes work: textbooks and class reading and beautiful passages analyzed to within an inch of their lives. Of course there are things that we have to read, but that's not what makes us fluent. Being fluent is what allows us to read the necessary stuff. Encourage reading fluency in your children by honoring their choices.