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My son 7 year old son is not interested in reading. I know I shouldn't stress about it but I am confused. He is moderately gifted, does well in school and reads well. I have tried every genre, easy books, harder books (with better plots) and motivating with a reward system (a small token) for books read. He still won't read in his free time.
I am not sure why this irks me so. I am a reader and his brother has a book in his hands 24/7.
SHould I worry or just forget it? Any ideas to help him get engaged?
Thanks!

Have you tried graphic novels? That can really help some kids get "over the hump," so to speak. And there's a bunch of really good ones out there.

Thanks George. These work for my daughter but for some reason my younger son is averse to reading them. He doesn't like humor in books oddly enough. Are there any other boy series that are not funny?

Have you tried more factual books for kids like sports or tornadoes or sharks, that kind of stuff? Have you tried taking him to the library and letting him explore and choose a few different types to try out? What else is competing for his attention during free time? If video games or tv are options, some kids will usually choose those. Does he have trouble reading? Sometimes if you are offering books that are too hard, it may feel like too much work. Just some thoughts.

My DS enjoyed Encyclopedia Brown at that age. That's good if he likes mysteries.

Does he enjoy it if you read to him? And have you tried targeting his areas of interest? What does he enjoy? Sports? Trivia? Biographies? Books related to video games? Have you tried tapping all possible hooks? We're such book fiends in our house that if there's a book out there he might enjoy, I could probably help you find it!

What does he choose to do in his spare time? I wonder if you could find books about those things that he chooses to do.

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful inout. I've tried everything suggested here. The other strange thing is that he will read half of the book. He's probably read 100 half books. The other problem is that he does not have much spare time. He plays soccer four days a week and has a good amount of homework. We limit TV and videogames but on the weekends when he is free those are options that he will always pick over books.

How about books half as long as the ones you've tried? 😀

Ha. Tried b give him shorter books. He feels they are "too babyish". Maybe I should stop trying.is it unusual for a gifted kid to not love reading? His brother is a voracious reader.