Having issues getting my 8 year old daughter to want to read. Any suggestions of series or chapter books for a 2nd grader who hates reading
Having issues getting my 8 year old daughter to want to read. Any suggestions of series or chapter books for a 2nd grader who hates reading
Dork Diaries worked for my daughter
I loved the Little House on the Prairie and the Boxcar Children series’ when I was that age.
I read the saddle club series when I was little. I have almost all the books, babysitters club, American doll books. Boxcar children,
Junie B Jones
Magic Treehouse
My boys love the DogMan series by Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants, so if she liked that movie shed love these books. And its written in the style of a comic book so a little easier and more entertaining to read. My 6 year old read 200pg book in a day and turned it over and started reading it all over again and he does that with each book he gets of this series.
My 6 year old grandson who is just starting to read loves Magic Treehouse! Perhaps read these together before bedtime.
What are her reading issues? Is it her eyesight? Doesn’t like sitting still? Slow reader? My kids each had one of these issues. So we tried eyesight testing, audiobooks and tutoring. You want to fill her with stories and language. Keep reading to her, read your books in front of her, visit the library together, let her get the books from the school book club. Don’t ever give up!
Another vote for Junie B Jones. We also liked the new Amelia Bedelia chapter books
My granddaughter liked Hank the Cow Dog and the Magic Tree House series.
American Girl series.
How about the Magic Tree House.
Also have eyesight checked and check if she might be dyslexic.
Puppy Place and Kitty Corner series by Ellen Miles
Also talk to your local librarian and ask about starting a mommy and me book club. A book you both take turns reading aloud to each other. There are so many good choices for this type of group.
I thought I’d never get my daughter to love reading. Then we found Junie B Jones and Judy Moody and she was hooked. Now she is a voracious reader.
Reading to her is a great way to spark interest. But also try to pick books based on her interests. For instance when I was growing up I was in love with History so my Mom started reading me the Magic Tree House books. For my brother though since he loves sports she would pick sport books. It is all about sparking their interests based on what they are already interested in
When I was a kid I loved the Magic Treehouse series. That’s what got me into reading.
Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace were/are my all-time favorites. Also try picture books (great literature ) by Tomie dePaola, Juanita Havill, Jan Brett, William Steig, Edward Marshall, Barbara Cooney, Arnold Lobel, Paul Galdone…..
What are her interests? Find books that relate to things she enjoys
The Rainbow Fairies series are fun. Also The Dollhouse People you could read to her.
@Sara Yes! My daughter is obsessed with the Rainbow Magic books! And there are so many of them that she’ll never want for reading material if they click with her.
@Jaime definitely!
Boxcar Children, Magic Treehouse, Babysitters Club, Little House on the Prarie, Hank the Cowdog.
I had the same problem with my little brother. I would pick out a book that I loved at his age and we would take turns reading to each other as a bedtime activity. Great one on one bonding time, and reading the book together made it seem less boring for him.
I also recommend reading aloud from your own book (as long as its appropriate) when shes in the room relaxing with you. That way shes getting to listen to a story and it’s a grown up story which could make her feel special and important.
I have no experience with my own children, but my mom was not mentally present and kinda neglectful. I took over raising my younger brothers, and I tried my absolute best to encourage and support good habits and education
I’m also a certified preschool teacher, we have to take classes often to learn new and creative teaching techniques
Mine loves the diary of a wimpy kid series. It got her started anyway
Beverly Cleary books.
Boxcar children, little house on the prairie, junie b jones goosebumps
Captain underpants, or look into usborne books! They have a great selection of books!
Convince her friends to start reading then she’ll probably start. That’s how my daughter read the twilight saga in one weekend. One of her friends told her it was good….I guess there is good peer pressure out there….lol. Winnie the Pooh has good chapter books. Little house on the prairie is always good. Maybe try Limney Snicket?
My 9 year old is obsessed with the Warrior books by Erin Hunter. She wasn’t super excited to read them but I read the first one to her and her younger sister and it caught her attention from page one.
Read with her. Like have reading time and make a thing of it. Picnics when the weather is nice and bring a book of her choice and one for you. Make a space for her in your reading space ? It could help.
How about “Ivy & Bean”?
I grew up reading The BabySitters Club. I have an 8 year old that also has a hard time with finding stuff she likes. There is a trend of graphic novels (comic books) for that age. I mentioned BabySitters Club books because they just turned that series into graphic novels. Kristy’s Great Idea: Full-Color Edition (The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix #1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0545813875/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xE9TCbPV7YR6M
I started my kid on Calvin and Hobbes books ? it got the ball rolling then she was picking her own from there.
I would bet any amount of money if you put a Playaway in her hands, she would fly though books! As a teacher with reluctant readers… I have never run across a child that I couldn’t inspire with a Playaway. http://playaway.com/audiobooks/
Local libraries carry them and the Playaway packs also come with the book to follow along with! Have fun!
Junie B Jones, my daughter loved these books. I read with my son Word of Mouse, and Dog Diaries by James Patterson, magic tree house and A to Z mysteries
Judy moody…junie b JONES
Diary of a wimpy kid, Beverly Cleary books
Any of the my weird school series
I used to love the boxcar children
Babysitter Club Books. My daughter reads to her 3rd grader at night!
Read to her every evening before she goes to bed! Get some picture books and slowly add short stories, chapter books
My grandson enjoyed Sci-Fi Junior High.
boxcar children
Ditto!
Get her to write a book, or talk about what she would write about in a story. Or even just share making stories together. With one of my grandsons, as we are driving or whatever, I come up with a starting sentence and he adds the next and so forth – or he might start the story.
Roald Dahl. My daughter loved everything he wrote.
Something to figure out, is why she hates reading. Are they testing young readers on every book at school? Testing kills the joy in reading for many kids. I had to advocate on behalf of my daughter and tell her teacher she was not taking those computer tests anymore bc she was starting to hate reading-we discuss what she reads at home and I’m a teacher so I knew her comprehension, vocabulary, and skills were developing just fine. Is it a chore? If she feels like it’s just another thing she has to check off, look into volunteering to read to shelter animals, or find age appropriate groups at the library, reading to the elderly, or reading at the park. Trips to the library to let her choose any book she wants-even big books that look too hard or a baby book that brings her comfort bc it’s familiar-should be routine. Happy reading!
Try graphic novels. All the pictures help make the story pop. That was the gateway for my daughter a couple years ago and now she’s hooked (she’s 9). The Phoebe and her Unicorn series by Dana Simpson is her favorite! Narwhal and Jelly is another good series along those lines.
Graphic novels are a great way to get kids to read. The two series you mentioned are fantastic, and the Dog Man books always stayed checked out at our library.
My 8 year old likes graphic novels. She is a bit of a reluctant reader, but has enjoyed the graphic novel version of babysitters club, Drama, Sisters and Ghost.
Positively Izzy (Emmie & Friends) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062484966/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WV9TCbGYZHKJ9
Charlotte’s Web, Shiloh series, Junior B Jones- those were my favs at that age. My 8 yr old stepdaughter and I are reading Charlotte’s Web together
Also, my eight-year-old still really enjoys being read to. Right now we are reading The City of Ember series. For spooky we love Mary Downing Hahn.
Dan Gutman has a series of kids’ books with rhyming titles..Miss Mary is Scary, Miss Lily is silly..the series is known as the weird school books..Each title is about a teacher or person that the kids in the books relate to.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Ramona books by Cleary. Encyclopedia Brown (the old ones)
Billie b brown
The Bad Guy books are a huge hit with my 2nd graders. My daughter also loves the bad kitty books. Both are humorous.
Everything on a Waffle, it’s a great book!
Chronicles of Narnia, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, American Girls, Roald Dahl books.
Find a book with has an audio tape to have her follow along while listening to the story
Amelia Bedelia
Choose your own adventure. I always loved them growing up. It helps get the kids interested because they are literally responsible for how the story ends.
Try reading illustrated books with her to make it bonding time. Let her see you reading books, papers, magazines. Take her to the library and let her get a card and choose her own books. Libraries have a summer reading program with a lot of activities that might spark her interest.
The Magic Tree House Series- it might be a bit young, but the adventures are so fun!
Magic Treehouse series or Bailey School Kids series.
Daisy dreamer!!
Beverly cleary
Mrs Piggly Wiggly
I taught second grade for 30 years. Early chapter books great for second graders- Cam Jansen, Nate the Great, Ramona, Boxcar Children
Famous five Enid Blyton an oldie but a good one
The lion the witch and the wardrobe. My kids loved this. I tread the first book to them then let them pick upon the rest of the series
Figure out something that she is interested in. Then take her to public library, get her own card and sign her up for the Summer Reading Program. Help her locate books on topics that interest her. Don’t worry if the book is below her reading level that will come. Also yes get your own library card and read books together. With the Magic Treehouse Books, they are full of adventure and are good read aloud books. You can trade reading pages or chapters to spike her interest
I read to my 3 from the time they were born. They are still readers today in their 30’s.
Try and find books related to movies for kids. I am sure there are ones for her age group.
I feel sorry for her. I was that age when my teacher announced that the next day the class was going to learn to read. It felt like Christmas.
It’s difficult to instill a love of reading into a kid who doesn’t like to read. Read to her and have her read an alternate page to you. Let her catch you reading books too. I hated reading as a kid (mild Dyslexia) but as I grew up I learned to love it and am an avid reader today. Don’t give up, just keep reading with her.
Consider
Audiobooks of all kinds and many follow up with a movie if it’s available. Also consider glossy nonfiction books with lots of pictures – National Geographic has some good books.
Baby Mouse!
I’m a children’s librarian and I find that 2nd and 3rd grade reluctant readers love this series.
My boys are grown but I felt the best advice to give them is to keep searching until you find a book you love. We will not like every book or author and it’s ok to stop reading a book you dislike rather than dreading reading.
Mercy Watson books are very cute.
Just from my own experience… I think it may be more how you approach reading than finding the “right books” to read. My oldest loved reading and it was never an issue. Until my youngest was about 10 or 12 she hated reading and it was like pulling teeth. We had all the trendiest books in so many genres but to no avail. We started reading nights where before bed, we would spend one hour in our jammies, in bed reading out loud, I would read a chapter, my oldest would read a chapter and my youngest would read a chapter out loud to each other. It was a bonding experience we all looked forward to every night. The first year I picked the books but after that, my youngest…not the reader, began requesting the books and she developed a love for reading. When we first lived apart..it was her idea to facetime and continue reading to each other. She is now 24, has a massive bookshelf filled with many genres and reads more than anyone I know. Sometimes it is not about the book but the approach…how can you get her engaged? With that said, my daughters favorite books started with twisted/ fractured fairy tales. Once upon a Marigold captured her interest and the first series she read on her own and got excited about was the Kristin Cashore trilogy…Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue.
Judy Moody!!!
Read aloud The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane to your daughter. I’ve taught for 32 years and it’s one of the most captivating and endearing books I’ve ever read to my students. You and your daughter will fall in love with the characters and Edward’s story. I’m getting choked up just thinking about it.
I always loved going to the Library and picking out my own books when I was young. You can get the Librarian involved or maybe take her to a bookstore. What an adventure.
Nancy Drew books are engaging, not too long (so she gets the satisfied feeling of finishing the book), there is no swearing and any adult behaviour is at most a kiss on the lips, but no more than she’d see mommy and daddy doing. I read them a lot when I was a kid, preferred them over famous five books too because they were more girly.
Ramona & Beezus! Beverly Cleary has a ton of good books for kids.
Enid Blyton famous five!
May just be me but I loved Goosebumps series by r l stine
The Magic Tree House or The Boxcar Children series. Read the first book to get the backstory of the treehouse or boxcar then read any of the books that spark interest. There are so many to choose from in each series. I suggest you read a chapter aloud taking turns. Make it a special ritual, jammies, special reading cups for tea or milk, reading pillow, fuzzy reading socks, etc. Anyway you can make it a special time. Blessings
Terry Pratchett’s books for younger readers, hugely recommend
Dr Seuss books – my 7 year old granddaughter loves them ?
It has so much of wisdom and fun to read…
If she likes ponies. Pony pal series. My son did not like to read butch did enjoy reading them.
Nancy drew
Maybe ask her … what does she want to read or do audible
If she hates reading I think it might just be it is hard for her. I think I would try helping her make it easier and then she might learn to love it. Maybe taking turns reading a book together. Good luck.
Rhald Dahl never fails. I loved them.
Aussie nibbles series, goosebumps series, fairy series. If you want more suggestions what does she like? What are her interests?
Read aloud to her. Julie B. Jones books are silly and sometimes her grammar isn’t perfect but it’s a funny series that will light the reading flame with second graders. Then on to other books after that.
Read in front of her, talk about the book you are reading, let her know it is for pleasure to a chore.
Junie B Jones books were the first real chapter books my daughter could read successfully, and she loved them at the same time. I believe they are mostly 1-2nd reading level, so on the easier end of chapter books. Being successful with those gave her confidence to try harder, longer chapter books.
Junie B Jones books!
Good old series The Famous Five will make every child fall in love with reading
Read with her before bedtime taking turns. Nancy Drew books or The Ribsey series.
Mercy Watson – colorful books about a pig; Stink – Judy Moody’s brother ?
My children and me too loved Amelia Bedelia and what about Pippi Longstocking. My daughter loved the Bernstein Bears books.
Junie B. Jones. My son loved that series. I loved Nancy Drew when I was her age.
Would reading something together pique her interest?
Ask her to write a story she would like to read.
Try Ronald Dahl books and begin reading to her until she is hooked. She will want to read them herself soon.
We did 20mins of reading out loud daily. He hated it then but now in 4th grade he does his daily reading && requests to go to the library. Sometimes it’s the newness & it being hard that gets in the way.
I am an avid reader and, although everyone read to my daughter during her childhood, she was never interested in reading at of I let it go. Finally, in her 30’s, she started reading for recreation.
I think children believe it will be difficult for them so they shy away from it. Although I don’t have children, I do recall being a child.
The books by Paula Danzinger are also good! Especially for girls. They have quirky female characters who try to navigate pre-teendom in very realistic (but not scary) situations.
Dork Diaries or Judy Moody
You should try magic tree house or the goosebumps
When I was that age I remember laughing hysterically during Ramona Quimby Age 8 and Superfudge.
You should check out The Card People series. It has great reviews from kids her age on LitPick
Nancy Drew case files. Great stories for this age.
Try the Junie B. Jones series
Try Magic Treehouse or Series of Unfortunate Events. I used to take my guys to book store, show them the isles that were age appropriate and say “Pick 2” and then I would just sit on the floor and let them look
Comic or graphic novels for kids.
my Grandparents took me to book store in Philly. I got little women, tom sawyer, etc so glad I did…:)
Give her time.
My daughter always enjoyed the Junie B Jones books
My niece loved the “Juliet nearly a vet” series and the “EJ Girl Hero” series about a girl who gets recruited as a spy. Apparently she got all her friends at school hooked on them too!
Turn off the sound on the TV. They have to read the subtitles lol!
Babysitters club, American girl series, boxcar children, Bridge to Terabithia.
My daughter loved all the American Girls books.
Keep reading to her but chapters at a time so she’ll get anxious for the next installment. She may get impatient enough to want to read herself. Heidi, Little Women, Nancy Drew.
Ramona Quimby books!
Daisa Morgan’s Fingley Series https://www.daisamorgan.com/childrens-books ✨
While encouraging her, don’t force it on her. Give her time. While I was a kid, my mom was a reader…of all things Harlequin romance books!!! She encouraged me, she even bought me the young girl books similar (sweet valley high) to that, I was “eh”. And didn’t want to read. It took me another 20 years before I had interest in reading another book!
Boxcar children.
@Sheri oMG I was obsessed with The coolness of the Boxcar children!!!!
Read together any books….even picture books. You read a paragraph or a page. Then it’s her turn. Look for books with the Awards Seals for known favorites…Caldecott Award books for lower grades -and Newbury Awards and Newbury Honor books for older children. You can google lists of those, but a librarian would help you too.
Worst witch
Harry Potter series.
There is a Doubleday Children’s book club, or at least there used to be. There are a few selections to chose from each month at various levels of a child’s development. Maybe she would like something that comes to her in the mail.