book club for boys
Studies during the last few years have shown a general alarm over boys struggling with reading. Headlines have called it “The Boy Crisis” and stating “we’ve sort of shifted our gaze away from boys for the last several decades”, calling boys “Reluctant Readers”.
Here is an idea to try – for parents to help their boys overcome obstacles to reading: Boys Book Clubs. A book club just for boys but that are energy oriented with activities and games that relate to boy books.
So how is a ‘Boys Book Club’ different to a regular book club?”. Boy Book Clubs embrace the action-oriented nature of boys and help them make connections with books through their interests. For example, if you are reading a book with sport related themes – have the boys play a basketball game- Then have a free throw contest to see who can make the most free throws. Once you’ve gotten some energy out, start your discussion of the book over pizza. If you need more ideas or examples check out
www.bookclub4boys.com – with free book club outlines that include incentive games to really motivate boys to read.
www.guysread.com is another great resource in finding books that boys read and authors that write just for boys. Boys don’t want to “get in touch with their feelings“, they are also turned off by female heroes. Authors who write for boys understand this and keep their stories packed with action and adventure while teaching them something on the sly.
The most important thing a parent can do to encourage their boy to read is provide books boys like and to stay positive about reading. Even if you have to begin reading the book to your son to get him hooked. The more he is exposed to books the more likely he’ll be to read a book. The more he reads the better reader he’ll be and if he knows a book club meeting is coming up – he’ll be that much more motivated to finish the book.
If you need help starting a book club, need some survival tips on hosting a boys book club meeting – or want to connect with other boys book clubs – check out Bookclub4boys.
Authors who write for boys: Dan Gutman, Gary Paulsen, Anthony Horowitz, Paul Jennings and Dav Pilkey. (what are your favourite authors for boys?)
About the author: Laura Blum is the mother of 4 boys who has tackled this very challenge. After hosting book clubs for her own boys for 4 years, she started a book club for boys website to share her Boy Book Club outlines and other helpful tips. She is proud to announce all of her boys are reading at grade level or higher!
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I think the most important thing in cultivating an interest in reading in ANY child, regardless of gender, is to read to your child from early on. There is no need for boys (or girls) to read books that only reflect heroes of their same gender. In fact, I would argue that this is counter-productive and only serves to reinforce negative stereotypes.
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I think that making sweeping generalizations about what either gender is interested in reading is ridiculous.
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:06 am
I appreciate the two previous comments. I know when my oldest son was first struggling to read and his first grade teacher suggested he repeat a grade- I was willing to do anything to get him motivated! Some of my friends were starting a Mother/daughter book club and I felt very left out. That is what inspired me to create a book club just for boys.
To be honest: as a policy, I agree it is not good to generalize. I currently host three book clubs. In one of our clubs we do have a girl. She asked to join because she didn’t want to read Anne of Green Gables and Fairy Princess Diaries that the Mother/Daughter group had selected. She wanted to read the Million Dollar Shot and How to Eat Fried Worms.
This isn’t meant to be an idea to exclude anyone – it is meant to open ideas that book clubs for boys is a great idea too. (Book clubs aren’t just for mom’s or girls- like my boys once thought.)
Thank you for your comments! My next article I will be sure to make these points more clear.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:22 am
Dani, that’s too easy to say and not a particularly helpful piece of advice when you have reluctant reader boys who would rather play x-box or Runescape.
I’ve been reading to my 3 boys nearly every night from very early on and they still don’t pick up a book on their own.
Laura, I love that you are sharing more specific, fun ideas that may help my boys engage in books, especially because you have a lot of experience and have obviously done your research. Your website is full of great tips and I can tell you are passionate about getting boys to read.
There’s no use pretending that gender isn’t an issue sometimes when it comes to books..
Sarah, do you have any kids/boys who have struggled with reading, because you missed the point. And in a rude way. Perhaps making sweeping criticisms is as ridiculous as political correctness.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:32 am
I’m not sure what this has to do with crafting.
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:44 am
Me neither Ros.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Laura- Great article! Where were you when my big boys were little and struggling with books? Thanks goodness Harry Potter came along. :) And you are right, it took the typical boy books to get my boys reading. Funny how boys are ….. boys.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I have two of each gender and it’s silly to pretend there is no difference in what they are interested in reading. Those first two comments seem naive to me.
I applaud you, Laura! We don’t often hear of book clubs thought up for boys. My 9 year old is not at all interested in reading UNLESS it includes heros and lots of action. And at this point in the game, he certainly would would not read a book that is based around a girl hero.
The point here, which I think was missed by some, is that we cultivate a love of reading for our boys by first giving them books that revolve around their interests. The last thing you want to do when you have a reluctant reader, is stuff a book down their throat that they have no interest in simply to be politically correct. That would just about squash any future desire to read.
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Hummmp..Ros & Jolene, you don’t see what this has to do with crafting? Is crafting only making dresses, baskets, cards or whatever you think crafting is? I think, no I’m pretty sure that this topic is a very important and what this post is about is incredible in itself…I mean come on, if you can take a reluctant reader and come up with creative ways to get them to love books, that to me is very crafty.
To Dani, I would have to totally disagree with you. I have seven children and all seven children I have read to them since they were in my belly. I read to them almost on a daily basis when they were little but I find I have to pratically bribe and threaten my boys to read. There is a great need to get books that would stimulate different gender to read. Boys are more active than girls and so to sit for even ten minutes to read a book is not what they are interested in so if getting action packed books and following through with the activities in the books that would get them to read, then who are you to say otherwise?
And Sarah, your comment is very rude. This post was not written to as a means to be a generalization, it was written to help spread the word to all the moms out there who are having difficulties getting their boys to read, there’s a place they can go and get some ideas. I stand behind bookclub4boys because I have witnessed firsthand what it did for my son.
I read to both my girls and my boys, the same amount of time to each but I have more difficulties getting my boys to like books than my girls. So when I find ideas that people have come up that worked, I fully support and embrace it.
Laura, I applaud you for all you are doing to get boys to read. You are doing a wonderful thing for your boys and all the other boys who are part of that club. Don’t let other’s simplemindedness stand in the way.
Maybe someone is jealous that they didn’t think of the idea first.
February 4th, 2009 at 3:49 am
Laura,
Great ideas and awesome website. I want to make a generalization – boys and girls are different and like different books and that’s great. Thanks for giving so many ideas on what to do with my four boys.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:06 am
What does this have to do with crafting? Let me tell you- if you can hook your kids into reading it frees you up for all sorts of time for crafting (or surfing the net for articles that are about crafting. Or not. And commenting on each one to ask if it is or is not about crafting)
I think the ideas would work for boys or girls who are not so girly. My girl is not interested in princesses either. She would love a bookclub that is more active. So maybe you should change the name of your site to Bookclub4BoysorGirlsorWhoeverJustComeReadABookWePromiseNotToMakeAnyGeneralizationsOrTryToExcludeAnyone
I worked at a big bookstore for over 15 years in the kids section- so many people came in and asked what were good presents for kids who didn’t like to read (ummm, maybe not a book?) so I always tried to steer them into the shorter, more active and fun books. I appreciate a source to know what some of those books might be, from tried and true families with kids that are reluctant.
I have a daughter who loves to read and reads all day long. And a son who sets the timer for his required 20 min a day and picks up any book, reads it for the required length of time and then puts it down again. The next day he does the same thing. Same book, different book, he doesn’t care because he isn’t hooked on any of them.So imagine my surprise when the other night I went into his bedroom at 1am and he was still up. Reading. Because he wanted to find how what happens next and he was almost to the end of the book.
Keep trying with your reluctant readers! Whether they are boy or girl.
Thanks for the ideas!
February 4th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Anjeny…really? Creative perhaps, crafty even depending upon your interpretation, but this site is supposed to be about handcrafts and no matter which way you look at it, teaching children to read is not handcrafts. I agree with the sentiment of the article but don’t agree that it belongs here.
Perhaps it’s a handy way to get some related links in to books that have previously been reviewed here. I have no problem with people using their website to earn money through affiliate programmes, indeed I do it myself. I do have a problem with websites that go drastically off topic to create opportunities to market those affiliate links.
Hey, it’s not my website so whatever…it just dissapoints me a little in such an otherwise great site.
February 4th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Let’s face it, all kids are different, they have different interests and activities that they love. My best friend’s son is most moved by stories that include music in some way.
I like the point of paying attention to the child’s interests and finding reading to appeal to those interests. And the activities involved in the group can also cater to the interests of the boys involved.
One of the great things about ANY book club is that all the readers choose the books and each person ends up reading something they would not have plucked from the shelf otherwise. So we expand our interests. This is a great way to begin.
February 4th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Can you check the link http://www.gusread.comqusread.com because this one doesn’t work.
Thank you.
February 4th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Hey all
yes this is a crafty website – however we do look at creativity in general. This months topic is creativity for boys and men – so it is totally appropriate. thanks for your comments
K
February 5th, 2009 at 12:30 am
as a mom of 5 (boys AND girls) I love some of these ideas! Even my good readers need to know that book clubs are not just for their geeky mom :)
as a crafter – I appreciate all sorts of ideas being shared – and bringing creativity to reading (through all the wonderful crafts/activities that Laura suggests that go along with the books) can only benefit us as parents. (and maybe, just maybe – I can use the excuse “it helps teach the kids” next time I buy some craft supplies…)
February 5th, 2009 at 1:05 am
WOW! What a rough crowd. All the more reason that books be introduced apparently to everyone! Expand your minds people! Loved the article Laura. I wish there were more books available like this for my boys when they were younger. It was hard to find books to grab their attention. I believe that crafts can be found in books as well….I could be wrong.
February 5th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Jolene…according to who that this post doesn’t belong here? If it was approved by the moderator and posted on here, it belongs on here.
I’m sorry K, I am not trying to turn your comment box into a negative vibes one but I just don’t see why anyone would take something positive and make it come out looking bad.
February 5th, 2009 at 6:06 am
fixed that broken link now
happy reading
K
February 5th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I’m not trying to make anyone or anything look bad. And yes, it’s not my blog and the moderators are entitled to include what they want. But the subtitle of the blog is ‘Handcraft in a Hectic World’. That’s what I’m expecting when I come here. If people want to talk about parenting, or reading or anything else that interests you, that’s fine. I’m just pointing out that the more of that other stuff there is on Whip Up, the less likely I am to return.
And I really, really don’t get how reading is craft. I’m all for encouraging men and boys in their creativity – playing basketball and reading a book doesn’t seem to me to fit that bill.
February 5th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
What does this have to do with crafting? Let me tell you- if you can hook your kids into reading it frees you up for all sorts of time for crafting (or surfing the net for articles that are about crafting. Or not. And commenting on each one to ask if it is or is not about crafting)
Um, if you get them into watching TV that has the same effect. Or if you send them to school.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:55 am
I think this is an awesome post. Good, specific ideas. I like what you say about “teaching them something on the sly.” Thanks for this post!
July 28th, 2009 at 10:31 am
This is just what I’ve been looking for. I too have a reluctant reader going into 2nd grade. I am desperately looking for ideas and books to get him excited about reading. His father and I both read often and I read to all 3 of my boys daily and have since they were born. Anyone who has been critical of this article clearly has not struggled with this issue. Thank you for such great ideas and the knowledge that I am not the only mother working so hard to develop a love of reading in my son.