Getting boys to read
Strong readers have a built-in advantage in school. They are more likely to get better grades, score better on tests and feel more successful as students – even in the most challenging classes.
So, here’s the dilemma facing parents of boys: How on earth do we get them to love reading? I recently received a pitch from an author whose work targets a young male audience. It stated:
According to a poll conducted by the Wall Street Journal, boys trail girls in the National Assessment of Educational Progress and make up only 2% of children’s book customers. The gap widens when they reach the 12th grade and continues into adulthood with women outscoring men on literacy exams and reading more overall.
These are sobering statistics. For parents who have turned reluctant readers into rabid readers, please share your best advice. How can parents foster a life-long love of reading in boys?
Aisha covered education and breaking news for nearly ten years before joining the Lifestyle staff where she writes a "Dirty Laundry" parenting column. She is the home and family editor and wastes too much time on Facebook and political blogs. 
It’s so important to draw attention to reading, and attract reluctant readers to it,especially boys.
I grew up as a reluctant reader, in spite of the fact that my father published over 70 books. Now I write action-adventures & mysteries, especially for tween boys, that avid boy readers and girls enjoy just as much.
My blog, Books for Boys http://booksandboys.blogspot.com is dedicated to drawing attention to the importance of reading.
Max Elliot Anderson
I enjoyed reading your stats about boy’s literacy. I’m the founder of a new, innovative literacy program called Boys Read. Boys Read’s mission is to transform boys into lifelong readers. We’re an organization of parents, educators, librarians, mentors, authors, and booksellers. A core objective of Boys Read is to establish Reading Tribes. Tribes are informal reading circles for pleasure and non-deterministic learning. They’re very similar to book clubs. Tribes are a great opportunity to bond with boys. A Tribe Leader acts as a mentor and facilitator for the Tribe. Parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, coaches, and other community outreach programs and services organize Tribes. Our website features many extraordinary authors who have published numerous compelling and gripping novels that boys love. For more information about Boys Read, visit our website at boysread.org.
Simple answer. Stop pushing sports so hard. Teach kids that there are other worthwhile and much more mentally stimulating activities. Emphasize speech,Art, music, drama and dance.
Besides they will find better role models with these people and have less peer abuse with these activities.
More supportive people and more diversity.
Also less drugs, sex, and violence. Sports encourages these last 3. The cultural activities do not.
Wow, Kathy. Your baseless claims against sports and cheerleading for “cultural activities” have almost nothing to do with boys and reading.
Look, I was picked last for the kickball team too but I don’t hold any grudges. My sons maintain a BIG interest in sports, and believe me…watch my husband or me try to play *anything* and you’d know they aren’t being “pushed”. Since I’m sure you are aware of the virtues of athletics–strategy, teamwork, a closeup look at life’s ups and downs–I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you were speaking of balance and not a knee jerk rejection of sports altogether. I’d like for my boys to appreciate physical activity and drama and everything in between, and I refuse to put them in silly little jock, bookworm, or band geek boxes.
As a mom to boys, I’m pleased to see that we’re finally asking questions about why boys read less and what we can do to get them as excited about it as their female peers. Great changes in the YA publishing world too…though I love the idea of mass appeal Harry Potter-esque material, I think it’s perfectly okay for boys to read authors that can be their answer to Judy Blume. Not all guys are into sci fi;)
My son’s interests in sports has HELPED his reading. He likes to read about sports, especially baseball and the Cardinals. He loves to read his baseball cards. It doesnt matter the type of reading material - find something he is interested in and find reading material on that topic. My youngest son’s favorite books are about Spongebob. Also, the Windsor Library in Jefferson County has a books for boys program, it sure has helped out my oldest son, a reluctant reader!