Auckland Council Libraries: Books to encourage reluctant readers

Books to encourage reluctant readers

He Pukapuka hei akiaki i te hunga kia pānui

​“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” ~ Frank Serafini

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The sheep-pig

Dick King-Smith

Book

Made into a movie – Babe – this may get animal-lovers into reading, and is just one of the many awesome books written by Dick King-Smith.

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Fortunately, the milk

Neil Gaiman

Book

Can you ever trust Dad to look after the house? This outlandish adventure story, with short episodic chapters, and lots of fantasy elements, may work.

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The trouble begins at 8

Sid Fleischman

Book

Sometimes non-fiction is the way to hook people into reading – and the madcap, get true, adventures of Mark Twain could be the way the go.

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Never glue your friends to chairs

Katherine Applegate

Book

Early chapter books which star Roscoe Riley and his misfit group of friends.

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Amulet.

Kazu Kibuishi

Graphic novel

First in a very popular fantasy graphic novel series. Graphic novels / comics appeal to many, and may be the perfect tonic for some (non-)readers.

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Dog Man

Dav Pilkey

Graphic novel

By the creators of Captain Underpants, this madcap graphic novel should appeal to those with a slightly warped sense of humour.

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Fire!

Kyle Mewburn

Book

Secret identities, knights, dragons – this is a great series by an awesome New Zealand author.

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The dragonsitter

Josh Lacey

Book

Fun, madcap, fantasy – and dragons – what more could you want from the first book of a series?

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Hover car racer

Matthew Reilly

Book

Put together in one volume, this is quite a large book, but divided into smaller bits, it is not so daunting. Action and adventure set in a science-fiction universe.

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How Angel Peterson got his name

Gary Paulsen

Book

It is hard to express how much fun this book is – and it is true!

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Sideways stories from Wayside School

Louis Sachar

Book

Short, episodic chapters make this an approachable – and zany – read.

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Knucklehead

Jon Scieszka

Book

First in a series of wacky time-travelling adventures. Jon Scieszka is worth hunting down for other titles, too.

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Niagara Falls, or does it?

Henry Winkler

Book

Author Henry Winkler (aka The Fonz from Happy Days) had reading difficulties as a child, and has written a series of books he would love to have had available to his child-self.

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Fergus Crane

Paul Stewart

Book

Fantasy adventure with pirates, penguins and flying horses. Ludicrous fun, interspersed with black and white illustrations, perfect for breaking up the text.

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Knights of the kitchen table

Jon Scieszka

Book

If you want to know why Jon Scieszka is so funny (and weird) then this biography will help!

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Book list by:

Anne Coppell.

Annie

LibrarianHelensville Library

Auckland Council Libraries:Book list Recommended reading lists about different topics and genres to help you find new books to read.