Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don't: How It Happens and What You Can Do About It

by Mary Leonhardt

Book Overview

Most parents would probably agree that a love of reading is the most important thing their children could acquire in the course of their education.Yet even parents who love to read themselves... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517591642
• ISBN13: 9780517591642
• Release Date: August 1993
• Publisher: Crown
• Length: 258 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 1.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Good sense from a teacher/mother

Mary Leonhardt, the author of several other volumes on the process of getting your kid to love to read, speaks to the problem from two angles: she has taught English for over 20 years, and she has three children of her own (she includes several anecdotes from her experience in raising them). Look through the second chapter of this book and you immediately find yourself saying, "This makes so much sense!" (The one thing she should have mentioned--which is one reason I rate the book at four stars instead of five--is that teachers almost invariably "teach" any literary work, from story in a reader to a poem to a full-length novel, by requiring the students to pick it to pieces and analyze it to death, which is *not* what authors have in mind and which can turn a kid off reading faster than anything else in the known Galaxy. It would have me, if I hadn't loved to read well before I ever darkened the doors of a school.) Her solution: since school reform is almost impossible (owing to government regulation and the entrenched bureaucracy--although she does have words of praise for the rediscovery of "whole language"), parents (and teachers) should allow and encourage young people to read *what interests them*. If that means Richie Rich comics and what some readers (and parents) call "trashy" or "drugstore" books (like Kathleen Woodiwiss romances), then that's what you have to give them. Leonhardt understands that no child can learn to love to read unless he/she is given books that are *fun* to read, that speak to that particular young reader's individual interests and personality. In short, no kid is a carbon copy of any other kid, and they shouldn't all be expected to read the same stuff! Leonhardt's suggestions for parental action are workable and logical, and she includes a bibliography of suggested reading that ranges from comics and magazines to venerable "summer-reading-list" titles, all annotated to explain why kids might like them. (Once you've exhausted this, online Readers' Advisory found at various public-library websites may suggest other possibilities.) If you want your kid to read, and can't homeschool, she may be your best hope.

This makes so much sense

As a kindergarten teacher and mother of two teen-aged sons, I have to say that this book changed both the way I teach and the way I approach the loaded topic of reading with my sons. I had been a book snob for years, not allowing certain kinds of books based on comics or movies into my home or classroom. After reading this book, I called a meeting for the parents of my students and told them I was going to scour the thrift stores that weekend for "trashy" books with high kid appeal. I bought books with Star Wars characters and Scooby Do on the covers, and my kids were clamoring to borrow them.With my teen-agers, I told them I was taking them to the book store and that they had to pick something out. My 17 year old rolled his eyes but picked out Maus, which he loved. My 14 year old got The Weekly World News, (a tabloid) and now wants a subscription. Please get this book back in print.

A Real Eye-Opener

This book is an extremely thoughtful and provocative book aimed at parents who are avid readers yet are struggling with a child who is not as interested in reading. The book is probably best targetted towards parents of junior high and high school students, but I found it useful even though the object of my own concern is a 2nd grader who does not share her parents' or siblings' interest in reading.Ms. Leonhardt's argument is very thought provoking - her belief is that kids become avid readers by, well, READING - she isn't as concerned with WHAT they read as with getting them reading something. Thus her analysis suggests that it's OK if kids are drawn to comic books, "trashy" books, etc. and that parents should perhaps back off a little on the "quality" of books in order to allow kids to become hooked on reading. She believes that once a child becomes an avid reader, they will branch out. The key is to get them to become an avid reader.This book is loaded with ideas and thoughts to use to try to motivate a child to read, and contains a reading list at the end of suggested book titles.I haven't done justice to her argument - this book is well written, clearly argued, and supported with evidence. It makes a real page turner in its own right for a parent struggling with this issue. It is a breath of fresh air.On balance, I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who fits the title's description.

Solid Gold

This book is a treasure chest waiting for you to open. The author admits that even children who have been read to since they could sit up may not love reading, and this unloads the burden of guilt that many of us have been carrying around for years. Leonhardt also provides many concrete suggestions for parents and teachers. This book is a must for all homes and schools.

Fantastic book and author.

This is a fabulous book for frustrated parents of children who can't/won't read. After I read it, I took my 11 yr. old daughter out, let her buy any 3 magazines and she read them right away. This book is clearly written and organized, with a very helpful recommended reading list at the end. I highly recommend it