Blogging A to Z: Keep Books Everywhere

Have you ever learned a new word or talked about something fairly vague and then all of a sudden you start seeing or hearing about it everywhere? I’m sure that sensation/phenomenon is actually called something, but for today’s purpose, it’s a good analogy for reaching reluctant readers!

You can encourage reading by simply keeping books and magazines all over the place! Now, that might make some people get a little twitchy if you like keeping a clean and orderly house. But that’s what bookcases, shelves, and baskets are for. To store books. I honestly think I have books in almost every single room of my house, sans the bathrooms. They’re proudly on display in bookcases, tucked on the bottom shelf of an end table, and in essence strewn about the house so I have easy access where ever I am.

That’s what you need to do for reluctant readers too! Books in the bedroom, in the family room, at the dining room table, in the car. Wherever it is your reader spends time, there should always be an option to pick up a book. Don’t discount magazines either, but we’ll get more into magazines in a few letters!

One of the key indicators of student success is access to books at home from a young age. So this means that kids should see books around them at all times. Board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books – whatever level they’re at there should be books. Now, keeping books in kids’ hands can be an expensive endeavor. That’s what’s so great about libraries! Access to lots of options at virtually no cost to you.

I always suggest to reluctant readers to take home at least 2-3 books. Never enough to be overwhelming, but choices are key. If you only take one book home and can’t get past the first few pages, then you have nothing else to try until you can get back to the library. At least having a few options means a better chance for success.

How do you get your child to pick up a book instead of playing video games or scrolling through their phones? This is a little more tricky. But, you can do a few simple things.

1. Plan a non-tech time. Everyone in the house has to choose to do something that doesn’t involve computers, tablets, phones, videogames, etc.
2. Try having a reading dinner. That’s right, everyone brings a book to the dinner table one night, adults included!
3. Incentivize reading. Some kids definitely need a little help in motivatating them to pick up a book.

With access to books throughout the house, hopefully your reluctant reader will find something that sparks their interest!

For the month of April, I’ll be sharing tips for reaching reluctant readers as part of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. There are dozens of reasons why a child might be considered a “reluctant reader.” As summer nears, continued reading practice helps students to keep the reading skills they learned while reading for fun. But, that’s not easy when a child doesn’t want to sit down and read. I’ll be sharing 26 tips to meet reluctant readers where they are. And hopefully find a way to make reading bearable, if not even something they want to do!