If you know a child who doesn't like to read, you may have tried everything short of banging your head against a wall to get him or her to pick up a book. While part of the magic involved in finding material a kid will enjoy is matching the subject matter to the child's interests, there are some writers who have wide appeal. Here are some favorite authors of reluctant readers and kids in general.
Gary Paulsen
He is a favorite with boys especially, because most of his stories involve nature, the wilderness, and learning to rely on one's inner strength in times of challenge. Some of his most popular works are Hatchet, about a boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wild, and Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod, his own account of the famous sled dog race.
Andrew Clements
His stories tend to be about kids in school, and some unusual situations they find themselves in. In Frindle, a 5th grader decides to make up his own word, frindle, and use it to refer to pens, much to the annoyance of his teacher. The boys and girls of the fifth grade in No Talking challenge each other to see who can stop talking for two days.
J.K. Rowling
By now everyone is familiar with the Harry Potter series. When she first tried to find a publisher for her books, she was denied for reasons including the fact that it was believed children would never make it through such lengthy stories. Hmm.
Roahl Dahl
The fact that so many of his stories have been made into movies is testament to their entertainment power. He is the genius behind Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, and Matilda. His stories are funny, bizarre and always empower the children who star in them.
Judy Blume
When Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret appeared in 1970, it shocked readers and parents alike by discussing adolescent issues from a girl's perspective. Puberty, bras and trying to fill them out, and boys were all the buzz, as these issues were dealt with with humor and frankness.
Since then, her Fudge series of five books has hit a lighter note. They are a humorous look at a family and kids and their everyday adventures, which kids relate to easily.
Kate DiCamillo
This author continues to win honors with her variety of stories. Newberry Honor winner, Because of Winn-Dixie, takes you into the life of 10-year-old Opal, who adopts a raggedy mutt. Together they learn about friendship and tolerance and get to know the people in their town.
The Tale of Despereaux is full of a princess, a mouse who falls in love with her, the rat who tries to kill him, and the castle and dark dungeon where love, adventure, and some surprises take place.
Her series of easy readers (recipients of several children's book awards) grabs kids with Mercy Watson, a pig with a personality. Her antics, like taking over driving the car one Sunday, keep kids amused and wanting more. Who could resist a pig who loves buttered toast?
So if you are looking for some popular authors that may be able to get reluctant readers to pick up a book, check out some of the authors mentioned here. While every child will have different interests and likes, these writers are likely to have something that has wide appeal.
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