how to get a kid to read....need suggestions

[KiaKat]

Don't discount a disability, just because it isn't apparent. We thought for years that my sister just didn't like reading. Once she got into college (pre-med, she's now a doctor), she took several neurology courses, and one of them covered Dyslexia. The symptoms matched what she always claimed to hate about reading, she went and got tested, and diagnosed. Because it's not the classic "mixed up letters and messed up words" style, it frequently gets ignored or overlooked.

Not saying that your daughter *does* have a disability, just that maybe there's another reason for her to hate reading.

Maybe go back a bit in difficulty. Something like Little House on the Prairie.

[Seshat]

Oooh - good point.

Also get her sight tested. And maybe get her a Kindle.

My eyesight, when measured across both eyes, reads as excellent. But when I'm using my Kindle, I keep the text size up quite high - it makes my bad eye hurt less.

It surprises me how much my bad eye hurts when a read a normal book now. I can well imagine that someone who isn't already aware that books are fun, would be put off by the pain.

So .. yeah. Sight tests, and consider an e-reader.

[JoitheArtist]

REALLY depends on the kid.

I used to tutor a 3rd grader who simply wasn't interested in reading. I brought her my copy of one of my all-time favorite books, The Eleventh Hour, by Graeme Base.

If you're not familiar with the book (GO READ IT), it's a mystery story with gorgeous illustrations: a birthday feast is devoured by an unseen person,and the reader must solve the mystery. The illustrations are packed with puzzles and codes, some of the fiendishly difficult, some of which turn out to be red herrings or simply useless.

By the time this girl and I had worked our way to the end of the book, she was reading aloud with inflection and excited to find out what happened next.

Dunno if that helps at all, but I hope so!

[Rapscallion]

As for the rest of those choices, they're all pretty good, although I wouldn't suggest the Sookie Stackhouse series to a 13-year-old....while the vampire idea is there, there is QUITE a bit of sex throughout the series....

A bit of an understatement. Seems to read like a list of which supernatural creature the author can get her to mate with next.

Rapscallion

[TheSHAD0W]

Step one: Find a story with a real hook to it, something that'd really draw them in. It has to be on their reading level.

Step two: Start reading them the story, maybe in bed.

Step three: "Oops, I forgot, I have to go do xxx" - and walk away.

[darkcrimsongoth]

My mum and dad used to read to me at a young age. Which did help me a lot in school, I don't read a lot of books anymore, but when the last Harry Potter book came out when I was in high school, I spent 4 hours reading it and finished it.

Harry Potter's a good choice. Although it does depend on what your daughter likes.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I am in favor of reading pretty much anything and everything. Including comic books.

Actually, especially comic books.

They are easy to read, and the small bites of text amid the illustrations make them easy to follow and comprehend. They require very little commitment and time. They tend to be re read repeatedly, thus reinforcing the lesson. They are fun.

Don't think that just because they are comics they are not worthy reading. When I was in the fifth grade I was reading on an eleventh grade level. One of the things I devoured was comic books. I really do believe it boosted my reading skills through the roof.

[fireheart]

A bit of an understatement. Seems to read like a list of which supernatural creature the author can get her to mate with next.

Rapscallion

Let's see....

-Vampire.
-Weretiger.
-ANOTHER vampire...
-She has gone into bed with two fairies....

So does that mean she's going to screw a fairy next?

[CaroPhoenix]

Nor would I recommend the Anita Blake series for a 13-year-old. Same as with the Sookie Stackhouse series - lots of sex and violence!

I'm all for comic books. 2 of the comics we're subscribed to at the local comic book store are for Child Rum. We're getting her the regular Sonic (the Hedgehog) comic and the Tiny Titans comic from DC comics. But I think there are a few girl oriented comics out there.

Good luck!

[Dasota]

Nor would I recommend the Anita Blake series for a 13-year-old.

That's when I got introduced to the Anita Blake series, but it wasn't until I got older that I got past Burnt Offerings. But I had caught up with the series by the time Harlequin came out.

But yes, depending on the maturity of the 13 y/o I would not introduce them to the Anita Blake series either until they were older.

[Lyse]

I can't really say anything about a 13 y/o reading Anita Blake. I remember my 5th grade teacher taking Valley of the Horses away from me and calling my mom due to the explicit sex. Although the sex scenes were lost on my for a while longer - at the time they were annoying blocks of text I had to skip over to get back to the story. Actually, I still usually skip them.

[CaroPhoenix]

Well, I can't talk about reading sex scenes as I read the book Beloved by Bertrice Small. She's a historical romance writer. She also writes really good sex scenes. I read the book from beginning to end. Including the sex scenes.

Yeah ... I was an inquisitive child.

[Fire_on_High]

Step one: Find a story with a real hook to it, something that'd really draw them in. It has to be on their reading level.

Step two: Start reading them the story, maybe in bed.

Step three: "Oops, I forgot, I have to go do xxx" - and walk away.

Wow...that's incredibly low down, dirty, cheap, and underhanded....I love it!!

[Dips]

A friend had a child that was obsessed with Japanese monster movies and didn't read enough.

It was suggested that she get him the videos in Japanese with subtitles. If he wanted to know what the characters were saying, he *had* to read.

I also agree wholeheartedly with comic strips and comic books. Kids who don't like to read WILL read those.

[Treasure]

Well, I can't talk about reading sex scenes as I read the book Beloved by Bertrice Small. She's a historical romance writer. She also writes really good sex scenes. I read the book from beginning to end. Including the sex scenes.

Yeah ... I was an inquisitive child.

WOW - I read my first romance novel at age 11 (6th grade) and it was "Fires of Winter" by Johanna Lindsey -

My mom has a ton of Bertrice Small books - and I thought I wanted to read them, as mom kept going back to them - she told me i had to wait until i was 16 or 17 to read Skye O'Malley - When I finally did read it - I understood why mom said I had to wait - there were scenes in there that still squick me out... and I haven't read anything else in that series; however her Friarsgate Series I have absolutely loved - she's gotten a lot "softer" in her written pron in her advancing years...


to the OP:

does your family talk about the book they're reading? My friends and family do - and my dad and a friend started discussing one particular series, (the Amber books, by Roger Zelazny) and I finally got my interest piqued enough that I asked Dad for the books... they are a good read... I finally felt in the loop - however as far as the Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan go - Not gonna happen anytime soon, as too many people are pressuring me to read them....

that may be part of Heather's issue too.. she feel's pressured to read, instead of being allowed to organically develop her reading....

my parents still pick on my for something I said when I was probably about Heather's age "I'm a reader, not a writer" and this is still very much true for me - I don't write stories, or essays, etc (although as much time as is spent on the net, it could be argued that I write more now than ever, but I don't think of it as "writing"... I digress) however I devour books of 400+ pages in HOURS... but what my point was - is that Heather may be one of those people for whom she'd rather write the story, as all the stuff that is "age appropriate" is not on her level (either too mature or not mature enough for HER) \

ask her about it - what does she like or not like about reading - ask her why she finds it boring - does the story take to long to tell? is it because she doesn't feel "involved in the action"? give her the Hobbit and the LOTR sound track - have her try and match tracks on the cd to chapters in the book ... (difficult i know, but that's kind of part of the challenge) she may be one of those who will do better with what is normally considered a distraction while reading....

another one to try that with is Mists of Avalon (I was a sophomore in hs when a teacher gave it to me to read, b/c about every 3 days I had a new book with me, and was just blowing through them... she could ask me about them and i could give her a full rundown, so she knew I really was reading them)

But mostly I have to echo everybody else who has said - find out her interest, get her the right material and the right situation/setting for her to read and it should take over from there....

this should have been something that was started when she was a toddler, but as I gather from your other posts about her Heather is your Step-daughter, and so you didn't get to establish some early habits - so am not blaming you.