<p>Thanks so much for the further comments. Lots of great ideas. I will keep checking back.</p>
<p>It is tricky… she is independent and contrarian, so if we push to hard she’ll do the opposite thing. There are lots of fabulous ideas here though.</p>
<p>Your help means a lot.</p>
<p>Both my sons disliked reading although they were always above grade level, a lot of which was due I think to their extensive vocabularies rather than reading. They just had better comprehension. S1 loved sci-fi and would read Star Trek novels endlessly and then he got into vampires and werewolves. Hey, I loved Dark Shadows at his age! S2 had a reading program at school where they had to read a book from the class library and then take a computerized test on it. He was above grade level and there were very few books, esp. geared for boys, that were not dreadful or dreadfully boring. We asked the teacher if he couldn’t read something else, like Harry Potter, even, but, of course, they wouldn’t budge because there were no computerized tests. Since there was no penalty for how many times you took the test, it became a game to see how little he could read of the book and still pass the test. He has never enjoyed reading for pleasure but will occasionally pick up music bios or odd things like one on the world history of disease epidemics. Someone reading about the bubonic plague interested him.</p>
<p>I think you have to go with the flow. It’s a good suggestion to have her speak with the librarian at the local library to show her what’s available. Maybe if it doesn’t come from mom or teacher, something will click.</p>
<p>Also are there movies she likes that she could read the work on which they were based. I remember mine both launched into reading Tolkien after the LOTR movies.</p>
<p>I think a Kindle would be a good idea for someone who likes gadgets to get them to read more.
An advantage to Kindle is that huge books don’t look huge & intimidating.
My youngest liked the sisters of the traveling pants at that age. ( she didn’t get into the vampire books) She also liked the LOTR, but they are quite wordy.</p>
<p>Echoing abasket’s suggestion to consider a nook – if you live near a Barnes and Noble you can download a book and read it free for one hour per day in store.</p>
<p>Along with the Nook (family or otherwise) give her a B and N gift card - then she can have the power of buying the book she might want (they like having the independence) herself.</p>
<p>Another good way to get a 12 year old to read is through Mad magazine and comic books. 12 year olds just love them and can’t get enough, and there are so many different comics to choose from. Give them something they enjoy, and they will quickly establish a reading habit.</p>
<p>If you live near a Barnes and Noble, couldn’t you just pull a book off a shelf and read it for as long as you want?? Better yet, you can do that at a library AND take it home - for free!</p>
<p>I’m a Nook owner myself, but I just don’t get the point in buying books for one-reads.</p>
<p>So many great suggestions. Thank you! I am still checking back if there are any more.</p>
<p>My LD daughter always struggled with reading, she tested high in ability, but keeping focused on the page was rough. She has been able to find some books on audiobook and use them on an ipod and found that much easier than the actual written words,.</p>
<p>Kathiep, sounds like the OP’s D is not interested in “hard” books but she likes gadgets so OP thought a reader would make reading more attractive.</p>
<p>I too am a Nook owner, but still a big fan of the library!</p>
<p>Many libraries have e-books availlabe. You can check out books to read on your computer and also audio books which can be downloaded to an ipod or other mp3 player for free. There is a due date but works great because you don’t have to do anything to “return” a book. Go to your library’s website to see if they are available.</p>
<p>
And that’s why I mentioned it in post #15. ;)</p>
<p>My younger daughter (14) is an voracious reader. I asked her several times if she’d like an e-book reader and every time she declined - they do not feel like ‘real books’ she reports…</p>
<p>My experience is that voracious readers are somewhat less likely than average to like e-readers. They have a successful emotional connection to their existing mode of reading, and changing the equipment can interfere with that. </p>
<p>Of course, it turns out that some voracious readers love Kindles, etc. It varies person to person. And someone who hates reading isn’t automatically going to love reading on a Kindle. But she’s not going to feel like she’s cheating on a lover if she tries.</p>
<p>Replying to the question about a different account for the kindle. You can have up to for kindles in one account and you can share the books. If you like similar books keep them in the same account</p>
<p>I think the idea of buying a “family” Kindle as a start is a better idea. After all once the novelty wears off it will still be the same as reading a book to her. The best idea would be to find some kind of book that lots of her friends are reading. I know when I was young it was the Judy Blume books. Even my non reader friends had their own copies and read them too.</p>
<p>Thank you Munequita!</p>
<p>I want to make a suggestion about reading for the reluctant. It does not need to be of “good” quality. Any type of book that is appealing and age appropriate is ok. If this is fiction, fine. If it is nonfiction, that is ok too. Even age appropriate magazines would be fine. Try a variety of formats. </p>
<p>I always loved reading. I do not like electronic readers as a rule. Only when I had no book and could just get one on I pad, did I see the value of the thing. I like to go to bookstores and libraries.</p>
<p>As a “voracious” reader, I would never have purchased a Kindle on my own. My H gave me one for xmas a few years ago. Several weeks later I got around to charging it and started using it. I am immediately became a Kindle addict. My 11yo D who carpools 45-60 minutes each way to school and swore she would never use a KIndle also loves it. I bought her a Fire for xmas because she is always using mine now. The best part about my 3G Kindle is always having a book to read. I do not miss holding a real book in my hands. Actually, I dislike having a real book, they close up on me if I put it down, they are big, and tiresome to hold. There are lots of blogs and places on the www to find cheap and free books. Yes, I occasionally have to have an expensive, ie - $9- 10 book, but mostly all my books are under $5, and many are free.</p>
<p>You are all so helpful. Thank you! I ordered a Kindle for the family, and we will see how it goes.</p>
<p>One plus I thought of with the Kindle is that she may not be embarrassed to read thinner books, because you don’t see the book size with a Kindle. So I think that is a plus.</p>
<p>Today my husband took her to the library and she got a few books and the corresponding audio books so she can read and listen to the book at the same time. They do that in school and she likes it. So hopefully, some of this will click and help her to love reading.</p>
<p>I will check back, just in case there are more ideas.</p>