11 Ways To Help Your Children Become Exceptional Reader

Kids reading is something to celebrate. But if your kid’s an advanced reader—a preschooler who’s already reading, or an elementary or middle school kid who’s reading way above grade level—finding appropriate books can be a real challenge. Your kid may be able to read the words, but is she ready for the material? And what about keeping kids interested when they can blow through a stack of books in an afternoon?

Simply picking books targeted to older kids may not be the answer. Some of those books might be too complex for them or have mature content they might not be ready for. The key is finding a book—or series— that’s engaging, well-matched to your kid’s literacy skills, and on target with his emotional development.

Here are some practical suggestions to help you pick books to suit your super readers.

Feed their interests. The risk with precocious readers is that they’ll get bored. But if you tap into what they love, they’ll enjoy reading multiple books on that subject. If your child only wants to read books about dogs or chess or soccer this month, let her. Got a gamer who’s hooked on Minecraft? You can find lots of books set in that world. Especially in elementary school, follow your kid’s lead. These are the years when a lifetime of loving books begins. Let your children truly read for pleasure. These curated lists can help:

Books About Animals
Best Mythology Books for Kids and Teens
Books for Kids Who Love Math and Science

Ask the experts. If you’re struggling to find books that fit both your kid’s maturity level and reading capacity, head for the library. Librarians are stars at matching books to kids. Their specialty is “If you liked this, you’ll probably like this.” They know the buzzy new releases as well as children’s classics and can recommend books for all ages and skill levels. Your kid’s teacher also usually knows which books your kid tends to pick up during free reading time. Get that intel, and you’re on your way. Independent bookstores with a substantial children’s section also can be a great resource. Booksellers, like librarians, know the titles strong readers gobble up. Here are some books that have won awards from librarians:

Caldecott Medal and Honor Books
Newbery Medal and Honor Books
Award-Winning Books for Teens

Go series hunting. Engagement is key with precocious readers, and series are a great way to keep them interested and anticipating the next installment. If your kid is a particularly speedy reader, you can get all the books in a series so the next one is ready when he finishes the previous one. Not all book series are as high-quality as Harry Potter, but there are some good ones, and once your kid’s engrossed in a series, you’re golden for weeks—or months. Ask other parents which series or authors have clicked with their precocious readers, and share your finds with them. And check out our lists:

Best Book Series for Early Readers
Best Book Series for Tweens
Best Book Series for Teens

Consider nonfiction. Strong readers enjoy digesting and retaining facts. For kids age 4 to 8, there are stellar picture-book biographies and informational picture books for every interest: animals, sports, cars and trucks, planes and rockets, knights and castles—you name it. Find some on these curated lists:

Best Nonfiction Books for Kids
Biographies
Graphic Novels That Teach History

Pick a genre. Fantasy books tend to be longer and have sophisticated vocabularies without getting into social and other issues that parents might not want younger children reading about. Or if a fantasy does veer into that territory, the concept’s often masked in metaphor. Science-fiction books have thought-provoking themes and explore mind-bending possibilities. Mysteries keep kids thinking, guessing, and problem solving. Consult theses lists to get some more ideas:

Magical Reads for Kids Who Love Harry Potter
Historical Fiction
Books Like the Hunger Games
Consider the classics. Your school may not be assigning them, but classic books are beautifully written and have universal themes, memorable characters, and rich vocabularies — without the swearing and mature content sometimes found in contemporary middle grade and young adult fiction. Classic choices appear on these lists:

Classic Books for Kids
Love Stories: Classic Romance Tales

Make room for comics. “Illustrated” doesn’t mean “easy.” Graphic novels hold great appeal for all kinds of readers in all kinds of genres, including history, fantasy, and science fiction. Find lots of variety here:

Graphic Novels
Graphic Novels That Teach History
Read aloud to them. Parents of small children do this routinely, but once kids start reading on their own, parents often stop reading to them. Reading more challenging books to kids gives you an idea of what they can handle in terms of content, structure, and vocabulary. Ask simple questions along the way—How do you like the story so far? Is it confusing? Is it too scary?—and answer any questions your reader might have. Find some ideas here:

Read-Aloud Books
Adventure Books
Fairy Tales for Kids
Read along with them. Exposure to the wider, messier adult world is part of what comes with the ability to read more challenging books. For tweens and teens, having a parent, teacher, or mentor to discuss with helps. You might try reading some of the same young adult books your kids read or rereading controversial classics. Consider some of these:

Frequently Challenged Books
Book Club Picks for Kids
Books for Fans of John Green

Nurture a nose for news. Steer your precocious reader to kid-friendly news sites such as Scholastic Kids Press Corps and magazines with kid appeal, such as National Geographic Kids, which has a companion website. Older tweens and teens can go straight to regular National Geographic magazine, newspapers, and news and sports websites.

Don’t rush them. Just because they can read Shakespeare or Jane Austen at age 10 or 11 doesn’t mean they should. Some books are best appreciated by a more sophisticated reader. If kids are ahead of the curve, they’re already doing great, and they have a lifetime to read the Great Books.