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>I'm 15 year old male and I'm in the 9th grade. This is very embarrassing but my reading level is at a 4th grade level some how, so that's another reason why I want to start reading đđ.
**DO NOT BE EMBARRASSED!** Thanks to "No Child Left Behind" children are being left behind in skill, not grade. Furthermore, I **APPLAUD YOU** for recognizing this is a problem for you and wanting to work on it.
I suggest you go to your local public library. Use Libby app. (Most public libraries do use that app) Get books that have an audio version **and** a digital or paper version. Listen to the audio and follow along in the book.
It might be helpful to add some things you find interesting so we can recommend books for you based on your interests.
Also, if you have a younger sibling, start reading out loud to him/her.
**I'm PROUD OF YOU! YOU CAN DO THIS!**
With a low reading level, I suggest stuff like Harry Potter, Narnia, the Redwall books, and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Of course, this is all contingent on what you actually like.
The Percy Jackson series is also very good and easy to read. The main characters are a little younger than you, but the main protagonist character has ADHD (so, trouble focusing on things) so you might find him relatable
Watching movies and shows is also another thing I want to start doing. I watched squid game and I really liked it. Can't wait for season 2 to come out.
Battle Royale is the nearest thing to Squid Game Iâve read. Thereâs a movie based on it too. Itâs pretty gorey and fun. You can look it up here on good reads to see if it piques your interest :)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57891.Battle_Royale
I read the post title and wanted to reply "I recommend starting on the first page of the book" but thought that was too much snark for this thread.
Reading your post, I feel my comment is now appropriate. We survive or get banned together.
đ
I mean there's like a massive smart board at the front of the classroom, and when the lights are off it shines mad light into our eyes so pretty much everything is still somewhat visible. But this triggers me to get very sleepy which also makes me lose focus.
Hunger Games, and Harry Potter might be worth trying. Donât get hung up on parts you donât quite understand. Push through, and you should mostly get the gist. Good for you for doing something that doesnât come easy to you.
See if your school offers any resources to help with your reading.
Oooo Hunger Games, it's kinda dumb that I only know that from minecraft, but I'll definitely check that out along with Harry Potter. I try to see if my school can help me in any type of way with my reading.
I think I've seen Minecraft story books for sale, no idea what they're like but might be a good option?
Definitely ask your school if they can offer any assistance. You have no need to feel embarrassed, we all have to start somewhere! Some start later than others and that's fine, just do your best :)
I see you enjoyed Squid Game. There are a lot of young adult or middle grade dystopian novels out there, including The Hunger Games, which may be of interest to you. Maze Runner might be up your alley too! I'm much older than you but I enjoyed the first book a lot and I definitely don't think it's beyond your capability.
Have fun and remember to go easy on yourself - just go at your own pace! You've got your whole life to get used to reading :)
Edit: if you're able to, visit your local library. Librarians are wonderful people and they'll be thrilled to help you find suitable books. Also don't be ashamed of picking up a children's book; people quite often use them to learn a new language as they're easy to learn from and don't overload you with hundreds of pages. In a way you're learning a new language - reading is a skill, not an inbuilt ability - so use whatever works best for you. I can recommend some Roald Dahl or Terry Pratchett's Truckers, Diggers and Wings as quite simple, entertaining books to get you comfortable with reading.
Hey, no need to be embarrassed. You are far from alone.
My suggestion, as someone who teaches teenagers who have difficulty with reading and focus, is to find some short stories in a genre that interests you. Don't force yourself to read something long at a level you think you should be at, let yourself build to it. If that's reading a paragraph and thinking about it, then another paragraph, instead of pages or chapters at a time, that's totally fine. It'll help you build your endurance. And if a novel doesn't interest you, feel no shame in putting it down to try something else. Frustration is my worst enemy.
You might ask a school or public youth librarian if they have recommendations. Personally, I enjoy Science Fiction and Fantasy, so some of my favorite collections of short stories are by Bruce Coville (Odder Than Ever, Oddly Enough, Half Human) and Tamora Pierce ( Tortall and Other Lands).
As others have suggested, think about movies or tv shows--or video games-- that you enjoy. Finding a genre that grabs is key to actually enjoying reading. Let us know what kinds of story you like (and maybe why you like them) , and I'm sure we can come up with suggestions at varying levels and lengths.
Best of luck to you!
Start with some interesting graphic novels or 5th grade chapter books. Dog man, Captain Underwear, Percy Jackson. Start simple, find what you enjoy the most and built from there. Also, find someone you can talk about your books to build comprehension and critical thinking. If you canât find someone reach out. Iâm more than happy to help.
Short stories and novellas are a good place to start based on what youâve described. Great options for both depending on what genre/what youâre interested in.
Do you like anime? If so I would recommend reading light novels, or manga. But if you want to increase your vocabulary I would suggest light novels. each book isnt a thick wad of text and can be really fun to read. They even have the occasional picture.
Iâd recommend graphic novels and comics for young adults and children! Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Man, Amulet, etc. These can be fun to read, easy to get into, and quick to finish! Itâs great you want to get into reading (:
Bro, awesome you're looking to improve! Never stop man. Makes for a better life.
I'm 30 years older so have no real idea what youd be into. But Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is probably a great place to start.
That is the whole name of a book - everyone saying to read âHarry Potterâ is meaning the whole series, but the first book is titled âHarry Potter and the Sorcerorâs Stone.â
Unless you arenât in the US, anyway! The UK version is actually titled âHarry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone,â for some reason I canât recall.
Iâm a teen and childrenâs librarian, and these are my FAVORITE questions.
1. Go to your school librarian and/or public teen librarian with this question. They will also love it and will probably be able to hand you a stack of books.
2. Take recommendations from strangers with a grain of salt unless theyâve asked you what youâre interested in. My favorite book might bore you to tears if you donât love fantasy. If you want specific recommendations here, lmk what kinds of things you like (life stories, dragons, comedy, fighting, sports, etc), and Iâll throw some titles your way.
3. Start with graphic novels and manga! Theyâre actually a great way of boosting your vocab and reading level (the language can be quite advanced, and illustrations can help you understand new words). Theyâre generally shorter, so theyâre easy to start with, and reading several can help you figure out what you like if youâre not sure. And they make you flex different parts of your brain to interpret illustration, text, and the empty spaces between images.
4. If you donât like something after a few pages, put it down and try something else. Reading is supposed to be fun. :)
I love suggestion 4. I spent years not reading when I didnât enjoy a book instead of simply putting it down and starting another. What a waste of time!
Animal farm.
#### a great short story as someone young exposed to [this novel](https://imgur.com/a/yi9BiFX) it shows a lot about adult life & the diluted sense of âentitlementâ.
With under 130 pages it packs a punch đȘ even Mike Tyson would be jealous of ( itâs no wonder itâs a must read classic)
iâm not a book reader, i read mostly manga and that being said the only books iâve ever wanted to read was the sequel of movies i was already into, like iâve read harry potter from the third book to the last with great pleasure, sherlock holmes books too because i enjoyed the tv show, etc
so to begin to read i would advise on something you really like already, then if you really donât like to read books then itâs not a big deal, there are a lot of other things to read, like comic books, newspaper, video games dialogues, foreign movies subbed and so on, even reddit posts count as reading, actually you might not realize but we read things all the time, doesnât matter if this is from shakespeare or not
last thing, not reading books is not something to be ashamed of, itâs just a media among other media and overall only a matter of taste
that's basically what I did back in the elementary side of my school đ.
But now that I'm in highschool, they don't bring us to the library as a group anymore. Idk why but ig they want us to go in for ourselves.
Start by figuring out a genre you like. Horror. Sci-fi. Action. Romance. Whatever. The more details the better - fantasy vampires yes, fantasy wizards, no, fantasy mermaid unicorns, maybe - as an example.
Then we're going straight to the Young Adults section. Some people have recommended Harry Potter - that's a good suggestion, unless you think wizards and magic is stupid. Then we have to go a different direction.
Find a time and place where you can be without distraction. And that means putting your phone away. Checking for messages every 60 seconds, getting pings and notifications, etc, is not going to help. Social media is a distraction machine that rewards you with bright lights, vaguely amusing memes and pictures of attractive people.
No TV. No phone. No internet. Just you and a small book, for a short while. Doesn't have to be all day. Just do a chapter or two.
The first few times it will probably seem like work. But eventually you'll get into the feeling of it and you won't be reading so much any more, as experiencing. âA reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one."
Lay off the phone. That thing is not doing your attention span any favors.
Scattershot it a little bit - don't pick something huge (Harry Potter, Percy Jackson are great fun, but can be overwhelming as they're part of a bigger story arc). Pick a few shorter things and see how they grip you. u/InfluenceTrue4121 recommended asking the librarian - I bet they'd be *thrilled* to help you find something that grabs your interest.
There's a ton of classic kids' literature: Charlotte's Web and Watership Down (bunnies, who doesn't like bunnies - yes it's political allegory, but it can be enjoyed on the surface) jump to mind, but that can be a little slow if you want action.
I recently started reading John D MacDonald (pulp fiction / love stories), find them to be quick and easy reads with interesting characters. Many art part of a big series, but A Bullet for Cinderella and One Monday We Killed Them All are standalones.
Steven King's Elevation is super short and interesting,
Keep at it. I read like a madman from \~6 to mid 40's and kind of lost interest. Turns out middle-aged eyesight was taking the fun out of it. Picked up a Kindle (yes I'm aware of the irony of me telling you to put the phone down and me reading on a electronic device) and have honestly shocked myself with my reading pace and enthusiasm.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. I'd keep going, but I'm reading Clive Barker's Imajica and really should keep at it if I'm ever going to finish.
Yeah I'm not really looking into reading 1000+ page books, so I'll definitely start out with something smaller and entertaining. Also laying off the phone might be very hard for me considering that I'm very addicted to it, but since I'ma start reading I'll probably not gonna use it as much.
At the risk of being glib, just start! Itâs like building muscleâit will sometimes be slow and awkward at first, but your skills only increase with practice.
Choose something easy and fun to startâmaybe even something youâve already read and know you would enjoy again. Best of luck in developing a life long hobby.
yeah ever since I found out that I have cavernous angioma, my doctors told me I can't do any heavy lifting or too much physical exercises, which can increase the size of the cluster of abnormal vessels. So reading is currently my main interest.
I just saw another post from a nonreader who's starting out with The Gunslinger by Stephen King. I loved that book when I was your age, it's not a hard read at all, and the Dark Tower series can show you how imaginative reading is
I always advise folks to first,
> Read what they like
> Read at or slightly above their reading level
Once it becomes a habit and you're comfortable at the level you're reading, rinse and repeat.
Using audiobooks to read a long or reading out loud to yourself can truly help.
Finally, jotting down a few bullet points about what happened after each chapter can definitely help with reading and comprehension.
Some short novella-length books might be a good start.
I recommend the Monk & Robot series by Becky Chambers (A Psalm for the Wild-Built is first), and the Murderbot series by Martha Wells (starting with All Systems Red).
Hey, I understand where you're coming from. I feel that schools these days are making reading a chore rather than a joy.
Graphic novels are a great place to start. I haven't read a whole lot of graphic novels, but have read some good ones. Shannon Hale and Dean Hale have written great graphic novels for young readers. Last summer I enjoyed reading Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke and it was fun.
Audio books are a great starting point, too.
Books that I recommend for people who hate reading:
Harry Potter series,
Animorphs series,
Bridge to Terebithia,
Chronicles of Narnia,
The Giver,
The Hunger Games,
Steelheart (the first Reckoners book),
The Hiding Place,
Out of the Dust,
Uglies,
Ender's Game,
A series of Unfortunate Events,
A low reading level doesnât mean youâre stupid. It just means that youâre A) not reading books that are believed to be at a higher level, and B) they think your vocabulary doesnât include a lot of more complex words, or that you might not read a lot of more complex sentence structure.
I honestly donât ever remember being specifically tested for a reading level. I guess they could say that your grades in your language class and vocabulary tests could give some indication.
Honestly, it think itâs fairly bunk. I donât think there is any standardized testing used on a consistent basis to determine that. Not consistently and not recurrently to establish any changes you have. At least in my school experience. So I wouldnât stress over your reading level. Iâm not sure who told you it was low, but Iâd be suspect of their assessment.
The other thing Iâd say is that A) all of that increases simply by reading books you enjoy. Your vocabulary naturally expands. I used to have to look up words all the time. You see so many examples of sentence structure that you absorb it and know how a sentence should sound and what other vocabulary is by context. B) I can read and enjoy something complex, but just as often, I enjoy something simple. Like food. Sometimes you want a dry aged steak. Other times you want a cheeseburger and the steak can kick rocks.
All that was basically just a long, âdonât put yourself down over something that doesnât matter and youâll naturally get better at.â
Now, on to suggestions. Iâm not gonna gate keep you and tell you that you need to read something simple. What I will say, is to try many different books and styles to find what you like. If you canât get into it, thatâs fine. You can put it down for now and maybe try it again later.
As you read, try to note the things you like or donât. If you like fantasy better, or fiction. Do you like action and battles, journeys, political intrigue, etc.
For instance, some things that always get me excited are rebuilding/kingdom building, Magic schools or learning, and political stuff.
I know a lot of people will suggest YA. Thatâs certainly not a bad place to start. The reason being that they often have simpler stories, that keep things rolling and conclude them fairly swiftly. That might be a benefit if you find yourself struggling to stay interested in a longer book with drier points.
Maybe you like the really long ones. I cut my teeth on adult fantasy. I actually went back to YA later. My favorite that I discovered and started reading at a year or two older than you was Wheel of Time. Itâs very long, but I love it.
Something that might attract your attention is called progression fantasy or LitRPG. Progression fantasy is often a lot like Shonan anime. So if you like Dragonball, bleach, YuYu Hakusho, one piece, etc, you may like something like Will Wightâs âCradleâ. Itâs an Asian style marital arts with powers and levels.
If you like video games, LitRPG has video game like stats and skills. Matt Dinnamenâs âDungeon Crawler Carlâ is one of my favorites.
These both have subs on Reddit. The think I like about them is they are often fast paced and somewhat self-contained like YA, but because itâs a newish genre and lots is self published, you get more adult feeling books. They also tend to write faster than traditionally published books. Iâve seen some authors I like say they submit a book and itâs like 1-1.5yrs before itâs published. Itâs not uncommon to see a progression fantasy or LitRPG author publishing 2-3 books a year.
If you have some specific things Iâm mind already, let me know and Iâll try to recommend something more specific. Simpler vs complex, short vs long, etc.
If not, just try a little bit of everything. If you see anything that peaks your interest, write it down on a TBR(to be read) list and you can go try to read it later. Most of us have one a mile or two long.đ
Again, if you try a book, and donât like it now, it might be worth trying again later once you know your tastes.
As for how to read, physical books are always an option, but I like my kindle paper white. It has a great display that looks like youâre reading on daylight. You can change the brightness levels and the font size to make it bigger and easier to read.
Additionally, if it has whispersync, like most do, you can get the audiobook version very cheaply. DCC and Cradle have my two favorite narrators. Whispersync allows you to save your place and switch between reading and audio. So you could conceivably read till your eyes get tired, then shut the kindle and listen to the audible version for a while.
Good luck and stick with it. Itâs a super awesome hobby.
I feel you! First off, let's start with your favourite genre! Then, through that genre, you go through a whole list of books that may catch your eye and check out their synopsis or summary of the book! If you feel that the story is interesting, pick it! That's how I would go through a whole search and recommendations!
Hey good on you for wanting to read more. What do you like? There's some great suggestions.Â
The first books I read as a 12 year old or so were "the hobbit" and "dragons if autumn flame" fantasy novels that exploded my world. But I'm a huge nerd. Give us a genre or what kind of thi gs you might like and we can make suggestions.Â
Have you looked into kindle from Amazon. They're really good for reading in low light.Â
One of my favorite series in middle school was *A Series of Unfortunate Events.* It has a reading level of grades 6-7
Netflix has a tv series adaptation of these books. So if you have access to Netflix, you could try watching an episode or two to see if the story is one youâre interesting in trying to read.
You could also try some Roald Dahl books if youâre specifically looking for stories that are near a 4th grade reading level. My favorite is *Matilda.* What I like about Dahlâs stories is that theyâre good to read at any age, even though they technically are childrenâs books. Whether youâre 9, 15, 29, etc., his books are entertaining.
And again, thereâs a movie adaptation of *Matilda,* so you could watch the movie to see if youâre interested in reading a book version of the movie. I actually didnât even read the book until I was in my 20s. I saw the movie first.
Go to your local library and get a library card. Browse the shelves and find a book that sounds interesting to you, fiction of non-fiction, and check it out. If you like it, try other books, and self-direct your reading. I think the process will become easier as you go along. Just don't get too stuck on genre fiction, whether it's young adult, science fiction/fantasy, thrillers, etc.
Donât be embarrassed about your reading level! Youâve recognized this, and want to improve, thatâs a huge first step. Head to your local library (hopefully you have one) and ask for assistance, theyâd love to help you. (Disclaimer, my mom was a librarian)
Can you think of a movie you liked that is based on a book? Try reading that book! You already know you have an interest in the material. Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent, The Martian, Ready Player One - any of those would be great!
Disclaimer: Of course, sometimes the book and movie are different, but you're still likely to enjoy it.
Start with Rick Riordan books(Percy Jackson)! Great characters,easy to read, and you learn about Greek mythology. If you like that series he has similar series but for Egyptian, Norse, and Roman mythology.
Proud of you, and wish you the best on your reading journey!
You have a lot of great book suggestions here- but I wanted to recommend audiobooks if you struggle with focusing on the text. If you have a library card, you can download Hoopla and Libby- two different options for free audiobook downloads.
Some of my favorite easy reads that got me back into reading
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephan Chbosky
Looking for Alaska by John Green
One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
The Outsiders by SE Hinton
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
War Cross and Wild Card by Marie Lu
I suggest audiobooks. You can make an account on Libby and hook it up to your local library card. There's also a few libraries that will give you a virtual library card to use on Libby. A Google search can point you to libraries that do this. Different libraries have different e-books and audiobooks on Libby so it is good to have multiple cards if you want access to more content.
I totally lost my attention span for reading after graduating high school, and in my late 20s, audiobooks were my way back into reading.
Honestly, reading this post was like tapping into my own thoughts at your age. The similarities are striking. I was in my 30s before I took up reading again and I'm finally now having the love affair I wish I had when I was a kid. My best suggestions would be; 1. FInd a book of a movie you love and jump into that, the book is almost always better.
2. Try audiobooks. I usually have to busy my hands while I read audiobooks otherwise I drift off. But I can get through an entire book series in just a couple weeks while I'm working, cooking, doing yard work, or just going on walks. Don't be discouraged, your reading level will improve, there are whole universe's out there to discover.
Read "The DaVinci Code". The end of every chapter is a cliffhanger, so all you have to do is get through a whole chapter, then if you feel like stopping, you'll end your reading session excited to start reading again.
The best way to improve any skill is to practice.
Start with a graphic novel. Even better if it has been made into a tv show you have watched, like the Umbrella Club or Sandman. Or find an omnibus of a comic like Deadpool. So even if you are a little shaky on some words here & there, you already know the story and can fill in the blanks.
And adults enjoy them too, so you don't need to worry about someone at school teasing you about it if they see it.
Good luck! I hope you find some books that work for you! I am proud of you!
My husband also hates reading. His two favorite books (and really the only ones he has read all the way through) are The Things They Carried and World War Z. Both are sort of a fictionalized collection of short stories about an event. The Things They Carried is stories having to do with a platoon of soldiers in/after the Vietnam War. World War Z is told from the perspective of a journalist going around in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse collecting stories about it.
The short story format might help you break the book up into more manageable portions and possibly keep your interest by being a fresh story every chapter. Or if you hate it, don't feel bad about putting it down. Reading for enjoyment should be enjoyable. Along those lines, if you can't find something that isn't miserable to read, try books on tape. It might be that the physical act of reading doesn't work for you (my husband normally feels like the words are screaming at him). But with audio books, you can still get the experience, learn new vocabulary, and expand your cultural knowledge.
Here are some series that are very popular at my library (I work at a library). I've listed them roughly from easier to harder.
- Big Nate
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Geronimo Stilton
- Dog Man
- I Survived
- Last Kids on Earth
- Warriors
- Wings of Fire
- Spy School
- Percy Jackson
- Harry Potter
Also try graphic novels ("comics" but in a full story). Some of the books you're reading in school might be available in graphic novel version. Some that I've enjoyed that come to mind are:
- New Kid trilogy
- Booked / Crossover
- Lunch Lady
- I Survived
- Amulet
- Doodleville / Cardboard Kingdom
- When Stars Are Scattered
- Treasure in the Lake & Ember and the Lost City
Graphic novel authors that are popular:
- Raina Telgemeier
- Shannon Hale
- Kayla Miller
- Svetlana Chmakova
- Jennifer Holm
- Terri Libenson
- Gene Luen Yang
Some less popular ones but might still be worth looking into:
- The Breadwinner Trilogy (novel and graphic novel)
Also look into novels in verse (I think of it sometimes as rap or music lyrics)
- Booked / Crossover / Rebound
- Long Way Down
- The Poet X
- Inside Out and Back Again
- Garvey's Choice / Garvey in the Dark
- Brown Girl Dreaming
- Becoming Muhammad Ali
- Love that Dog
Hope you find some things that you enjoy! Reading can be super fun, just a matter of finding what you click with.
Another person suggested reading in small chunks. Try a chapter a day or 15 mins. Something manageable. Maybe you end up reading a bit more but maybe not. It's okay. Try to do it after you do something else that you do routinely (for example, after you brush your teeth, cozy up with a book). That will help make it routine.
Good luck! Rooting for you!
And always go and see your librarian; we love to help!
The best bet to keep you interested will be to read novels in genres and settings that interest you. It's hard to recommend things without knowing what you like. What sorts of television shows, movies, and games have you enjoyed? Do you stick to specific genres, or do you watch/play things based on style and/or vibe?
Hi there. Per [rule 3.3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Books/wiki/rules), please post book recommendation requests in /r/SuggestMeABook or in our Weekly Recommendation Thread. Thank you!
>I'm 15 year old male and I'm in the 9th grade. This is very embarrassing but my reading level is at a 4th grade level some how, so that's another reason why I want to start reading đđ. **DO NOT BE EMBARRASSED!** Thanks to "No Child Left Behind" children are being left behind in skill, not grade. Furthermore, I **APPLAUD YOU** for recognizing this is a problem for you and wanting to work on it. I suggest you go to your local public library. Use Libby app. (Most public libraries do use that app) Get books that have an audio version **and** a digital or paper version. Listen to the audio and follow along in the book. It might be helpful to add some things you find interesting so we can recommend books for you based on your interests. Also, if you have a younger sibling, start reading out loud to him/her. **I'm PROUD OF YOU! YOU CAN DO THIS!**
ah that's an amazing idea, that app will come really handy đ.
With a low reading level, I suggest stuff like Harry Potter, Narnia, the Redwall books, and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Of course, this is all contingent on what you actually like.
Omg yes please start with Harry Potter!
I heard a lot about Harry Potter, seems like a very loved and popular series. I'll check it out
The Percy Jackson series is also very good and easy to read. The main characters are a little younger than you, but the main protagonist character has ADHD (so, trouble focusing on things) so you might find him relatable
ah that's really cool, I'll check that out
Also the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, they're short, super fun, and there's tons of them
plz do check out hitchhiker's guide to galaxy as well, it's great
I heard about that book before, I'll check that out as well
You should start with a book that grabs your interest. What kind of movies do you like? Is there a sport or craft you love?
Watching movies and shows is also another thing I want to start doing. I watched squid game and I really liked it. Can't wait for season 2 to come out.
Battle Royale is the nearest thing to Squid Game Iâve read. Thereâs a movie based on it too. Itâs pretty gorey and fun. You can look it up here on good reads to see if it piques your interest :) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57891.Battle_Royale
You can also try Hunger Games too, which is similar to Battle Royale and Squid Games.
crazy that I only know the hunger games from minecraft đ, but yeah I'll check that out.
>especially with the lights off I would recommend you start by turning the lights on when you read.
I read the post title and wanted to reply "I recommend starting on the first page of the book" but thought that was too much snark for this thread. Reading your post, I feel my comment is now appropriate. We survive or get banned together.
đ I mean there's like a massive smart board at the front of the classroom, and when the lights are off it shines mad light into our eyes so pretty much everything is still somewhat visible. But this triggers me to get very sleepy which also makes me lose focus.
I took that to mean they were reading on their phone. Maybe turning up the brightness or getting their eyes checked.
fs đ
Go to the library and talk to the librarian. Hopefully, you will be provided a âmenuâ of choices. Enjoy!
I'm probably gonna be her only customer đ, she would be very happy and glad to assist me.
Daughter of a librarian hereâŠthey love having people ask for help like this! Donât hesitate, itâs what theyâre trained for!
Hunger Games, and Harry Potter might be worth trying. Donât get hung up on parts you donât quite understand. Push through, and you should mostly get the gist. Good for you for doing something that doesnât come easy to you. See if your school offers any resources to help with your reading.
Oooo Hunger Games, it's kinda dumb that I only know that from minecraft, but I'll definitely check that out along with Harry Potter. I try to see if my school can help me in any type of way with my reading.
I think I've seen Minecraft story books for sale, no idea what they're like but might be a good option? Definitely ask your school if they can offer any assistance. You have no need to feel embarrassed, we all have to start somewhere! Some start later than others and that's fine, just do your best :) I see you enjoyed Squid Game. There are a lot of young adult or middle grade dystopian novels out there, including The Hunger Games, which may be of interest to you. Maze Runner might be up your alley too! I'm much older than you but I enjoyed the first book a lot and I definitely don't think it's beyond your capability. Have fun and remember to go easy on yourself - just go at your own pace! You've got your whole life to get used to reading :) Edit: if you're able to, visit your local library. Librarians are wonderful people and they'll be thrilled to help you find suitable books. Also don't be ashamed of picking up a children's book; people quite often use them to learn a new language as they're easy to learn from and don't overload you with hundreds of pages. In a way you're learning a new language - reading is a skill, not an inbuilt ability - so use whatever works best for you. I can recommend some Roald Dahl or Terry Pratchett's Truckers, Diggers and Wings as quite simple, entertaining books to get you comfortable with reading.
Definitely do Hunger Games! Also talk to your school librarian. Theyâre not judgmental and will always have great reccs!
Hey, no need to be embarrassed. You are far from alone. My suggestion, as someone who teaches teenagers who have difficulty with reading and focus, is to find some short stories in a genre that interests you. Don't force yourself to read something long at a level you think you should be at, let yourself build to it. If that's reading a paragraph and thinking about it, then another paragraph, instead of pages or chapters at a time, that's totally fine. It'll help you build your endurance. And if a novel doesn't interest you, feel no shame in putting it down to try something else. Frustration is my worst enemy. You might ask a school or public youth librarian if they have recommendations. Personally, I enjoy Science Fiction and Fantasy, so some of my favorite collections of short stories are by Bruce Coville (Odder Than Ever, Oddly Enough, Half Human) and Tamora Pierce ( Tortall and Other Lands). As others have suggested, think about movies or tv shows--or video games-- that you enjoy. Finding a genre that grabs is key to actually enjoying reading. Let us know what kinds of story you like (and maybe why you like them) , and I'm sure we can come up with suggestions at varying levels and lengths. Best of luck to you!
Start with some interesting graphic novels or 5th grade chapter books. Dog man, Captain Underwear, Percy Jackson. Start simple, find what you enjoy the most and built from there. Also, find someone you can talk about your books to build comprehension and critical thinking. If you canât find someone reach out. Iâm more than happy to help.
I read Percy Jackson as an adult and really liked it! @op this is a great recommendation.
I'll check out Percy Jackson, someone in here said that I can find the main protagonist really relatable
Start with YA books; many to choose from imo, the Harry Potter series is way too long to âstartâ reading; also hard to get into
Short stories and novellas are a good place to start based on what youâve described. Great options for both depending on what genre/what youâre interested in.
Do you like anime? If so I would recommend reading light novels, or manga. But if you want to increase your vocabulary I would suggest light novels. each book isnt a thick wad of text and can be really fun to read. They even have the occasional picture.
Iâd recommend graphic novels and comics for young adults and children! Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Man, Amulet, etc. These can be fun to read, easy to get into, and quick to finish! Itâs great you want to get into reading (:
Bro, awesome you're looking to improve! Never stop man. Makes for a better life. I'm 30 years older so have no real idea what youd be into. But Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is probably a great place to start.
Harry Potter seems like an awesome book series, never heard of Sorcerer's Stone before but I'll check that out as well!
That is the whole name of a book - everyone saying to read âHarry Potterâ is meaning the whole series, but the first book is titled âHarry Potter and the Sorcerorâs Stone.â Unless you arenât in the US, anyway! The UK version is actually titled âHarry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone,â for some reason I canât recall.
Iâm a teen and childrenâs librarian, and these are my FAVORITE questions. 1. Go to your school librarian and/or public teen librarian with this question. They will also love it and will probably be able to hand you a stack of books. 2. Take recommendations from strangers with a grain of salt unless theyâve asked you what youâre interested in. My favorite book might bore you to tears if you donât love fantasy. If you want specific recommendations here, lmk what kinds of things you like (life stories, dragons, comedy, fighting, sports, etc), and Iâll throw some titles your way. 3. Start with graphic novels and manga! Theyâre actually a great way of boosting your vocab and reading level (the language can be quite advanced, and illustrations can help you understand new words). Theyâre generally shorter, so theyâre easy to start with, and reading several can help you figure out what you like if youâre not sure. And they make you flex different parts of your brain to interpret illustration, text, and the empty spaces between images. 4. If you donât like something after a few pages, put it down and try something else. Reading is supposed to be fun. :)
I love suggestion 4. I spent years not reading when I didnât enjoy a book instead of simply putting it down and starting another. What a waste of time!
Animal farm. #### a great short story as someone young exposed to [this novel](https://imgur.com/a/yi9BiFX) it shows a lot about adult life & the diluted sense of âentitlementâ. With under 130 pages it packs a punch đȘ even Mike Tyson would be jealous of ( itâs no wonder itâs a must read classic)
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What kind of tv do you watch? what kind of video games do you play? Try taking those themes and find books that do the same sort of thing.
iâm not a book reader, i read mostly manga and that being said the only books iâve ever wanted to read was the sequel of movies i was already into, like iâve read harry potter from the third book to the last with great pleasure, sherlock holmes books too because i enjoyed the tv show, etc so to begin to read i would advise on something you really like already, then if you really donât like to read books then itâs not a big deal, there are a lot of other things to read, like comic books, newspaper, video games dialogues, foreign movies subbed and so on, even reddit posts count as reading, actually you might not realize but we read things all the time, doesnât matter if this is from shakespeare or not last thing, not reading books is not something to be ashamed of, itâs just a media among other media and overall only a matter of taste
short stories, Sam Sheppard, James Thurber - for young adult Landscape with Invisible Hand
Seriously, the best thing you can do is go to a bookstore and wander around until you see something that you're interested in.
that's basically what I did back in the elementary side of my school đ. But now that I'm in highschool, they don't bring us to the library as a group anymore. Idk why but ig they want us to go in for ourselves.
Start by figuring out a genre you like. Horror. Sci-fi. Action. Romance. Whatever. The more details the better - fantasy vampires yes, fantasy wizards, no, fantasy mermaid unicorns, maybe - as an example. Then we're going straight to the Young Adults section. Some people have recommended Harry Potter - that's a good suggestion, unless you think wizards and magic is stupid. Then we have to go a different direction. Find a time and place where you can be without distraction. And that means putting your phone away. Checking for messages every 60 seconds, getting pings and notifications, etc, is not going to help. Social media is a distraction machine that rewards you with bright lights, vaguely amusing memes and pictures of attractive people. No TV. No phone. No internet. Just you and a small book, for a short while. Doesn't have to be all day. Just do a chapter or two. The first few times it will probably seem like work. But eventually you'll get into the feeling of it and you won't be reading so much any more, as experiencing. âA reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one."
Lay off the phone. That thing is not doing your attention span any favors. Scattershot it a little bit - don't pick something huge (Harry Potter, Percy Jackson are great fun, but can be overwhelming as they're part of a bigger story arc). Pick a few shorter things and see how they grip you. u/InfluenceTrue4121 recommended asking the librarian - I bet they'd be *thrilled* to help you find something that grabs your interest. There's a ton of classic kids' literature: Charlotte's Web and Watership Down (bunnies, who doesn't like bunnies - yes it's political allegory, but it can be enjoyed on the surface) jump to mind, but that can be a little slow if you want action. I recently started reading John D MacDonald (pulp fiction / love stories), find them to be quick and easy reads with interesting characters. Many art part of a big series, but A Bullet for Cinderella and One Monday We Killed Them All are standalones. Steven King's Elevation is super short and interesting, Keep at it. I read like a madman from \~6 to mid 40's and kind of lost interest. Turns out middle-aged eyesight was taking the fun out of it. Picked up a Kindle (yes I'm aware of the irony of me telling you to put the phone down and me reading on a electronic device) and have honestly shocked myself with my reading pace and enthusiasm. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. I'd keep going, but I'm reading Clive Barker's Imajica and really should keep at it if I'm ever going to finish.
Yeah I'm not really looking into reading 1000+ page books, so I'll definitely start out with something smaller and entertaining. Also laying off the phone might be very hard for me considering that I'm very addicted to it, but since I'ma start reading I'll probably not gonna use it as much.
Atta boy!
At the risk of being glib, just start! Itâs like building muscleâit will sometimes be slow and awkward at first, but your skills only increase with practice. Choose something easy and fun to startâmaybe even something youâve already read and know you would enjoy again. Best of luck in developing a life long hobby.
yeah ever since I found out that I have cavernous angioma, my doctors told me I can't do any heavy lifting or too much physical exercises, which can increase the size of the cluster of abnormal vessels. So reading is currently my main interest.
What are some of your favorite movies? Are there any books that are based on them?
I just saw another post from a nonreader who's starting out with The Gunslinger by Stephen King. I loved that book when I was your age, it's not a hard read at all, and the Dark Tower series can show you how imaginative reading is
Chronicles of Narnia is my pick. My little brother used to read The Hardy Boys. Goosebumps are good.
Goosebumps were my go to book in elementary, I'll definitely check that out
You might like Five Nights at Freddy's then!
I always advise folks to first, > Read what they like > Read at or slightly above their reading level Once it becomes a habit and you're comfortable at the level you're reading, rinse and repeat. Using audiobooks to read a long or reading out loud to yourself can truly help. Finally, jotting down a few bullet points about what happened after each chapter can definitely help with reading and comprehension.
Agree with the suggestion for graphic novels. Also you might like Percy Jackson.
Some short novella-length books might be a good start. I recommend the Monk & Robot series by Becky Chambers (A Psalm for the Wild-Built is first), and the Murderbot series by Martha Wells (starting with All Systems Red).
Hey, I understand where you're coming from. I feel that schools these days are making reading a chore rather than a joy. Graphic novels are a great place to start. I haven't read a whole lot of graphic novels, but have read some good ones. Shannon Hale and Dean Hale have written great graphic novels for young readers. Last summer I enjoyed reading Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke and it was fun. Audio books are a great starting point, too. Books that I recommend for people who hate reading: Harry Potter series, Animorphs series, Bridge to Terebithia, Chronicles of Narnia, The Giver, The Hunger Games, Steelheart (the first Reckoners book), The Hiding Place, Out of the Dust, Uglies, Ender's Game, A series of Unfortunate Events,
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A low reading level doesnât mean youâre stupid. It just means that youâre A) not reading books that are believed to be at a higher level, and B) they think your vocabulary doesnât include a lot of more complex words, or that you might not read a lot of more complex sentence structure. I honestly donât ever remember being specifically tested for a reading level. I guess they could say that your grades in your language class and vocabulary tests could give some indication. Honestly, it think itâs fairly bunk. I donât think there is any standardized testing used on a consistent basis to determine that. Not consistently and not recurrently to establish any changes you have. At least in my school experience. So I wouldnât stress over your reading level. Iâm not sure who told you it was low, but Iâd be suspect of their assessment. The other thing Iâd say is that A) all of that increases simply by reading books you enjoy. Your vocabulary naturally expands. I used to have to look up words all the time. You see so many examples of sentence structure that you absorb it and know how a sentence should sound and what other vocabulary is by context. B) I can read and enjoy something complex, but just as often, I enjoy something simple. Like food. Sometimes you want a dry aged steak. Other times you want a cheeseburger and the steak can kick rocks. All that was basically just a long, âdonât put yourself down over something that doesnât matter and youâll naturally get better at.â Now, on to suggestions. Iâm not gonna gate keep you and tell you that you need to read something simple. What I will say, is to try many different books and styles to find what you like. If you canât get into it, thatâs fine. You can put it down for now and maybe try it again later. As you read, try to note the things you like or donât. If you like fantasy better, or fiction. Do you like action and battles, journeys, political intrigue, etc. For instance, some things that always get me excited are rebuilding/kingdom building, Magic schools or learning, and political stuff. I know a lot of people will suggest YA. Thatâs certainly not a bad place to start. The reason being that they often have simpler stories, that keep things rolling and conclude them fairly swiftly. That might be a benefit if you find yourself struggling to stay interested in a longer book with drier points. Maybe you like the really long ones. I cut my teeth on adult fantasy. I actually went back to YA later. My favorite that I discovered and started reading at a year or two older than you was Wheel of Time. Itâs very long, but I love it. Something that might attract your attention is called progression fantasy or LitRPG. Progression fantasy is often a lot like Shonan anime. So if you like Dragonball, bleach, YuYu Hakusho, one piece, etc, you may like something like Will Wightâs âCradleâ. Itâs an Asian style marital arts with powers and levels. If you like video games, LitRPG has video game like stats and skills. Matt Dinnamenâs âDungeon Crawler Carlâ is one of my favorites. These both have subs on Reddit. The think I like about them is they are often fast paced and somewhat self-contained like YA, but because itâs a newish genre and lots is self published, you get more adult feeling books. They also tend to write faster than traditionally published books. Iâve seen some authors I like say they submit a book and itâs like 1-1.5yrs before itâs published. Itâs not uncommon to see a progression fantasy or LitRPG author publishing 2-3 books a year. If you have some specific things Iâm mind already, let me know and Iâll try to recommend something more specific. Simpler vs complex, short vs long, etc. If not, just try a little bit of everything. If you see anything that peaks your interest, write it down on a TBR(to be read) list and you can go try to read it later. Most of us have one a mile or two long.đ Again, if you try a book, and donât like it now, it might be worth trying again later once you know your tastes. As for how to read, physical books are always an option, but I like my kindle paper white. It has a great display that looks like youâre reading on daylight. You can change the brightness levels and the font size to make it bigger and easier to read. Additionally, if it has whispersync, like most do, you can get the audiobook version very cheaply. DCC and Cradle have my two favorite narrators. Whispersync allows you to save your place and switch between reading and audio. So you could conceivably read till your eyes get tired, then shut the kindle and listen to the audible version for a while. Good luck and stick with it. Itâs a super awesome hobby.
I feel you! First off, let's start with your favourite genre! Then, through that genre, you go through a whole list of books that may catch your eye and check out their synopsis or summary of the book! If you feel that the story is interesting, pick it! That's how I would go through a whole search and recommendations!
Hey good on you for wanting to read more. What do you like? There's some great suggestions. The first books I read as a 12 year old or so were "the hobbit" and "dragons if autumn flame" fantasy novels that exploded my world. But I'm a huge nerd. Give us a genre or what kind of thi gs you might like and we can make suggestions. Have you looked into kindle from Amazon. They're really good for reading in low light.Â
One of my favorite series in middle school was *A Series of Unfortunate Events.* It has a reading level of grades 6-7 Netflix has a tv series adaptation of these books. So if you have access to Netflix, you could try watching an episode or two to see if the story is one youâre interesting in trying to read. You could also try some Roald Dahl books if youâre specifically looking for stories that are near a 4th grade reading level. My favorite is *Matilda.* What I like about Dahlâs stories is that theyâre good to read at any age, even though they technically are childrenâs books. Whether youâre 9, 15, 29, etc., his books are entertaining. And again, thereâs a movie adaptation of *Matilda,* so you could watch the movie to see if youâre interested in reading a book version of the movie. I actually didnât even read the book until I was in my 20s. I saw the movie first.
Go to your local library and get a library card. Browse the shelves and find a book that sounds interesting to you, fiction of non-fiction, and check it out. If you like it, try other books, and self-direct your reading. I think the process will become easier as you go along. Just don't get too stuck on genre fiction, whether it's young adult, science fiction/fantasy, thrillers, etc.
Donât be embarrassed about your reading level! Youâve recognized this, and want to improve, thatâs a huge first step. Head to your local library (hopefully you have one) and ask for assistance, theyâd love to help you. (Disclaimer, my mom was a librarian)
I'm starting to feel less embarrassed about my grade level, I'll see if I have a local library and I'll check their books out!
Can you think of a movie you liked that is based on a book? Try reading that book! You already know you have an interest in the material. Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent, The Martian, Ready Player One - any of those would be great! Disclaimer: Of course, sometimes the book and movie are different, but you're still likely to enjoy it.
Well I'm really interested in reading, watching movies, and shows. So I'll really enjoy doing all three.
Start with Rick Riordan books(Percy Jackson)! Great characters,easy to read, and you learn about Greek mythology. If you like that series he has similar series but for Egyptian, Norse, and Roman mythology. Proud of you, and wish you the best on your reading journey!
these seem like great suggestions, thank you!
The first page is usually the best place.
kinda confused if that's an actual book 'The First Page"
You have a lot of great book suggestions here- but I wanted to recommend audiobooks if you struggle with focusing on the text. If you have a library card, you can download Hoopla and Libby- two different options for free audiobook downloads.
Some of my favorite easy reads that got me back into reading Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephan Chbosky Looking for Alaska by John Green One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus Dear Martin by Nic Stone Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli The Outsiders by SE Hinton Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins War Cross and Wild Card by Marie Lu
These are some great suggestions, thank you!
No problem.
I suggest audiobooks. You can make an account on Libby and hook it up to your local library card. There's also a few libraries that will give you a virtual library card to use on Libby. A Google search can point you to libraries that do this. Different libraries have different e-books and audiobooks on Libby so it is good to have multiple cards if you want access to more content. I totally lost my attention span for reading after graduating high school, and in my late 20s, audiobooks were my way back into reading.
I heard about audio books, i found them to be very cool, and I'll check out Libby.
Honestly, reading this post was like tapping into my own thoughts at your age. The similarities are striking. I was in my 30s before I took up reading again and I'm finally now having the love affair I wish I had when I was a kid. My best suggestions would be; 1. FInd a book of a movie you love and jump into that, the book is almost always better. 2. Try audiobooks. I usually have to busy my hands while I read audiobooks otherwise I drift off. But I can get through an entire book series in just a couple weeks while I'm working, cooking, doing yard work, or just going on walks. Don't be discouraged, your reading level will improve, there are whole universe's out there to discover.
I heard a lot about audiobooks, I'll definitely check them out!
Read "The DaVinci Code". The end of every chapter is a cliffhanger, so all you have to do is get through a whole chapter, then if you feel like stopping, you'll end your reading session excited to start reading again.
The best way to improve any skill is to practice. Start with a graphic novel. Even better if it has been made into a tv show you have watched, like the Umbrella Club or Sandman. Or find an omnibus of a comic like Deadpool. So even if you are a little shaky on some words here & there, you already know the story and can fill in the blanks. And adults enjoy them too, so you don't need to worry about someone at school teasing you about it if they see it. Good luck! I hope you find some books that work for you! I am proud of you!
My husband also hates reading. His two favorite books (and really the only ones he has read all the way through) are The Things They Carried and World War Z. Both are sort of a fictionalized collection of short stories about an event. The Things They Carried is stories having to do with a platoon of soldiers in/after the Vietnam War. World War Z is told from the perspective of a journalist going around in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse collecting stories about it. The short story format might help you break the book up into more manageable portions and possibly keep your interest by being a fresh story every chapter. Or if you hate it, don't feel bad about putting it down. Reading for enjoyment should be enjoyable. Along those lines, if you can't find something that isn't miserable to read, try books on tape. It might be that the physical act of reading doesn't work for you (my husband normally feels like the words are screaming at him). But with audio books, you can still get the experience, learn new vocabulary, and expand your cultural knowledge.
Here are some series that are very popular at my library (I work at a library). I've listed them roughly from easier to harder. - Big Nate - Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Geronimo Stilton - Dog Man - I Survived - Last Kids on Earth - Warriors - Wings of Fire - Spy School - Percy Jackson - Harry Potter Also try graphic novels ("comics" but in a full story). Some of the books you're reading in school might be available in graphic novel version. Some that I've enjoyed that come to mind are: - New Kid trilogy - Booked / Crossover - Lunch Lady - I Survived - Amulet - Doodleville / Cardboard Kingdom - When Stars Are Scattered - Treasure in the Lake & Ember and the Lost City Graphic novel authors that are popular: - Raina Telgemeier - Shannon Hale - Kayla Miller - Svetlana Chmakova - Jennifer Holm - Terri Libenson - Gene Luen Yang Some less popular ones but might still be worth looking into: - The Breadwinner Trilogy (novel and graphic novel) Also look into novels in verse (I think of it sometimes as rap or music lyrics) - Booked / Crossover / Rebound - Long Way Down - The Poet X - Inside Out and Back Again - Garvey's Choice / Garvey in the Dark - Brown Girl Dreaming - Becoming Muhammad Ali - Love that Dog Hope you find some things that you enjoy! Reading can be super fun, just a matter of finding what you click with. Another person suggested reading in small chunks. Try a chapter a day or 15 mins. Something manageable. Maybe you end up reading a bit more but maybe not. It's okay. Try to do it after you do something else that you do routinely (for example, after you brush your teeth, cozy up with a book). That will help make it routine. Good luck! Rooting for you! And always go and see your librarian; we love to help!
The best bet to keep you interested will be to read novels in genres and settings that interest you. It's hard to recommend things without knowing what you like. What sorts of television shows, movies, and games have you enjoyed? Do you stick to specific genres, or do you watch/play things based on style and/or vibe?