Reading to an older chilk - what do you think?

[Inkspellme]

I have a 10 year old son. He's an excellent reader - has a reading age of 12 year old. He reads plenty himself - averaging a couple of books a week. This summer holidays I have been reading to him. It's inkheart and very enjoyable. This is aside from his own reading. i was curious does anybody else read to their older child?

[ILoveAFullFridge]

Absolutely! It becomes a lovely, intimate, part of the day - particularly if its been one of THOSE DAYS when everything goes tits-up and you just need a chance to forgive, forget, and reconnect.

Also got dd into reading classics, books where the story was good but the language and style quite challenging compared to modern pap.

[InMySpareTime]

My two (11 and 9yo) love listening to me read them stories. They could read them by themselves but they like snuggling in the big bed and getting the story without the eye work. They like me doing the voices too.

[cornflakegirl]

I don't read to DS (8) any more, as he tends to read over my shoulder and get ahead of me. He also reads bits of the book in between sessions, so I don't get to read the whole story! He loves story cds at bedtime though.

I like the idea of reading classics - there are a few books that I own that I'm hoping DS will like - maybe I try with one of them over the summer.

[Inkspellme]

I agree on reading the classics - its a great way of getting them into a style of book that they may have been reluctant to choose before. I just have to decide on a classic that will interest him. Don't think little women is going to cut it somehow!

Cornflakegirl - at least you know you definitely had the choice of book right when he was reading it over your shoulder and by himself!

[valiumredhead]

Not now he's 12,I think I stopped at about 10. We discuss books until we're blue in the face though which I love

[bulletwithbutterflywings]

My dad used to read to is every night until I was about 12. I loved it, I used to read other books as well but I really enjoyed that time with my dad. He read us the Chronicles of Narnia among other things :)

[valiumredhead]

We now bond over our love of millionaire matchmaker

[FionaJT]

I wonder about this, I still read to my 8yr old, but not every night, and I'm not sure any of her friends et read to any more. She still loves it, though, so hope to continue for a while yet.
I have a mental list of books I want to read to her as she gets older -I've already read her quite a lot of children's classics which she has enjoyed but would be unlikely to have tackled alone. I try and pick stuff that's a bit ahead of her at the moment and she often goes back and re-reads things for herself.

[MrButtercat]

Yes still reading to my 3 who will be 10,10 and 9 soon.

I read classics or books I'm not sure they'd pick but I'd like them to try.

Have read recently the E Nesbit books and an Iva Ibbotson one.

[Takver]

I still read to my 11 y/o - currently reading The Shining Levels, & have Island Child lined up next (we live in Pembs so local to us :) )

I like it, its a quiet time together at the end of the day.

[ParvatiTheWitch]

Yes, I read to my 10 year old dyslexic. He is a "free reader" now, but wouldn't be arsed to read a book to himself, so I do him a chapter at bedtime. He loves it; it's his time to have me to himself without pissant little brother interrupting.

[LadyIsabellaWrotham]

Yes we read to 10 and 8 year old - but 8 year old in particular has dreadful habit of nicking the book and reading ahead during the day then not paying attention when we read to him . I think we need to switch to more difficult classics.

[starfishmummy]

DS was recently in hospital and as he can't read (SN) the hospital teacher was reading to him. I found it very enjoyable to listen to!!

[Inkspellme]

Lovely to hear I'm not the only one doing this. I enjoy the time with my DS and know from having a DD who is 16 next birthday that the time will soon enough come where he doesn't want me to read to him. So, whilst I can, I'll enjoy!

[louisianablue2000]

To inspire you: The Streak

[Inkspellme]

Great article thanks. Fantastic how it was a stable part of their lives when there was so much upheaval going on. The dad reading to her at all costs seems to have had the message of "I'll put you above the other parts of my life every time" in a very tangible way. probably something the daughter really needed to know. At the min My kids are doing a 50 book challenge but this is a really interesting idea to run alongside it.

[MrButtercat]

Omgoodness what a lovely article.

I really get the feeling they push children reading more in the US.

[ILoveAFullFridge]

Inkspellme "Don't think little women is going to cut it somehow" (Don't you wish!"

But you could try Tom Sawyer, Coral Island (better IMO than Treasure Island - try both), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (utterly bewitched ds at that age), the Willard Price animal adventure books (like 20,000L, dreadfully dated but thoroughly fun), Sherlock Holmes, The 3 Musketeers (as with 20,000L, check that it's a decent translation first - abridged is fine, but not overly simplified, you still want the rich language).

If he likes fantasy, the Earthsea trilogy is good, also The Hobbit, and Terry Pratchet's non-Discworld novels.

Try nonsense poetry - Spike Milligan of course!

It's such a pleasure reading something to your child that you yourself actually enjoy.

[Inkspellme]

Thanks for all the suggestions-there's some really excellent ones there. 20,000 L is def something that would appeal, Ds has read the Hobbit himselflast year. Was also thinking of Journey to the centre of the earth so Your list is def a good one thanks!