With the pressure of school-related assignments gone and days growing longer, summer is a great time to get lost on the pages of a good book. If you are a parent or relative who is frustrated by the sight of teens glued to their screens even during summer, know that you are not alone. The team at TRS put together a list of tips to help you turn the youngsters in your life into readers – at least for the summer.
1. Refer to the TRS Book List to find some books your teen would enjoy–
Parents and family who read and speak about books at the dinner table might also find their teen developing a curiosity towards what they hear. It is important to create a stimulating environment where big topics teens are interested in can be discussed. Talking about what your teen is reading and vice versa could be a rewarding and stimulating activity.
2. Be sure to model behavior you would like to see in them-
If your teenager is used to routinely visiting a library or bookstore, they might be more inclined to consider reading as a natural part of their life
Parents and family who read and speak about books at the dinner table might also find their teen developing a curiosity towards what they hear.
It is important to create a stimulating environment where big topics teens are interested in can be discussed. Talking about what your teen is reading and vice versa could be a rewarding and stimulating activity.
3. Establish a habit of reading in the household.
One way to transform reading into a pleasure for your child might be to either have a set quiet family reading time or to use it as an alternative to an hour or so of chores.
4. Suggest reading a book together before its movie counterpart is released.
If your teen really enjoys movies, they might be keen to get an overview of the story before the movie is released. It is always intriguing to compare the visual depiction of a book! Especially now that Hollywood and streaming giants increasingly turn to books for ideas and adaptations.
Here are some suggestions to get started:
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- The Tales of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
- Always + Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
- Without Remorse by Tom Clancy
- Dark Harvest by Norman Patridge
5. Suggest a graphic novel based on their interests.
Graphic novels have sometimes been considered less serious literature, however, now there are titles that are informative and quasi works of art. Here are some titles to take a look at if your teen likes captivating visual language:
- Horror:
- Uzumaki by Junji Ito
- Memoir:
- Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
- Politics/Autobiographical:
- Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
- History:
- Maus by Art Spiegelman
- Travel: Pyongyang:
- A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle
6. Have them listen to an audiobook
If your teen is very active and might not think they have the time to read audiobooks could be the ideal tool for them. It is important to incorporate books in their lives as a habit and there are many ways to do that in a fun way – school already takes care of ‘serious’ reading.
7. Keep different reading material around the house.
Perhaps your teen is just not interested in plunging into a novel. But there are still many other ways to read and to cultivate their interests. How about a subscription to a musical magazine? Or to a current affairs newspaper? Or simply consulting a cookbook?
Sports, celebrities, biographies, fashion, cars… they are all ways to get more interested in the written word and to develop a familiarity with print.
8. Encourage them towards talks, groups, live events about books.
Having a community to share your interests is always stimulating and will encourage your teen to continue reading. Suggest joining a book club or creating it.
Does your teen have a favorite book series or author? How about researching if they are hosting talks or meetups. This might be a very exciting way for your kid to nurture a love for books!
They could also create a story or fanfiction based on what they write. Or follow us on social media for more encouragement to read and suggestions.
9. Encourage them to pack a book for their next outdoors activity.
When laying outside in the sun your teen might be naturally more inclined to read as phone screens tend to be hard to see. Make sure you pack a book a magazine or newspaper anytime your kid is headed to the park, the beach, or the pool.
If you are traveling somewhere with your teen seeing a new place might spark their natural curiosity, why not pick up a novel set in that location when visiting the bookstore. You will find they might be inclined to know more about what surrounds them.
10. Don’t force them to read.
It is important for your teen to remember that reading should be fun and that they should read what interests them. Whether they are reading comic books or novels about vampires, they will develop and change their reading taste as time goes by.
In his book, Rights of the Reader, Daniel Pennac insists on our inalienable rights, such as the right to read anything we want, to reread, to skip pages, to read aloud, and to not finish a book. Share these fundamental practices with your teen.