Check Out My Newest Guest Post From Author Clairmarie H. Field Plus Learn About Her Newest Book Willie’s Gift & Enter A Giveaway Too! #WilliesGift ~

This post is sponsored by Clairmarie H. Field. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

How to Help a Reluctant Reader Fall in Love with Books

The number one cardinal rule to help a child fall in love with books is to read to him or her every day. It is never too early in life to begin reading to your child. A baby will respond to the rhythm and tone of a story, even if he’s not old enough to speak.

Try to read at least three stories a day, even if it is the same story. Children need to hear 1000 stories before they can begin to read. By reading aloud with animation, even changing your voice for different characters, you draw in your listener and create joy in reading.

Younger children respond well to rhythm, rhyme and repetition. Pick a book with wonderful pictures and let the child finish the rhyme on the page. Try making a game of things you see on the pages such as looking for letters that begin the child’s name. The time spent reading a quality book aloud encompasses energy, joy and imagination. This is an impetus for the love of books.

Generally, the above tips, if followed religiously, are building blocks for creating a love of reading. Sometimes, however, life gets in the way. The electronic games that are available instantly overtake a love for reading. Personally, I am against giving an iPad to a young child, but I see it done often by harried parents.

As parents and teachers, it is important to allow children to choose the books from which they will derive pleasure and enjoyment. By pushing our own ideas of what may interest a reader, we risk turning that reader away from reading. Allow the reluctant reader to try different genres and talk about one that he or she liked the best.

Book clubs are enjoyable and useful tools to encourage reading. Children share their opinions of the books they have read and make recommendations of books for their friends. This can be a powerful incentive to read.

Weekly trips to the local library provide a wide choice of books. Have a child read a page or two aloud, and then discussing it sometimes invites questions and the desire to read further. Reading really needs to be interactive, especially in the early stages. Once a child discovers what he or she enjoys reading, the process can take off. Even though a reader has found his niche, continue the process of reading aloud to him or her. By celebrating reading we create lifelong readers.

Some children are fans of graphic novels and comic books. While I was once disdainful of graphic novels, I now see how many reluctant readers gravitate to these books. Therefore, I now stock them in my office library.

I’ve also found that a book series can sometimes propel a reader to read book after book by the same author. One student, who resisted reading, discovered the Piper Greene series, and now anxiously awaits for the next book to come out.

Occasionally, an incentive to read motivates students. I introduced a reading challenge to students to read as many books as they could one cold February. We kept track of the books read on a chart. Those who completed five books received a small reward. Those who completed more than five received a gift card to a local bookstore. This introduced a little excitement in the dark month of February and ignited a new interest in reading a variety of books.

The continuation of reading aloud as a family has great value and promotes the development of lifelong readers. The sense of bonding and celebrating reading together sets the stage for a lifetime of book lovers.

As you can see, there are many aspects to creating a positive reading environment. Most important is to love reading yourself and then to stay consistent with your child or your students. Keep showing your love of reading and the young readers will follow. As a parent, teacher and author I find the most important action is to start reading to your child early in their life and never stop.

Clairmarie H. Field

www.cmbookworks.com

Find my latest book “Willie’s Gift” on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Mascot Books!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Willie’s Gift

Written by Clairmarie H. Field

Illustrated by Maggie Sullivan

Ages: 5-7 | 20 Pages

Publisher: Mascot Kids (2025) | ISBN: 979-8891383289

Publisher’s Book Summary: Willie is a silky-beige and rust-colored Yorkshire terrier puppy with one problem. He was born with exceptionally large ears. He knows that he does not look like other puppies in his dog training classroom, and he feels a little strange. How will he learn to accept himself? In Willie’s Gift, read how Willie discovers the perfect solution while learning something very important about himself in the process.

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clairmarie Field is a writer, reading therapist, mother of eight children and an animal lover. She is passionate about teaching children with reading difficulties to learn to enjoy reading. CM BookWorks has evolved from years of instructing children through remediation or enrichment. By nudging children to stretch their thinking, they can learn to view life’s challenges in a positive way. Clairmarie hopes that CM BookWorks will provide a resource for parents seeking thoughtful consideration of abstract concepts that are difficult for young children to grasp.

Clairmarie has written for Adoption Today, as well as community interest stories, and Justin’s Pet, her first book. She resides in Delaware with her husband and daughter, and of course her six cats, two dogs, and chickens.

To learn more, check out cmbookworks.com.