Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy reading above-level books

My 7yo boy often reads books that I think are above his level (especially science books such as those in the Manga or Dummies series). I think he may be intellectually at about 5th or 6th grade level, but not the high school level. Since he reads books meant for teenagers or adults, I buy more of them but do not pressure him to read them.

Two questions I have are
(1) What do children get out of reading books that above their heads? Will it make their later, more serious studies, easier, because they have seen the material before?
(2) How should parents assist them, if at all?

My provisional answer to (2) is to leave my son alone and only help him with the material in difficult books if he asks for it.

I think, in general, it is the parents' role to provide opportunities to their kids and then to follow their child's lead. If your son is interested in these books then he is certainly getting something out of them. There is no way he would be spending his time on something out of which he got nothing. He may be understanding the majority of the text or just some of the text or maybe even just a little of the text but a lot from the pictures. I would think that all you need to do to support him would be to ask him how he's liking his book, what he's learning about, and if there's anything he's having trouble understanding, but all in a friendly conversational tone. I would think that, whatever he is getting out of the books now, it would certainly make him feel more comfortable with the material and familiar with the basics so that when he encounters the information later, it could only help. It sounds to me like you're doing exactly what you should be doing and that you're a loving, supportive parent!

I guess my question is 'how do you know that the material is over his head?'
If the language is beautiful and the characters are compelling, then your son probably gets the same thing out of reading the books that other people get.

I was reading about the lexiles, and how they recommend that a child read at about 75% of their highest ability. That seemed so weird to me. I think it's individual, but I always 'got' everything that there was to get in a book the first read through. I know of other people who report seeing so much more on the 2nd or 3rd read, so I know that my experience isn't universal.

Now it's true that as my life experience develops, I identify more strongly, or differently with different aspects of the book. One example that you might enjoy reading with your son, is 'Ender's Game' - when I read it as an adult with my son, I had a lot more feelings about the shadowy parental figures. I've read interviews with OSC that the same thing happened to him, and that in the later books he has developed the parents more fully - and I've enjoyed noticing that as well.

I don't think that parents need to assist their children with reading as much as be an active discussion partner. That's what I remember missing anyway as a child. I seemed to almost inhabit the books and then was quite lonely with no one to discuss them with. Plus, by reading books together one builds a family vocabulary with references and in-jokes, which I really enjoyed with my son. There are moments when we just look at each other and know that we are both thinking of the same literary reference. And we grin.
Love and more Love,
Grinity

I agree with this. There are many books that I have read at different stages in my life, have discovered different layers with each read. One of my favorite books is The Story of San Michele by Axel Munthe. The first time I read it I was about 11, and more than twenty years later I still enjoy reading it. Every time I read it speaks to me in a different way. So, yes, I believe that children can read book and get something out of them, even if they have been labeled as adult books.

I totally agree with this. My 12-year-old son learned best by reading and discussing. Since there were no other kids near us reading at his level and with his interests, that left me and sometimes his dad to read and discuss books with him, but this is the thing I have enjoyed most about homeschooling. My son refused to read Magic Tree House books after about age 5 because the he thought the vocabulary was boring and predictable.

Another homeschool mom who had a daughter my son's age told me that I shouldn't let him read his favorite book at the time, a science encyclopedia, when he was six and that I should only use books and curriculum at his grade level. I am so glad I didn't listen to her. He read what he wanted to read and he always chose books with a high vocabulary level. He liked learning and using new words. He liked to use alliteration and metaphor and the more words you know, the easier that is to do.

In his 7th-9th grade writing composition class yesterday he had to read a short story he had written for peer review. They laughed at his humor. Kids who read a lot do get his humor and references which wasn't happening when he was younger and with kids his age. The new boy in his writing composition class, who I think might also be gifted, wrote on the peer revision sheet that my son "words things perfectly." A girl clapped after my son read the story he wrote, the same girl that clapped last time they did peer review. She doesn't clap for anyone else in the class. My son definitely enjoys this. He reads his stories like an actor reading his lines, so maybe applause is appropriate.

I just don't think he would be able to do what he is doing now if I hadn't let him read things above grade level and encouraged his interest in learning new vocabulary. He is going through some difficult things right now and his ability to write well and quickly, usually the day before the assignment is due, is because he developed this wonderful thesaurus in his brain that allows him to choose just the right words.

I think that as long as there are no worries about appropriateness of subject matter, I'd let your son read whatever he wants. Not presenting material above a measured readiness level can help with not forcing a child to be frustrated with too-hard material, but that shouldn't apply to a kid who wants to challenge himself. It's a sign of a kid with a health drive to learn, and I think that the earlier a kid is exposed to complicated syntax and grammar, as well as advanced topics that are graspable with a bit of work, the better.

Follow the lead of the child would be my suggestion, and nurture their interest in books in whatever way works for them. I would let my kids read whatever *they* want although I discourage content with a *mature theme.* I have an 11 yo dd with an almost insatiable appetite for the written word, and has since she was a baby. She knows what she likes, and us parents consider our job to be maintaining the flow of books. She thinks nothing of reading two 300 page books in a day, so we're talking high volume, and we use the library extensively to keep costs down. We cater mostly to her interests in selecting books (we leave it to the school to force her to sample other genres - that's why we send her!), as we think her love and skill in reading is one of her greatest gifts and want to nurture it. For science/math, "Murderous Maths" and "Horrible Science" series have been favorites for years (we own these ones) and she rereads them periodically - I think she rereads because she likes the humor, and also because she comprehends more each time. She also enjoys some books well below her reading level (she read a Goosebumps book the other day) and we indulge that as well, and always have.

at least you're the one thinking you are the personal book service - my DS5 pretty much says that to me all the time - did you go to the library today!!?? Although DS and I agree that we like it better when I go for him. He will pick up the first book that catches his eye and sit down and read it like drugged, he can't continue!

I like doing it because I like controlling one aspect of his intake - age inappropriateness of sexual content which we are dispensing as asked - and from his point of view - scary content. He has agreed that he has gone up a level of scary - but not too much mommy! So for us, I try to spread the field wide and deep. On science he is reading stuff labeled for 9-12 year olds and is learning the vocabulary. He reads books from picture books to encyclopedia's with preferences in heroes, and science but I dribble in stuff about manners and friendship and grammar - all sorts of stuff. Occasionally he will put a book back in his bin unread - like the 39 steps - is intrigued by the story on the cover but not yet comfortable by the amount of words on the page - he really likes graphic novels because it allows him to enjoy the visuals.

I try to find where he is and then slightly nudge him beyond - but sometimes he does that too - he read a good collection of the Magic Tree House a few months ago and then announced he is done. But he is anxiously awaiting the new Ron Roy books because he likes the characters.

As for comprehension - I noticed he was skipping around - he has the odd habit of looking for pictures in books that have them - like the heroes in Ordinary Boy and read those first - or he'll read the end to see how it turns out - this bugs me - at first because I thought he wasn't getting the story, sort of cheating, but no, that's just how he does it, he eventually reads the whole thing - but because it was bothering me I actually opened a book, asked him a ludicrously picky question that would never make it into a comprehension test and he got it exactly right I was flabbergasted - makes us wonder if he has a close to photographic memory.

We picked up a book called Max Disaster which is an awesome looking book about Alien Eraser and Max, but the subtext of the story is about divorce and he got it, to the point of starting to ask about the state of our union!! And the older give and take of 4th and 5th graders, bullying etc, concerns me.

But then we just had soccer practice and this 7 year old boy was gyrating inappropriately and making jokes with sexual innuendos, so maybe I shouldn't' worry so much about what he is reading!!!

DeHe

If we take the kids to the library, they'll go straight for Garfield comics, which is fine as long as they also have other stuff to read! Thus, we request books through the online catalog, and make several stops at the library per week for pick up/drop off. Our library system has new book lists each month which are a great resource - I stick primarily to the pre-teen list because the teen list is loaded with vampire romance and teen romance. Dd knows this stuff is out there but is not interested yet - I like to think in part it is because she has so much other good stuff to read...