Choosing a book to read can be overwhelming. Where do we start? There are so many we “should” read. Then there’s the books we tell people we’ve read but we’ve really only read the summary or Cliff’s Notes (I’m looking at you The Grapes of Wratth!), and don’t even get me started on the Classics!
Yet having a great book can make all the difference. It can capture our imagination, help us see others in a new light, and give us the opportunity to focus on a single subject without the interruption of any notifications, blinking lights, built-in rewards, or external programming of any kind. Just you, a series of letters, and the original 4k God gave you called imagination.
Today, I’m going to put on my English teacher hat and give you four steps for finding a great book—or to help a reluctant reader who might live in your home.
Step #1: Find a topic that interests the reader (not just you).
There is no such thing as “the perfect book”.
Exhibit A: Pick up a best seller and tell me if you enjoy it. There’s a really good chance that if you do, the person next to you won’t. Why? Maybe it’s the topic, the content, the characters, the setting. Maybe it’s too slow, too fast, the author speaks to you like you’re a little kid or maybe they use only fancy highfalutin words that make them seem a little too smug — like you should be grateful for a chance to even hold the cover between your stodgy little fingers. Whatever it is, people vary wildly in their opinion of even the most tried and true literature.
Exhibit B: Ask anyone who has been through high school their opinion of The Great Gatsby. There’s a good chance they’ll have a strong opinion, but chances are, it won’t be the same opinion.
In any case, what is true in adults is amplified in kids. Just because a book is popular, or you enjoyed it as a child, doesn’t mean your child, who has a will and mind of his own, will enjoy reading it. There are few things worse in reading than being handed a book and told “You absolutely HAVE to read this!” It’s comments like that which lead some of the more defiant of us to skip reading books until our mid 30s. Turns out The Chronicles of Narnia is actually a pretty good series. It just took me a couple decades to find that out.
So find books that interest your reader. Suggest books you know line up with their passions and gifts.
Step #2: Don’t believe them when they say they “hate” reading.
It feels at times like some young people, especially certain middle schoolers, take special pride in hating reading. It’s like a rite of passage—as though in order to be awesome and angsty they have to hate things that are good for them:
- sleeping is overrated
- drinking water is for the birds
- and reading is for suckers.
One clear example of this was when a young man joined my class second semester. He sat in the front row and made it very clear he hated English and thought reading was stupid. It turned out he read at a 4th grade level in the 8th grade. Reading was stupid because it was hard. So we found him books in subjects he enjoyed, like visual engineering books (The Thing Explainer by Randall Monroe was a favorite) and his dad helped him read them every night. By the end of the year he’d raised his reading level nearly 4 grades!
This young man didn’t hate reading, but he was convinced he couldn’t read, so he refused to try. No one likes to look stupid, especially not middle schoolers. But his parents, and his teachers, didn’t let him stay in that intellectual cocoon. We managed to capture his heart, we found a topic of deep interest to him, and what originally felt like punishment to him became a pastime he grew to love.
Step #3: Get a feel for the book.
Publishers and authors go out of their way to help us understand their book quickly and easily. Here are some quick tips to deciding if a book is a good fit:
- Read the back cover: this will be a concise summary of the book.
- Read the inside the front cover: This often goes into further detail about the plot and/or author.
- Read the first page: You will get a good idea for what the author thinks is interesting for their audience. They try to hook you early and will give you a good feel for what the rest of the story may be like.
THEN, read a book review (that way you’re not just taking them at their word—you already know a bit about the book yourself). Some of my favorite sites for book reviews are:
Step #4: Give It a Shot!
Sometimes you just have to pick the book up and give it a read. But keep these tips in mind as you dive in:
A. Never judge a book by its cover. Seriously. Some amazing books have weird covers (like The Giver or A Wrinkle in Time).
B. Find the right reading level: Many school districts test for reading level. A nice rule: If there are five or more words on a page you don’t know, find an easier book to read.
C. Use the 10% rule: If you aren’t interested after reading 10% of the book, put it down.
D. Read it together! Our kids will rarely do what we say if they don’t see it modeled first. Reading out loud is positive shared time, it develops vocabulary, is a great way to get your non-cuddly kiddos to stay close (as is the case with my two little squirrelly boys), and builds in a tradition of time together: “We read stories together!”.
Whatever happens: Keep reading!
These several little tricks all merge into one big idea: In finding a book your reader loves you will definitely find books they don’t. If the first book (or dozen books) you find don’t work out, or simply aren’t their favorite, keep on keeping on! Remember that the point is the experience, the process, and the hope you have of drawing your child closer to seeing the amazing God and Creator who loves them through stories that bring out the adventures and passion our children are wired for.
Want more resources?
Here are some great resources to help you on your hunt to find great books:
Check out The Gospel Tech Podcast, S.3, Ep. 13, where we discuss how we can make reading a win for our families.
Additionally, I’ve used these resources to find books for my own children and to make suggestions for young readers through middle school.
- Honey for a Child’s Heart (book)
- Read Aloud Family (book) and Read Aloud Revival (podcast)
- Ma and Pa Modern (instagram), Ma and Pa Modern (website) and Adventuring Together (book)
0 Comments