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If your child approaches summer reading like it's a poisonous snake (or in fact would happily wrestle a poisonous snake BEFORE doing the summer reading), this list is for you.
"Reluctant readers" are a category that publishers are now actively courting, and there are more choices than ever before. Of course, you don't want your child to lose ground academically — the dreaded "summer slide" — and even more importantly, you want them to grow up loving reading.
Amazon's FreeTime team put together a list of their top recommendations to bring out any kid's inner bookworm, below. And Seira Wilson, Amazon's senior book editor and mom of an 11-year-old, offered her best advice for parents of reluctant readers:
Read with your children
Curl up with a book together on a rainy day. When you're reading a book or article on your Kindle or phone, let your child know that you're reading (not just playing games or scrolling Facebook). If your children see you enjoy reading, they're more likely to view it as something fun and not a chore. Bonus points for reading the same book together, which can spark some fascinating discussions as well.
"Have a family book club," Wilson suggests. "When kids see parents and older siblings reading for pleasure, they see it as a leisure-time activity rather than (stern voice) 'You need to go read for 30 minutes!'"
Try audio books
Listening to a book may seem opposed to reading one — but it's not, Wilson explains. Audio books are a great way to get kids hooked on narrative structure, storytelling and characters and are especially great for car rides. Once that book or that ride is over, they're more likely to dive into the next chapter or the next book in the series. Audio books can also help kids discover a new genre of book, or move up to a more difficult level of reading that they might be hesitant to try at first. "I'm a huge fan of audiobooks," Wilson said. "On a family road trip or while they are doing chores, it does make time go fast."
Seek out series
It may take some experimentation to find a series that resonates with your child (see suggestions below), but once you do, you've got a reader who will likely devour everything in the series, and then move on to the next book by that author. Be ready with suggestions for "more like this" once they finish one series, which will happen sooner than you may expect! Series are also another great way to get a child to "level up" their reading — if they just want to keep reading the same books over and over again, let them do that, Wilson says, but also offer a slightly more challenging series in the same genre.
Check out movie releases
There are some awesome book adaptations coming to the big screen this summer and fall, Wilson notes, like "The House With The Clock In Its Walls" and "Mortal Engines." You can entice a reluctant reader with the promise of a movie after they've read the book; or show them the movie ("A Wrinkle in Time" is another great choice) to pique their interest in a great book.
Ready to inspire your readers? Amazon's FreeTime team reviews thousands of children's books, movies, TV shows, games and apps, and they curated this list of their favorite titles for reluctant readers:
Graphic Novels and Comics
TODAY editors, writers and experts take care to recommend items we really like and hope you’ll enjoy! Just so you know, TODAY does have affiliate relationships. So, while every product is independently selected, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the revenue.
1. "Angry Birds Playground: Animals: An Around-the-World Habitat Adventure" by Jill Esbaum (Ages: 3 to 5), $10, Amazon
1. "Angry Birds Playground: Animals: An Around-the-World Habitat Adventure" by Jill Esbaum (Ages: 3 to 5), $10, Amazon
Also available for $10 at Barnes and Noble.
2. "Breaking Cat News: Cats Reporting on the News that Matters to Cats" by Georgia Dunn (Ages: 6 to 8), $9 (normally $13), Amazon
2. "Breaking Cat News: Cats Reporting on the News that Matters to Cats" by Georgia Dunn (Ages: 6 to 8), $9 (normally $13), Amazon
Also available for $11 (normally $13) at Barnes and Noble.
3. "Tiny Titans and the Science Fair" by Art Baltazar (Ages: 6 to 8), $3, Amazon
3. "Tiny Titans and the Science Fair" by Art Baltazar (Ages: 6 to 8), $3, Amazon
Also available for $5 at Barnes and Noble.
4. "Ace (DC Super-Pets Origin Stories)" by Steve Korte (Ages: 6 to 8), $4, Amazon
4. "Ace (DC Super-Pets Origin Stories)" by Steve Korte (Ages: 6 to 8), $4, Amazon
Also available for $5 at Barnes and Noble.
5. "Pranks and Attacks!: Book 1 (Tao, the Little Samurai)" by Laurent Richard (Ages: 6 to 8), $7, Amazon
5. "Pranks and Attacks!: Book 1 (Tao, the Little Samurai)" by Laurent Richard (Ages: 6 to 8), $7, Amazon
Also available for $7 at Barnes and Noble.
6. "I Smell a Pop Quiz!: A Big Nate Book" by Lincoln Peirce (Ages: 9 to 12), $13, Amazon
6. "I Smell a Pop Quiz!: A Big Nate Book" by Lincoln Peirce (Ages: 9 to 12), $13, Amazon
Also available for $13 at Barnes and Noble.
7. "AAAA!: A FoxTrot Kids Edition" by Bill Amend (Ages: 9 to 12), $9, Amazon
7. "AAAA!: A FoxTrot Kids Edition" by Bill Amend (Ages: 9 to 12), $9, Amazon
8. "Phoebe and Her Unicorn" by Dana Simpson (Ages: 9 to 12), $8 (normally $10), Amazon
8. "Phoebe and Her Unicorn" by Dana Simpson (Ages: 9 to 12), $8 (normally $10), Amazon
Also available for $8 (normally $10) at Barnes and Noble.
9. "Charlie Brown: POW!" by Charles M. Schulz (Ages: 9 to 12), $3, Amazon
9. "Charlie Brown: POW!" by Charles M. Schulz (Ages: 9 to 12), $3, Amazon
Also available for $10 at Barnes and Noble.
10. "Secret Diary (Lou!)" by Justin Neel (Ages: 9 to 12), $25, Amazon
10. "Secret Diary (Lou!)" by Justin Neel (Ages: 9 to 12), $25, Amazon
Also available for $9 at Barnes and Noble.
11. "Lio: There's a Monster in My Socks" by Mark Tatulli (Ages: 9 to 12), $6 (normally $10), Amazon
11. "Lio: There's a Monster in My Socks" by Mark Tatulli (Ages: 9 to 12), $6 (normally $10), Amazon
Also available for $10 at Barnes and Noble.
Sports
12. "I Broke into Gymnastics Camp" by Jessica Gunderson (Ages: 6 to 8), $5 (normally $6), Amazon
12. "I Broke into Gymnastics Camp" by Jessica Gunderson (Ages: 6 to 8), $5 (normally $6), Amazon
Also available for $6 at Barnes and Noble.
13. "Jinxed! (Topps League Book 1)" by Kurtis Scaletta (Ages: 6 to 8), $6, Amazon
13. "Jinxed! (Topps League Book 1)" by Kurtis Scaletta (Ages: 6 to 8), $6, Amazon
Also available for $6 at Barnes and Noble.
14. "Zeke Meeks vs the Stinky Soccer Team" by D.L. Green (Ages: 6 to 8), $6, Amazon
14. "Zeke Meeks vs the Stinky Soccer Team" by D.L. Green (Ages: 6 to 8), $6, Amazon
Also available for $6 at Barnes and Noble.
Adventure
15. "Sleepover Sleuths (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Book 1)" by Carolyn Keene (Ages: 6 to 8), $4 (normally $6), Amazon
15. "Sleepover Sleuths (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Book 1)" by Carolyn Keene (Ages: 6 to 8), $4 (normally $6), Amazon
Also available for $5 (normally $6) at Barnes and Noble.
16. "The Joker's Dozen (You Choose Stories: Batman)" by Laurie S. Sutton (Ages: 6 to 8), $7, Amazon
16. "The Joker's Dozen (You Choose Stories: Batman)" by Laurie S. Sutton (Ages: 6 to 8), $7, Amazon
Also available for $7 at Barnes and Noble.
17. "The Fright at Zombie Farm (You Choose Stories: Scooby-Doo)" by Laurie S. Sutton (Ages: 6 to 8), $7, Amazon
17. "The Fright at Zombie Farm (You Choose Stories: Scooby-Doo)" by Laurie S. Sutton (Ages: 6 to 8), $7, Amazon
Also available for $7 at Barnes and Noble.
18. "The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1)" by Rick Riordan (Ages: 9 to 12), $8 (normally $10), Amazon
18. "The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1)" by Rick Riordan (Ages: 9 to 12), $8 (normally $10), Amazon
Also available for $9 (normally $10) at Barnes and Noble.