Let's face it: some kids don't like to read. Growing up, parents, teachers, librarians, and editors are looking for books that will appeal to reluctant students. While writing The Best They Think Hate to Read (Random House), I read hundreds of books for children, old and new, which I thought would fit the bill. I found out that there are eight qualities with good textbooks for hesitant students, and to my surprise, some of my childhood favorites did not pass the test. If you can use at least three of the elements listed below in your book, you will have a good chance of being liked by all the kids, even the ones reading is a chore for them.
* Jokes. Making children laugh is important for building good relationships and learning. But you need to understand what makes the bones of children laugh at different ages. The comics in the picture books are broad and very visible. Simple readers (and other picture books 6 and older) begin to introduce spoken jokes: word game, puns, two meanings. As children enter the chapter book fair, they can handle jokes that need to be set and the benefits played out in a few forums. The dialogue, the way the characters share, or the situation the character finds himself in can be a natural joke.
* Well-Defined Letters. Many children want to have strong relationships with the characters in their books; for hesitant students, this is important. No matter what the character looks like on the outside (be it a space alien, an actress or a talking frog), inside the character needs to integrate the reader’s perspective. This means that the character is facing problems that the student may face, or seeing the world in a child-like way. The characters in the book must have a variety of strengths and weaknesses so that the reader can care for them and want to stick to them throughout the story. In legends such as biographies, writers who find part of the life of their subject relevant to their target audience have a better chance of reaching uninterested readers.
* Quick Build. Children who love to read do not care about the story that takes a few chapters to go on, but reluctant students do not have that patience. The action should begin in the first paragraph, and by the end of the first chapter the reader should know a little about the main character and have a good idea of the conflict or problem the character will face. The episodes below are good for chapter and above books, but too many will interfere with the story's progress. Keep the pages turning.
* Summary chapters. Ideally, each chapter should contain one obvious event (or some specific point that is not true), and have its own arc (beginning, middle and end). This makes reading even one chapter a satisfying experience. The chapters concluding with a high note of action will make the reader want to see what happens next. Episode novels (where each chapter stands alone as a short story) can also bet good on hesitant readers. Richard Peck’s Long Way from Chicago and Louis Sacha Sideways Stories of Wayside School are two middle-class examples.
* Children's Fitness. This applies to the themes and ideas that form the basis of the structure, or how the author deals with a false topic. These ideas must be relevant, purposeful, and practical in the student's life. Instead of conveying the lesson your adult's point of view that the student needs to know, try using a student reference framework as a starting point. Write for your audience, not for them. And remember, books can be fun.
* Appropriate Text. Depending on the age and ability of the learner, the text needs to be challenging but not dynamic. Strive to write your story as clearly as possible, using practical sentences and nouns and verbs. If you are writing for a wide range of age-appropriate students (for example, 8-12), make vocabulary accessible to young people, but the level of interest is appealing to children at the end of the adult spectrum.
* Unique presentation. Hesitant readers tend to be more selective than the myths because they talk about their interests. Finding a new or unusual twist in your article helps keep that interest alive. Humor is also not harmful. Disgusting and Eating! James Solheim's Real Foods From Worldwide appeals to middle school students to love gross while sneaking into a history on the sidelines.
* Visible complaint. Authors usually do not have much word in book design, but the author / artists may be. Larger typewriters, greater use of white space, and more elaborate illustrations all help to separate the text and make the book less intimidating to read.
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