Books and boys are at times as difficult to mix as oil and vinegar. Studies have shown that there is a real crisis with boys and reading. In a survey conducted by the Young Adult Library Services Association back in 2001 boys listed their top obstacles to reading were; boring, no fun, no time or too busy, they would rather do something else, couldn't get into the stories, and some admitted they just weren't good at it. This attitude toward reading is obviously not declining. "The Boy Crisis" was the headline on the cover of the January 30, 2006, issue of Newsweek . A front-page story in the March 15, 2006, issue of Education Week proclaimed "Concern Over Gender Gaps Shifting to Boys." U.S. First Lady Laura Bush tells NPR she feels as though "we've sort of shifted our gaze away from boys for the last several decades." Even more recently, on the cover of Scouting September 2008 refers to "Reluctant Readers".
What can parents do to help their sons overcome these top obstacles to reading? A fairly new trend some parents are trying are Boys Book Clubs. A book club just for boys but that are energy oriented with activities and games that relate to boy books.
To start your own Boys Book Club there are a few things you should ask yourself.
1. Who should I invite? Sit down with your son and make a list of who he might like to invite. Brainstorm with him, thinking of friends from school, church, sports, and the neighborhood.
Survival tip: Limit the size of the club to how many can comfortably at your table. Sitting at a table helps eliminate the inevitable silliness that happens when boys are on the floor or even on the couch. When every boy has his own space, there is less elbowing, poking, pinching and rough-housing in general.
2. When and where should our club meet? It doesn't really matter when or where. What is important is that it is consistent. You expect the boys to read the book, they expect to be rewarded with a book club. Set a firm date and then stick to it.
3. What are we going to read? [http://www.gusread.com] is a great resource in finding books that boys read and authors that write just for boys. Boys don't want to get in touch with their feelings, they are also turned off by female heroes. Authors who write for boys like Dan Gutman, Gary Paulsen, and Anthony Horowitz understand this and keep their stories packed with action and adventure while teaching them something on the sly.
4. What do we do at our Boys Book Club? Take cues from the books you read. For example, if you are reading The Million Dollar Shot by Dan Gutman, have the boys play "horse" . Have a free throw contest to see who can make the most free throws. Once you've gotten some energy out, start your discussion of the book over pizza. If you need more ideas check out http://www.bookclub4boys.com. They have free book club outlines that include incentive games to really motivate boys to read.
The most important thing a parent can do for their boy in encouraging him to read is never give up, provide books boys like and stay positive. Even if you have to begin reading the book to your son to get him hooked. The more he is exposed to books the more likely he'll be to read a book. The more he reads the better reader he'll be and if he knows a book club meeting is coming up- he'll be that much more motivated.
Laura Blum is a mother of four boys with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Over 5 years ago she was struggling with this same issue and started a book club for her sons. She started http://www.bookclub4boys.com to share her Boys Bookclub outlines after she saw the success they had on encouraging reluctant readers. She proudly shares that her so-called reluctant reader now can read 2 grade levels above his own. He still prefers to do other things, but she has peace of mind knowing he can read and will read if he needs to.
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