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Connecting with Reluctant Teen Readers: Tips, Titles, and Tools
By Patrick Jones, Maureen L. Hartman, and Patricia P. Taylor

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Part I-Tips That Work

Foreword to Part I By Gail Giles

 

1.  Who are Reluctant Readers?

1.1  Who are Reluctant Teen Readers?

1.2  What are the Characteristics of Dependent Readers?

1.3  Some people equate reluctant readers with male readers.  Why is

     that and is it true?

1.4  Are there specific reasons that girls in particular don’t choose to

     read?

1.5  Can an Honor student be a reluctant reader?

 

2.  Why are They Reluctant to Read?

2.1  Why Should Teens Read for Pleasure?

2.2  Why Don’t Teens Like to Read?

2.2a  Survey

2.2b  Teens Speak Out

2.2c  Interview

2.2d  Findings

2.2e  Research Reports

2.3  What are the Other Factors that Explain why Many Teens Choose Not to Read for Pleasure?

2.4  What are the Four Levels of Reading?

 

3.  How Can We Help?

3.1  What’s the Single Most important Thing About Working with

     Reluctant Teen Readers?

3.2   What are the ten top techniques for teachers—which librarians

     can support—that work with reluctant readers?

3.3  How do We Guide Reluctant Teen Readers Through Required

     Reading?

3.4    What are Top Techniques for Librarians that Work with  

     Reluctant Teen Readers?

3.5  Is the Accelerated Reader a Good or Bad Thing in Promoting

     Reluctant Readers?

3.6  Should libraries plan programs such as summer reading clubs,

     which offer incentives for reading?

3.7  What role can/should parents play in moving reluctant readers?

3.8  Are there any counter productive strategies that librarians or

          teachers engage in when trying to reach reluctant readers?  In        

          other words, what doesn’t work?

3.9  How do we engage reluctant readers to talk with

     teachers/librarians about their reading?

3.10  How can teachers/librarians use tools like Novelist to encourage

     reluctant readers?

 

4.  What Kinds of Books Work?

4.1  What Will Reluctant Readers Read?

4.2  Ten Reasons that Young Adults Like NonFiction

4.3  Ten Reasons that Young Adults Like Fiction

4.4  What are Qualities in a Book that will Hook Many Reluctant

     Readers?

4.5  What’s the role of intellectual freedom?

4.6  Does a Thin One Always Mean an Easy Book for Reluctant

     Readers?

4.7  Why Don’t any Teens-Not Just Reluctant Readers—Read the

     Classics?

4.8  What Classic Titles are Accessible to Even the Most Reluctant of

     Readers?

4.9  What’s the pull of Harry Potter?  Did Rowling really hook non-

     readers and, if so, how?

4.10  How do we motivate reluctant readers up the ladder from easy reading to the more challenging material?

Voices from the field

 

Part II-Titles That Work

Foreword to Part III by Mel Glenn

Turnaround Titles—57 Varieties of Great Reading Experiences

Fiction

Mystery, Action and Suspense

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Supernatural

Humor

Sports

Journals and Letters

Realistic Problems

Short Stories

Relationships

Fiction Series

Non-Fiction

Books that Read Like Magazines

Celebrities and Famous Folk

Sports

Poetry

Their Own Voices—Poetry and Writing by Teenagers

Changing Bodies

True Stories

Art and Drawing

Astrology

Crafts and DIY Projects

Beauty

Selected Nonfiction Series

Graphic Novels and Comics

Superheroes

History

Humor

Mystery

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Science

Sports

Romance

Teen Social Issues

Manga

Other Lists

Best Books and Best Quick Picks from YALSA

The Perfect Tens List

Book/Movie Connections

Best New Adult Fiction Books for Reluctant Teen Readers

Best Literature Books for Reluctant Readers

Best Young Adult Literature for Reluctant Readers

Best Forty Magazines for Reluctant Readers

Best Twenty-Five Comic Books for Reluctant Readers

Best Twenty-Five Books for Struggling Middle School

     Readers

Best 100 Books for Boys of All Ages

Twenty Children’s Books for Reluctant Readers

Readalikes

 

Part III-Tools That Work

Booktalking 101

Four Basic Booktalk Styles

Sample Booktalks-50 Greatest Hits

Reading Survey

Bibliography

 

Afterword by Alex Flinn

 

About the Authors