Eleven Plus Reading

Numerous attempts have been made over the years to try to discover exactly what children like to read at various ages. Once children learn to read the choice of books is endless. What a child reads is largely determined by teachers, parents and librarians.

A child who learns to read at three may want to read classics or Shakespeare or Dickens – or even books on science or discovery. A voracious reader may want to read a book a day. A child with no interest in reading may read only at school – and only when urged to do so by the teachers. For many children the `Knowledge’ books are of great interest.

There are some wonderful websites aimed at encouraging children to read and buy books.

So until some great author comes along and sweeps us into a frenzy of reading most us just do our best when we are recommending books.

If parents are `readers’ will their children become readers too? I suppose the answer is sometimes – but not always. Equally some children may become readers even when their parents never seem to read at all.

All parents can do is keep trying.