Need book ideas!

My son, Will, is a really good reader and speller. We haven't really found anything that has 'captured' his interest in books, though, KWIM? He doesn't seem to love the fantasy genre, or mystery stories. The only thing he will choose to read is comic books. I don't fight him on this, at all, as I think it's important for my boys to read things they enjoy. However, he really needs to work on his fluency in reading - if that makes sense. He doesn't always comprehend what he is reading because he doesn't pause at the end of sentences, or take other punctuation into account. I know this will improve as he reads more and more, but I need to find some books/series that really capture him and make him want to read! I've been looking on Amazon for Christmas ideas and nothing is really jumping out at me. What have your very boyish boys enjoyed? FYI, we've tried Magic Tree House, A-Z mysteries, Cam Jansen, Nate the Great, and many more that I'm sure I'm forgetting!

 

maybe the hardy boys? (or whatever they're called)

 

My friend's son loves Jigsaw Jones. My boys are into Junie B. Jones, even though she is a girl, they love the silliness of the stories. Also, have you tried Berensteen Bears? They are on a higher reading level than you would think, and are short enough that you can work more easily on comprehension.

 

My son is also 7 and absolutely LOVES anything written by Dav Pilkey. Specifically the Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot Collection and the Captain Underpants series. I do know that some people have strong feelings about the Captain Underpants books, but for my son they've gotten him excited about reading for pleasure (he asked me to take him to the library this weekend to get some new Dav Pilkey books) and he's been drawing and writing his own comic-type books because of them. All good things! The Ricky Ricotta books do not use potty humor, btw.

He's also into the My Weird School series, the Ready Freddy series and the Wiley and Grampa's Creature Feature series.

Most, with the exception of the Ready Freddy and My Weird School books are a combination of reading and comic books. They do have developed plots, but they are presented in a fun, unassuming way.

 

I know, I know but.... Captain Underpants. I know boys who've gone though the whole series in a week and gone back to re-read.

 

My girls LOVE Captain Underpants series and it is written like a comic book. The girls also like the My Weird School Daze series.

 

He does love Captain Underpants. It's funny, with #1 I was adamently oppsed to them. He LOVED to read and so my 'stance' did very little to deter his interest in other reading material. Then, along comes Will and I just want him to read something (actually I just want him to ENJOY reading something) so I totally caved, and, truthfully, Captain Underpants are pretty hysterical!

Thanks so much for all the ideas! There are several that we haven't ever read that I think will make great Christmas presents for him. You guys are great!

 

my 7 year olds (boys) love, love, love the spiderwick cronicles & the ralph mouse books. i'm hoping to get them into super fudge soon.

 

My 8 year old still loves Junie B Jones, always has! He also loves the Star Wars movies and is now reading the books.
I'm sure you know but one of the things to help with them reading sentances and stopping at the end is having them read out loud to you. My son had the same problem and so we started looking at books together, since I had to sit through the book too! We started looking into movies that were coming out soon and started reading the books first. Like we did Charlotte's Web awhile back, Bridge to Terribithea (again sorry about the spelling ) and The Spiderwick Chronicles and of course the Harry Potter books, just to name a few. We're going to start reading Desperado (something like that, it's the one with the rat) so we can see that when it comes out. It makes it fun cause he finish's and then gets a treat to see a movie!
I love all the book ideas! Some I hadn't heard of and will be sure to get for my son for Christmas, thanks!
Brigette

 

The Warriors series of books (about clans of feral cats) are big with the boys at my kids school (these are 8- and 9-year-olds).

 

I teach 7 yr olds and they love the Goosebumps series (although you said not really into that), and love Junie B Jones. Yes, she is a girl but she's funny!

Or what about a ny Jigsaw Jones or Horrible Harry books?

 

My 8 year old loves Captain Underpants... He also like Sardine in Outer Space (he says they're comics)... He read the whole Spiderwick Chronicles series... He likes Junie B. Jones, Magic Treehouse...

I would just take him to the library and let him pick out a bunch of storybooks that look like fun... Often times I will pick out books just because of the cover and the illustrations... If it's fun to look at, it should be fun to read

 

Another idea is to find books that are a little "young" for him, to help with fluency/ comprehension. Sometimes books that are age appropriate for content are too hard for kids that have comprehension issues. The trick, as you know, is for it not to be too babyish and to have him experience success at the same time. Sometimes it's a confidence issue. Can you try I Spy Books or Joke/ riddle books? These books would be short, take the pressure off and would be great for comprehension becaue they have to figure it out. Mad Libs might be fun for him, too. How about magazines or cross word puzzles- they can help, too.

Also, ask his teacher or your librian for suggestions. Good Luck!

 

Captain Underpants

Diary of a Wimpy Kid--my 4th grade son loves this series. 2 books are out and a third in January I believe. They're funny and have lots of illustrations.