Books for Reluctant Readers

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Is your child a reluctant reader? In our digital age, the printed word sometimes plays second fiddle to DVDs, Xboxes or iPods. To put even more pressure on parents and caregivers, the U.S. Department of Education recently warned that “students unable to read well by the end of third grade are more likely to leave school and have few options for good jobs.”

Still, pushing books on less than enthusiastic readers sours an activity that they might already associate with criticism, boredom and embarrassment.

Here’s an alternative. Instead of hounding your child to read a book, book a hound to hear your child read.

"Working with animals is remarkably effective with students who have attentional difficulties, disruptive behaviors or a general lack of interest in reading,” states The Environment and Mental Health: A Guide for Clinicians, edited by A. Lundberg.

Kathy Klotz, who heads a therapy dog program, agrees. She told a Utah newspaper that having kids read to dogs is “a magical phenomenon we don’t really understand.” Utah students who read aloud to dogs improved their reading skills by as much as two levels.

“Dogs are very good listeners and that’s one of the most important things for children who are starting to read aloud,” the head of Chattanooga’s Children’s Enrichment Center told Chattanoogan.com in September 2005. Beverly Trobaugh continued. “Children need to be able to read without fear of criticism or interruption. The dogs give them that gift.”

Books for kids to read to Rover include:

Annabel the Actress, Starring in “Hound of the Barkervilles by Ellen Conford. JFIC CON

Dogs Rule! by Daniel Kirk. 811 K

Dogs of Myth: Tales from Around the World by Gerald and Loretta Hausman. FIC GAN

Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel. FIC HEA

Hachiko Waits by Leslea Newman. FIC ROS

Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary. JFIC CLE

Ricky Ricotta’s Giant Robot: An Adventure Novel by Dav Pilkey. JFIC PIL

Second Grade Ape by Daniel Pinkwater. JR P

Stone Fox by John Gardiner. JFIC GAR

The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron. JFIC CAM

Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog by Sara Miller. JR M

Titus Rules by Dick King-Smith. JFIC KIN

Find other books in the catalog

Last Modified: Friday, June 27, 2008