Getting Kids Reading

Recommended books to read with your teenagers

Will you still be reading aloud to your teenager?

I loved reading aloud to my children when they were growing up. To curl up with a book and watch their inquisitive faces as I shared a story with them was such a joy. I’m sure you have that same warm, contented feeling when you read to your kids, too. . But what books can you read with your teenager?

I have to say that when my kids got older and started reading on their own it was both a proud and sad time. It was wonderful seeing them progress onto chapter books, relying less on me for reading duties and happily losing themselves in a book on their own. But once they had become independent readers, I knew my time as Chief Storyteller was over. Or so I thought.

The other day I met a mum who is still reading aloud to her 13-year-old. How brilliant is that? She and her son share an interest in history and when he started reading a history book that had been recommended by his teacher he suggested his mum read it as well. So she said ‘Well maybe we could read it together.’

You’d think that hanging out with his mum reading would be the last thing a young teen would want to do but her son thought it was a great idea. So in the evening, before his bedtime, they sit on the sofa taking it in turns to read the book out loud to one another. And they both love it.

A few years ago, research by the children’s publisher, Scholastic, found that three-quarters of parents were reading aloud to their kids when they were aged 5 or under, but that number tailed off as kids grew older. Only 20% of the parents surveyed read to their 9-11 year olds. What’s really sad is that around one-third of those older children said they’d wanted their parents to continue reading to them.

Books to read for teens

When your child starts growing up you assume there are some ‘uncool’ things they won’t want to do anymore. But the reality can be so different. The mum I met likens reading a book with her son to watching a TV documentary together. They can discuss the subject, ask each other questions and enjoy the experience of learning together. She really loves that they can share their curiosity about the world through their love of reading.

Recommended books for teens

She says that reading aloud together is a natural activity for the two of them and that it’s lovely spending quality time with her son – which, let’s face it, isn’t always easy to achieve with a teen! Of course not every teenager wants to read with their parents – but it might just be that yours does. You never know until you ask… so I’m going to wrestle the Xbox away from my 14-year-old and find out…

 

Suggested books for reading aloud with your teens

1. A Little History of the World by E.H. Gombrich

  • Sweep through the history of mankind from the Stone Age to the atomic age in this clever and engaging history that will give you and your teen a great general knowledge of history, and suggest places to jump for further reading.  This history book is simply a great read.

2.   The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

  • This classic coming of age novel is the tale of Holden Caulfield, an unreliable narrator at best.  Probably the first ‘teen’ novel, written in 1951, and much of it autobiographical.  It’s funny and sad, and so many teenagers relate to it.

3.  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

  • With a Sherlock Holmes reference, this murder mystery  is the story of teenager Christopher who is on the autistic spectrum and hasn’t ever left his street before, but nevertheless sets out to solve the murder of a neighbour’s dog and learns a lot about himself and others in the process.

4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

  • In Nazi Germany in 1939, Liesl becomes the book thief, and finds comfort in the books she reads.  When her foster family hides a Jewish family in their home, her life takes a dangerous turn.   It’s an emotional ride, but has become a classic, must-read.

5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

  • This is an engaging and honest look at racism, police violence and poverty through the eyes of 16 year old Starr, who finds she has to confront injustice when she witnesses the killing of her best friend by a police officer.  It’s an important 21st century classic.

 

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About Géraldine Grandidier

Géraldine is Tidy Books’ founder, designer and CEO, as well as mum to Adele and Emile. She started Tidy Books in her violin workshop because she couldn’t find a good bookcase for her kids. Now her Tidy Books bookcases and storage designs are encouraging independence and a love of reading in kids all over the world.

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