Cover of Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Children and young adults don’t always love reading; many prefer video games or television to picking up a book. If you’re a parent of a reluctant reader, take strides to encourage them to develop an interest in reading. Recommend books for them that are ideal for reluctant readers; these books have accessible, engaging storylines and are written for readers who aren’t yet comfortable with reading difficult books. Here are a few books that are good for reluctant readers.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
This beloved series by Jeff Kinney follows the middle school student Greg Heffley as he details the difficulties of being a scrawny pre-teen. When his best friend Rowley joins the popular crowd, he must take great strides to keep his friend. Comic illustrations are included throughout the book and will help keep kids entertained.
Frindle
Frindle, by Andrew Clements and Brian Selznick, features the mischievous ten-year-old Nick Allen, who routinely aggravates his fifth-grade language arts teacher, Mrs. Granger. He must write a report on how new entries are added to the dictionary, and, while writing it, he decides to coin a new word: frindle, his new word for pen. Soon everyone in the school is using the word, and the word’s popularity sweeps the nation.
Wintergirls
Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is for young adult reluctant readers. It features intense emotions and vivid language and covers a topic that is relevant to teen girls. Wintergirls is the story of Lia and Cassie, who had been best friends since grade school. Each of the girls has an eating disorder, and, after Cassie commits suicide, Lia’s guilt and her need to be thin become nearly unbearable.
