Originally Posted by blackcat
DD has plenty of challenging books in her room at her reading level, she just doesn't pick them up. She often chooses books that are below her actual grade level.

Could it be that she enjoys reading books that are targeted to her age level? These would obviously not be the same books that are written for her reading level, as you have mentioned that she skipped a grade.

Originally Posted by blackcat
DS, my younger kid, is even worse and has been able to read chapter book for a couple years (and can read them in about 20 minutes) but every time I suggest one he whines and says that they are way too long.

I have heard this from my 6 year old sons, who are also in first grade. I think they just do not enjoy sitting and reading one story for very long, and they don't want to read part of it and come back to it later. They just really aren't ready to enjoy chapter books, even though they would be able to read and comprehend them. They do enjoy reading non-fiction books, and longer picture books or longer "readers" and will read them instead.