101 Ways to Get Your Child to Read
A Review of a Quick Reads 2009 Self-Help Book to Aid Reading
Mar 26, 2009 Catherine Whitlock
101 Ways to Get Your Child to Read is a very practical book, with indicators throughout the book to aid and develop reading skills. It doesn’t pull any punches about the importance of reading, but manages to steer clear of reading schemes.
The Layout
The book is set out as 7 chapters each of which deals with a particular aspect of reading:
- Starting to read
- How does my child’s mind work?
- Types of reading problem
- Changing attitudes
- Tots to Teens
- Choosing the right book
- Adults and reading
101 TIPS
The 101 TIPS of the books title are interspersed amongst these chapters making it easy to find them. The TIPS are tried and tested. Some are likely to work and others not, but there are enough tricks of the trade to find something to suit every person and every scenario. Each child is treated as an individual, with helpful pointers as to how different children learn.
Reading difficulties
As well as obvious causes of reading difficulties such as dyslexia, lack of social skills or low self-confidence are also raised as potential barriers to reading. Such issues may not only affect the young. The book is aimed at children, but also deals with reading problems that can occur throughout life. Adults are encouraged to develop reading for themselves and to help their children.
The Joy of Reading
The book places some emphasis on the power of books to entertain, amuse and engage. Celebrity comments and case studies are included to add colour and insight. The foreword is written by the children’s author Michael Morpurgo. He endorses keeping the flame of reading alive as an enjoyable activity, particularly through the school years when constant assessment can take the shine off the power of the written word.
Hard to put down?
Perhaps this should read ‘easy to pick up’. Like many of the Quick Read Series, this is an accessible book, simply written and digestible. It’s designed to be dipped into according to your needs. The system of 101 TIPS dotted throughout the chapters makes it easy to latch onto practical aids to encourage reading.
The author comes across as passionate about her subject - learning to read. Hers is a passion born out of experience and that comes across in this book. Reading is like learning to ride a bike. It may initially be tricky staying on, but once learnt it’s never forgotten. 101 Ways to Get Your Child to Read should set many on a lifelong reading journey.
About the Author
Patience Thomson is an expert on reading. She has written and lectured widely on the subject. This book has arisen out of years of experience, in particular a family history of dyslexia. She was co-founder of Barrington Stoke, a company that publishes books for reluctant readers and Principal of Fairley House, a school for dyslexic children.
Quick Reads Series
Quick Reads are aimed at people who’ve either lost or never developed their reading habit or just want simply that, a quick read. They are short, often only about 100 pages long, and are written in an accessible and appealing style.
There are 32 books in the series including ten published 5 March 2009 to coincide with World Book Day. Learning resources are provided to develop reading skills.
More reviews of 2009 Quick Reads
- John Boyne - The Dare
- Catrin Collier - Black - Eyed Devils
- Kate Mosse - The Cave
- Gervase Phinn - All these Lonely People
101 Ways to Get Your Child to Read (ISBN-10: 1842996711; ISBN-13: 978-1842996713). Published by Barrington Stoke Ltd (UK) - 5 March 2009.
101 Ways to Get Your Child to Read
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