How to Raise a Reader, Part 2

Okay, so little Chumleigh or Dot can read, but he/she doesn't love it. How can you make your child (or student) love books?

You can't. Can you make me love football? No. We are all different and, theoretically at least, we appreciate that, right? Richness and variety and all that jazz (which I'm not so fond of. I prefer pop, to be honest). Yeah, well, we love the diversity of life until someone we love doesn't love what we love. Did you follow that? I love romance novels, therefore my daughter must love romance novels. I keep giving them to her, but she just won't give them a chance. I know as soon as she does, she'll love them, just like I do. Right? Meanwhile she wastes her time on short stories. What's up with that? You get no time to fall into the story and it's over. Ick.

Do you understand how ridiculous my position is? You can't make your child love reading just because you do, or even worse, just because you think they "should."

Stories on the other hand -- well, I believe story is one of the strategies humans use to make sense of the world. Luckily there are plenty of places to get stories outside of books: music, movies, theater, tv, jokes, video games, art, play, storytelling. The list goes on and on. Encourage telling stories with your children -- tell stories to them, help them tell their own, talk about the stories in songs or games, talk through what's going on with LEGO and building blocks and cooking and dress-up and . . . and . . . and.

It's true that in our culture reading fluently is crucial. I'll admit that. The way to become fluent is to practice. So the way I interpret that first question -- how do I make my kids love reading -- is to ask how do I get my kids to read more, to read fluently? Choice. See "How to Raise a Reader, part 1."

Thanks to J.K. Rowling, fantasy reigns right now in the publishing world. That's okay. So what if little Chumleigh won't read anything else? Who's he hurting? If you want him to try a little historical fiction, read it out loud to him. Invest your own time, if it's that important to you. Don't ask him to give up what little choice and free time he has just because you want to expose him to historical fiction.

What if little Dot doesn't read in her spare time at all? Is she a fluent reader? If so, then who's she hurting? If she isn't, you making her read a whole book isn't going to help. Meet her where she is -- soccer rules, iPad user guide, song lyrics, blogs, even -- gasp -- gaming cheat codes. Talk about what you are reading; share recommendations and listen to hers. Share your stories with your kids and ask them to share theirs with you.

In short, relax. Enjoy your children and students. Talk about and share stories, encourage them and trust them to find out for themselves what they love and why.

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.