June 25, 2024 • 26 mins
Can you turn a reluctant teen into an enthusiastic reader this summer? We've got the strategies that could make it happen! In the latest episode of Challenge your Mind, Change the World, we explore how to get teenagers excited about books by diving into various genres and formats that captivate even the most hesitant readers. From the engaging visuals of graphic novels like "Maus" by Art Spiegelman and "Nimona" by Noelle Stevenson to the immersive experience of audiobooks with Stephen Fry’s narration of "Harry Potter," we cover all bases to make reading irresistible.
We delve into what genres are currently grabbing teens' attention, including fantasy, science fiction, and non-fiction, and discuss how mixing genres can keep reading fresh and engaging. Discover the benefits of starting with books before their movie or TV adaptations to stimulate imagination and deepen comprehension. Learn how book series can hook young readers, fostering an emotional investment that carries them through the summer. Engage with the community by joining book and movie clubs that offer social interaction and spur critical discussions.
But reading isn't just a solitary activity—it can be interactive and fun! We guide you through combining reading with other passions like cooking, hiking, and crafting to create a holistic experience. Explore online communities like Wattpad and Reddit, where teens can read, write, and discuss stories with peers. Plus, uncover the secrets of the Boredom Busters podcast, brimming with ideas to keep kids entertained all summer. Join us as we make reading an adventure and transform this summer into an unforgettable literary journey!
For all free resources mentioned in this podcast, download them here (By registering for Boredom Busters, you will gain access to a whole library of ideas to bust the boredom over the summer).
If you enjoyed today's episode, please take the time to rate our podcast. Your rating means the world to us and it allows us to continue to share and grow our message of support to other fabulous humans out there!
For more free resources, check out my guide to the 5 secret habits of teens who succeed. Jam packed with advice, tips and strategies. Yours free!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everybody, welcome back to Challenge your
Mind, change the World.
I am absolutely thrilled thatyou are here today with me on
part two of a two-part series onhow to encourage our teens to
get into reading this summer.
Now, last episode was a bumperepisode.
I had so many juicy tips that Iwanted to spread it out over
two episodes so that everylittle piece of juicy
(00:23):
information had its time in thesunlight to share with you,
because I have got so manydifferent ways and strategies to
get children and teenagers intoreading off their screens, off
their devices, that I couldn'tjust fit them all into one
episode.
So part two is today.
Last episode we talked aboutsome of the roadblocks and the
(00:44):
hurdles that our children mighthave about wanting to pick up a
book and start reading.
So I gave you some tips andsome strategies on how to
address some of these barriersthat we might have, and there
were 10 of them in total.
We then looked at how to set upSummer Reading Challenge and I
have got a beautiful summerreading challenge instruction
(01:04):
sheet for you over on theBoredom Busters hub.
So if you haven't heard ofBoredom Busters yet, it is my
free, secret podcast that I havecreated for all the parents out
there with teenagers off ontheir summer vacations and
they're bored, and I know thatboredom is part of life and it
is actually quite a healthything to be bored, to experience
(01:26):
boredom, because that's whereour most creative ideas come
from, when we are forced to sitthere in the silence and to
think about how we can entertainourselves.
But sometimes, as parents, wejust need a little bit of a
go-to resource to help usstimulate some of those more
creative ideas in our children.
So boredomom Busters is afour-part secret podcast series
(01:49):
and the reason why I'm making itsecret is because I have
created a free hub and on thefree hub is a whole range of
strategies and games andresources and it's only
available to people that arelistening to the Boredom Busters
secret podcast.
So that's why it is exclusive,it is secret and it is relevant
(02:10):
to you.
If you have got a teenager athome or if you've got a child at
home and you're sitting thereduring the summer and you need
some ideas for entertainment,then head to Boredom Busters.
The link is in the show notesand once you register for
Boredom Busters, you will getaccess to the four-part secret
podcast series and you'll alsoget access to the hub, which is
(02:30):
a beautiful, beautiful websiteresource.
Everything that you could needfor busting the boredom this
summer is on there, plus theresources that we talk about in
our summer reading program,which was in part one
yesterday's podcast episode andpart two today.
So welcome.
I am all about supporting andhelping and cheering you on.
(02:51):
I am a parent myself.
I have got two young boys, so Iknow full well about what it's
like to be a parent during thesummer break.
Today we are going to be lookingat some different types of
genres and formats that mightappeal to your teenage reader,
whether they are a bookworm or areluctant reader.
We're also going to be lookingat how to link books with movie
(03:13):
adaptations, which is a reallyfun angle to approach reading
with teenagers that might notnecessarily pick up a book at
first glance.
And then we're also going tolook at book series and why they
are so effective with the youngadult audience.
We're going to look at someonline reading communities that
are parent and educator approvedfor our young people, and then
(03:35):
we're going to look at how wecan combine reading with
activities to make it a fullyholistic experience.
So much fun we have got so muchto get into today.
I can't wait.
So let's get started.
Let's start by looking atdifferent genres and formats,
because if traditional novelsaren't really your teenager's
thing, then don't worry.
Reading doesn't have to belimited to just one format or
(03:58):
one genre, doesn't have to be abig, long novel.
By exploring different genresor formats, we can keep
teenagers reading exciting andaccessible for them.
Let's dive in to see how we canbroaden our teenagers reading
horizons.
So, looking at the differentformats to explore, we've got
graphic novels Now.
Graphic novels combine visualart with storytelling, so this
(04:23):
makes them really engaging andoften a lot easier to read for
the young adult fiction market.
There are graphic novels acrossall genres, from superhero
adventures to historical fiction.
So you can have examples likeMouse M-A-U-S by Art Spiegelman
or Nimona N-I-M-O-N-A Nimona Ihope I'm saying that right by
(04:47):
Noelle Stevenson.
And these are great startingpoints.
And once again, I will linksome more graphic novel
suggestions on the hub, on theBoard Busters hub.
So if you sign up to BoardBusters you will get access to
that hub and then on that hubthere will be a whole lot of
reading resources there.
So graphic novels are a greatstarting point for young adults.
(05:08):
The next one is audiobooks.
Okay, so, if traditional novelsare not the thing you have to
think about audiobooks.
They're convenient because theyallow you to enjoy books while
on the go.
So, in the car, during commutes, going from sports practice or
going to school, if they'redoing a workout, or if they're
(05:31):
doing their chores, making theirbed or tidying their room, they
can put an audiobook on.
And many audiobooks arenarrated by talented actors,
which adds a whole new dimensionto the story and gives it a
little bit more social proof.
So an example could be HarryPotter, narrated by Stephen Fry,
the British actor, or the Hateyou Give by Angie Thomas,
narrated by Barney Turpin.
(06:06):
Or smartphones, making it easyto carry multiple books at once.
And also, if your teenager orchild is used to holding a
tablet, used to getting theirinformation, reading websites
using an iPad, for example, thenyou can encourage them to read
eBooks on the tablet.
And the benefits of using atablet is you can adjust the
font size, the background colorand even look up word
definitions instantly.
(06:27):
And there are actually specifictablets that you can use just
for reading, like Kindle, andyou can access resources like
Libby or Google Books to accessa vast library of e-books.
In fact, sometimes it's easierto get the e-book than it is to
wait for it to come out in theshops or to become available at
the library.
So e-books is a great quickgo-to resource.
(06:50):
Now let's look at exploring someof the different genres.
I've got three different typesof genres that are always really
popular with young adults.
Mystery and thriller is thefirst one.
Why?
Well, these books aresuspenseful.
They keep you on the edge ofyour seat.
They have twists and turns.
They often involve solving apuzzle or a crime, making them
(07:12):
really hard to put down.
If you're a young adult, theyabsolutely love mystery and
thriller books.
So an example you could tryreading Gone Girl by Gillian
Flynn or the Girl with theDragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
The next really popular genrefor young adults is fantasy and
science fiction.
So these genres transport youto other worlds and they explore
(07:35):
imaginative concepts.
They're wonderful.
You really do get lost in theseimaginary worlds.
They offer a great escape fromreality and because they have
such rich world building andcomplex characters, they create
whole universes.
Examples could be the Hobbit byJRR Tolkien or Dune by Frank
(07:55):
Herbert.
And the third most populargenre for young adults is
non-fiction.
Non-fiction books provideinsights into real events,
people and concepts and that'salways popular with young people
because they're real, sothey're believable and they can
also be incredibly motivatingand informative.
They can be inspiring.
Really popular examples ofnon-fiction books for young
(08:17):
adults is Sapiens of Humankindby Yuval Noah Harari or Educated
by Tara Westover Two reallygood books, always popular at
the library.
Check those out Now.
The benefits of mixing it upRemember last episode we talked
about creating a summer bookchallenge and in that summer
(08:38):
book challenge you might have,say, four or five books that
your teenager can read over thesummer and we mix up the genres.
So the benefit of mixing up thegenres is it prevents reading
fatigue and it keeps ourteenagers engaged.
If they're reading just onetype of book the whole summer,
like fantasy books or justnon-fiction, then they can start
(09:00):
to get a little bit bored ofthat particular genre by the end
of the summer.
So by mixing up the genres itkeeps things fresh and it keeps
our children engaged.
It also broadens their horizonsbecause exploring different
book types can expand theirknowledge and their
understanding of various topics,which is great for critical
thinking, right?
We love critical thinking hereat the Classic High School
(09:21):
Teacher, and it also caters tomood.
Remember, we're not always inthe same mood for the same type
of book, just like TV shows ormovies.
So different genres or formatscan suit different moods and
times of the day, making readingmore enjoyable.
And also, our children are morelikely to pick up a book
regularly if we can keep trackof their moods as well.
(09:42):
So if traditional novels aren'tgrabbing our children's
attention, then that's okay.
Let's try them on graphicnovels, audiobooks or ebooks,
and don't hesitate to exploredifferent genres with your
children, because they mightdiscover a new favourite.
How about reading a book that'sbeen adapted into a movie or a
tv show?
It's a fantastic way to divedeeper into the story and see it
(10:06):
come to life on screen.
So let's explore how this canbe a fun and engaging approach
to reading.
First of all, we have to findadaptations, popular adaptations
.
Many well-loved books have beenturned into movies or TV series
, making it easy to find anadaptation to enjoy, and I will
(10:26):
link some ideas and somesuggestions in the hub notes for
you.
An example could be the HungerGames series by Suzanne Collins
love that.
Or the Fault in Our Stars byJohn Green.
You also think about classicadaptations over time, timeless
stories, because classics haveoften had multiple adaptations
(10:47):
offering different takes on thesame stories.
If your teenager does like theclassic stories, then there are
plenty to choose from Pride andPrejudice, for example, by
Janeen, or To Kill a Mockingbirdby Harper.
But remember, if you are goingto go down this path of choosing
books that have been made intoTV and filmed, then encourage
your teenager to start with thebook first, because reading the
(11:09):
book first allows you to imaginethe characters and the settings
in your own way, which isreally important to foster
imagination.
It also provides a deeperunderstanding of the story,
which enhances the viewingexperience, because, remember,
the director of the film or theTV show won't include every
single chapter in theiradaptation for the screen.
(11:30):
They just don't have the time.
And there's details that keepthe story moving and, remember,
there are scenes and details ina book that don't necessarily
lend itself to being reproducedon the big screen.
A lot of scenes get taken outonce it's made into a movie.
So by reading the book first,it gives you a foundation for
what the movie is going to beabout and then you can compare
(11:51):
and contrast.
You can see what's been left inand what's been left out.
An example could be the MazeRunner by James Dashnell, for
watching the film adaptation,because then you can do that
comparison.
Watching the adaptation afterreading allows you to compare
how the story was translated tothe screen.
It can spark interestingdiscussions about what was
(12:12):
included, what was left out orwhat was changed, and that's a
great way to engage with yourchildren.
As a parent is to have thosesorts of discussions.
For example, you could look atthe differences between the
Harry Potter books and movies,and your teenagers can do that
with yourself or with friends,or even online forums that are
(12:34):
parent approved and vetted.
Let's make it interactive.
Talking of online forums, youcould start or join a book and
movie club where members readthe book and then watch the
adaptation together.
Your teenager can engage indiscussions about the
differences and similarities andwhat each member preferred.
For example, your teenagercould host a movie night after
(12:55):
finishing Divergent by VeronicaRoth and discuss how the movie
compares to the book, all over abowl of popcorn.
Because by reading the book andthen looking at the film version
of it, it keeps our childrenengaged by offering multiple
ways to experience the story,and it also enhances critical
thinking and analytical skillswithout even realizing it.
(13:18):
That's a bonus, and it's alsoenjoyment.
It's just simply fun to seeyour favorite stories come to
life and discuss them withothers.
So reading books with movieadaptations is a great way to
deepen our children's engagementwith the story and enjoy it in
a new format.
Plus, it offers plenty ofopportunities for social
interaction and criticaldiscussion.
(13:39):
Now we've talked about movieadaptations of books, but let's
look at book series, which isanother very, very popular form
of reading for young adults.
If your child loves gettinginvested in characters and
stories, then try them on a bookseries, because once they're
hooked on that first book,they'll want to keep reading to
(14:02):
see what happens next, and thennext, and then next.
Let's explore why book seriescan be so captivating and some
great series to get our childrenstarted.
Why are book series so engaging?
Well, series allow for deeperdevelopment of characters and
more complex storylines.
You get to follow thecharacters through various
adventures and challenges overmultiple books, which is always
(14:24):
a great way to get our childrenhooked on reading.
And it also means that byspending more time with the same
characters, it builds astronger emotional connection,
making the characters' journeysand outcomes more meaningful to
our young readers.
It also builds a sense ofanticipation, because with each
new book in the series it buildsthat sense of anticipation and
(14:47):
excitement as our children lookforward to continuing the story.
How great is that?
I've got three different typesof genres that are very popular
with young people that you canrecommend to your children.
The first one is what we talkedabout before fantasy and
adventure.
A great popular, very famousseries is obviously you probably
(15:09):
have guessed it already HarryPotter by JK Rowling.
And the other one is PercyJackson and the Olympians by
Rick Riordan.
I've got my eye on this one formy son, george, because this
one is where you dive into theadventures of Percy Jackson as
he discovers his identity as ademigod and battles mythological
(15:29):
creatures.
And I have a double degree inEnglish literature and classical
history, so obviously, as aclassical history teacher, I
can't wait for the moment whereI can take my children to Greece
and to all around theMediterranean to look at the
mythological history of theregion.
(15:51):
And I think that by startingwith this young adult fiction is
kind of a little side link intoactual classical history.
I mean, obviously this isfiction but it gets them talking
about some of thosemythological names, but anyway,
I digress.
So that's fantasy and adventure.
The next really popular genregroup for book series is science
(16:14):
fiction the Hunger Games bySuzanne Collins that we talked
about before.
That's a really cool bookseries, and then they can follow
on by watching the movieafterwards, and then the Maze
Runner by James Dashner thesewould make great Christmas
presents too, by the way, ifyou're a grandparent listening
to this.
And the third genre is mysteryand thriller.
That we talked about before too.
So a great book series and aclassic at the same time is
(16:38):
Sherlock Holmes by Arthur ConanDoyle, and the other series that
I would recommend is A Seriesof Unfortunate Events by Lemony
Snicket.
My tips for enjoying a serieswith your chat with your team
start with book one.
Always begin with the firstbook in the series to understand
the context and the characterdevelopment.
Pace yourself.
Don't rush through the books.
Let them enjoy the journey andgive themselves time to reflect
(17:02):
on each installment before theystart the next book.
And engage with the fancommunities.
Many series have dedicated fancommunities that are parent
approved, but always check themfirst as the parent, where they
can discuss theories, charactersand plot twists.
So cool Book series are afantastic way to get deeply
(17:22):
invested in the stories andcharacters, and with each new
book, your teens will be excitedto see what happens next.
So pick a series that yourchildren will be interested in
and dive into an extendedadventure with them, because
these young adult books aregreat for adults to read too.
Now let's switch our attentionto online reading communities.
There are tons of onlinereading communities like
(17:43):
Goodreads, wattpad or specificsubreddits.
Joining these can providerecommendations and a sense of
community with fellow booklovers, so I will link some more
in the hub reading notes foryou.
Let's look at how you can getinvolved and what benefits
you'll find by these onlinecommunities.
One of the great benefits ofonline reading communities is
the recommendations that you'llget.
(18:04):
You discover new books andauthors based on what others are
reading and enjoying.
You also get that sense ofcommunity with fellow readers
who share your interests.
So there's this social side toit too.
You can discuss books, you canshare reviews, you can
participate in group reads, oryou can just sit on the fence
and just read the comments thatother people are making about
the books, and they also havechallenges and events.
(18:26):
Many communities host readingchallenges, book clubs and
events that can make readingmore interactive and fun, and
that's what we want for ourteenagers, right?
So Goodreads tracks yourreading.
You can rate and review yourbooks and you can get
personalized recommendationsbased on what you've read.
You can join groups based ongenres, on interests or specific
(18:49):
book clubs, and there's one onthere called the Young Adult
Book Club, and this is awesomebecause it reads and discusses a
different young adult book eachmonth perfect.
The next one is wattpadw-a-t-t-p-a-d, and the features
of wattpad is you can read andwrite stories, you can interact
(19:09):
with writers and other readersand you can discover new content
from a community point of view.
You can participate in thediscussions they have on there,
you can leave comments on thestories and you can follow your
favourite authors.
A great community to join onWattpad is the Teen Fiction
Community to read and discussstories written by and for teens
.
And the third one I mentionedwas Reddit R-E-D-D-I-T.
(19:34):
So find subreddits dedicated tobooks and reading.
I'll link these for you, don'tworry.
You can participate indiscussions, you can ask for
recommendations and you canshare your thoughts on various
books.
Great to get the chat started.
If you are interested ingetting involved, you can create
a profile, so sign up for anaccount on platforms like
(19:55):
Goodreads or Wattpad and createa profile for your family that
your teenager can use.
You can join groups on there,so look for groups or
communities that match yourinterests and join them.
You can participate actively byengaging in discussions, by
sharing your thoughts andcontributing to the community,
because the more active you are,the more you'll get out of it
(20:15):
right.
And also, you can share reviews, so writing reviews of the
books that you've read can helpothers find great reads and also
give you a chance to reflect onwhat you liked or didn't like.
Now, finally, we are switchinggears to one of my favourite
ways to enjoy reading, which iscombining reading with
activities.
What I mean by that is you canread a book about cooking and
(20:37):
then try out some recipes, orread about hiking and then plan
an outdoor adventure with yourchild or your family, because it
makes the experience moreinteractive and fun.
I'm going to give you some waysto pair reading with some of
your favourite activities.
First up, we've got combiningreading with hobbies, so cooking
, for example.
Choose a cookbook or a novelwith recipes and try making out
(20:59):
the dishes.
You could read Julie and Juliaby Julie Powell and then cook
some of the recipes from JuliaChild's cookbook.
You could decide to have acooking day with friends or
family where you try out newrecipes together.
My children love baking so I amon the lookout at the moment
for a book that involves baking.
You could do.
You can look at outdooradventures.
If hiking in nature is yourhobby.
(21:19):
Read books about hiking, natureor adventure and then plan a
trip to a local park or a trail.
For example, you could readWild by Cheryl Strayed and then
go on a hike inspired by herjourney.
Organize a hiking trip withfriends, bring along snacks and
discussing the book along theway.
Or your hobby could be arts andcrafts.
So find books on diy projectsor arts and crafts and then try
(21:44):
making something from the book.
You could read the biggest bookof crafts by mark montano and
then choose a few projects tocreate.
Host a crafting day where youand your friends make projects
from the book.
Your hobby could be sports andfitness.
So read some books about yourfavourite sports or athletes and
then practice the sport.
Example read Born to Run byChristopher McDougall and then
(22:08):
go for a run or try a newrunning technique.
Join a local sports team or clubinspired by your reading.
Let's make reading fun andinteractive.
Think about book and activityclubs.
Start a club where members reada book and then do an activity
related to the book.
Example a cooking club wheremembers read a culinary themed
novel and then cook a mealtogether.
Or you could do themed weeks,weekly themes, where you read
(22:31):
books on a specific topic andthen do related activities.
For example, a mystery themedweek where you read mystery
novels and then topic and thendo related activities.
For example, a mystery-themedweek where you read mystery
novels and then solve a localescape room or puzzle.
You can document the experience.
Keep a journal or start a blogdocumenting your reading and
related activities.
Write blog posts about thebooks you've read and the
adventures or projects you'vecompleted inspired by them.
(22:52):
There is so much you can do bylinking reading to real life
activities.
Combining reading with yourother interests can make the
experience more interactive andenjoyable.
Whether it's cooking, hiking,crafting or sports, there are
endless ways to pair readingwith fun activities.
So pick up a book that ties intoone of your hobbies and get
(23:13):
started on a new adventure.
That's a wrap for today'sepisode on making summer reading
fun, part two.
We have covered so many greattips, from creating a summer
reading challenge to combiningreading with your favorite
activities.
I hope that these ideas inspireyou to pick up a book and dive
into new adventures alongsideyour children.
Remember, reading can be anexciting and enjoyable part of
(23:36):
your summer.
So give these tips a try andsee what works best for you, and
remember that if you want theresources that we've talked
about in today's episode or partone's episode, then sign up to
Boredom Buster's secret podcastto gain access to our secret,
exclusive hub filled with heapsof boredom busting ideas to do
with your children over thesummer holidays.
(23:57):
We'd love to see what you'rereading and how you'll make the
most of your summer.
Happy reading everyone.
Thanks for tuning in toChallenge your Mind, change the
World.
I'm Francesca and I'll catchyou again in the next episode.
Until then, keep exploring,keep reading and have an awesome
summer.
Hello everybody, welcome back to Challenge your
Mind, change the World.
I am absolutely thrilled thatyou are here today with me on
part two of a two-part series onhow to encourage our teens to
get into reading this summer.
Now, last episode was a bumperepisode.
I had so many juicy tips that Iwanted to spread it out over
two episodes so that everylittle piece of juicy
(00:23):
information had its time in thesunlight to share with you,
because I have got so manydifferent ways and strategies to
get children and teenagers intoreading off their screens, off
their devices, that I couldn'tjust fit them all into one
episode.
So part two is today.
Last episode we talked aboutsome of the roadblocks and the
(00:44):
hurdles that our children mighthave about wanting to pick up a
book and start reading.
So I gave you some tips andsome strategies on how to
address some of these barriersthat we might have, and there
were 10 of them in total.
We then looked at how to set upSummer Reading Challenge and I
have got a beautiful summerreading challenge instruction
(01:04):
sheet for you over on theBoredom Busters hub.
So if you haven't heard ofBoredom Busters yet, it is my
free, secret podcast that I havecreated for all the parents out
there with teenagers off ontheir summer vacations and
they're bored, and I know thatboredom is part of life and it
is actually quite a healthything to be bored, to experience
(01:26):
boredom, because that's whereour most creative ideas come
from, when we are forced to sitthere in the silence and to
think about how we can entertainourselves.
But sometimes, as parents, wejust need a little bit of a
go-to resource to help usstimulate some of those more
creative ideas in our children.
So boredomom Busters is afour-part secret podcast series
(01:49):
and the reason why I'm making itsecret is because I have
created a free hub and on thefree hub is a whole range of
strategies and games andresources and it's only
available to people that arelistening to the Boredom Busters
secret podcast.
So that's why it is exclusive,it is secret and it is relevant
(02:10):
to you.
If you have got a teenager athome or if you've got a child at
home and you're sitting thereduring the summer and you need
some ideas for entertainment,then head to Boredom Busters.
The link is in the show notesand once you register for
Boredom Busters, you will getaccess to the four-part secret
podcast series and you'll alsoget access to the hub, which is
(02:30):
a beautiful, beautiful websiteresource.
Everything that you could needfor busting the boredom this
summer is on there, plus theresources that we talk about in
our summer reading program,which was in part one
yesterday's podcast episode andpart two today.
So welcome.
I am all about supporting andhelping and cheering you on.
(02:51):
I am a parent myself.
I have got two young boys, so Iknow full well about what it's
like to be a parent during thesummer break.
Today we are going to be lookingat some different types of
genres and formats that mightappeal to your teenage reader,
whether they are a bookworm or areluctant reader.
We're also going to be lookingat how to link books with movie
(03:13):
adaptations, which is a reallyfun angle to approach reading
with teenagers that might notnecessarily pick up a book at
first glance.
And then we're also going tolook at book series and why they
are so effective with the youngadult audience.
We're going to look at someonline reading communities that
are parent and educator approvedfor our young people, and then
(03:35):
we're going to look at how wecan combine reading with
activities to make it a fullyholistic experience.
So much fun we have got so muchto get into today.
I can't wait.
So let's get started.
Let's start by looking atdifferent genres and formats,
because if traditional novelsaren't really your teenager's
thing, then don't worry.
Reading doesn't have to belimited to just one format or
(03:58):
one genre, doesn't have to be abig, long novel.
By exploring different genresor formats, we can keep
teenagers reading exciting andaccessible for them.
Let's dive in to see how we canbroaden our teenagers reading
horizons.
So, looking at the differentformats to explore, we've got
graphic novels Now.
Graphic novels combine visualart with storytelling, so this
(04:23):
makes them really engaging andoften a lot easier to read for
the young adult fiction market.
There are graphic novels acrossall genres, from superhero
adventures to historical fiction.
So you can have examples likeMouse M-A-U-S by Art Spiegelman
or Nimona N-I-M-O-N-A Nimona Ihope I'm saying that right by
(04:47):
Noelle Stevenson.
And these are great startingpoints.
And once again, I will linksome more graphic novel
suggestions on the hub, on theBoard Busters hub.
So if you sign up to BoardBusters you will get access to
that hub and then on that hubthere will be a whole lot of
reading resources there.
So graphic novels are a greatstarting point for young adults.
(05:08):
The next one is audiobooks.
Okay, so, if traditional novelsare not the thing you have to
think about audiobooks.
They're convenient because theyallow you to enjoy books while
on the go.
So, in the car, during commutes, going from sports practice or
going to school, if they'redoing a workout, or if they're
(05:31):
doing their chores, making theirbed or tidying their room, they
can put an audiobook on.
And many audiobooks arenarrated by talented actors,
which adds a whole new dimensionto the story and gives it a
little bit more social proof.
So an example could be HarryPotter, narrated by Stephen Fry,
the British actor, or the Hateyou Give by Angie Thomas,
narrated by Barney Turpin.
(06:06):
Or smartphones, making it easyto carry multiple books at once.
And also, if your teenager orchild is used to holding a
tablet, used to getting theirinformation, reading websites
using an iPad, for example, thenyou can encourage them to read
eBooks on the tablet.
And the benefits of using atablet is you can adjust the
font size, the background colorand even look up word
definitions instantly.
(06:27):
And there are actually specifictablets that you can use just
for reading, like Kindle, andyou can access resources like
Libby or Google Books to accessa vast library of e-books.
In fact, sometimes it's easierto get the e-book than it is to
wait for it to come out in theshops or to become available at
the library.
So e-books is a great quickgo-to resource.
(06:50):
Now let's look at exploring someof the different genres.
I've got three different typesof genres that are always really
popular with young adults.
Mystery and thriller is thefirst one.
Why?
Well, these books aresuspenseful.
They keep you on the edge ofyour seat.
They have twists and turns.
They often involve solving apuzzle or a crime, making them
(07:12):
really hard to put down.
If you're a young adult, theyabsolutely love mystery and
thriller books.
So an example you could tryreading Gone Girl by Gillian
Flynn or the Girl with theDragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
The next really popular genrefor young adults is fantasy and
science fiction.
So these genres transport youto other worlds and they explore
(07:35):
imaginative concepts.
They're wonderful.
You really do get lost in theseimaginary worlds.
They offer a great escape fromreality and because they have
such rich world building andcomplex characters, they create
whole universes.
Examples could be the Hobbit byJRR Tolkien or Dune by Frank
(07:55):
Herbert.
And the third most populargenre for young adults is
non-fiction.
Non-fiction books provideinsights into real events,
people and concepts and that'salways popular with young people
because they're real, sothey're believable and they can
also be incredibly motivatingand informative.
They can be inspiring.
Really popular examples ofnon-fiction books for young
(08:17):
adults is Sapiens of Humankindby Yuval Noah Harari or Educated
by Tara Westover Two reallygood books, always popular at
the library.
Check those out Now.
The benefits of mixing it upRemember last episode we talked
about creating a summer bookchallenge and in that summer
(08:38):
book challenge you might have,say, four or five books that
your teenager can read over thesummer and we mix up the genres.
So the benefit of mixing up thegenres is it prevents reading
fatigue and it keeps ourteenagers engaged.
If they're reading just onetype of book the whole summer,
like fantasy books or justnon-fiction, then they can start
(09:00):
to get a little bit bored ofthat particular genre by the end
of the summer.
So by mixing up the genres itkeeps things fresh and it keeps
our children engaged.
It also broadens their horizonsbecause exploring different
book types can expand theirknowledge and their
understanding of various topics,which is great for critical
thinking, right?
We love critical thinking hereat the Classic High School
(09:21):
Teacher, and it also caters tomood.
Remember, we're not always inthe same mood for the same type
of book, just like TV shows ormovies.
So different genres or formatscan suit different moods and
times of the day, making readingmore enjoyable.
And also, our children are morelikely to pick up a book
regularly if we can keep trackof their moods as well.
(09:42):
So if traditional novels aren'tgrabbing our children's
attention, then that's okay.
Let's try them on graphicnovels, audiobooks or ebooks,
and don't hesitate to exploredifferent genres with your
children, because they mightdiscover a new favourite.
How about reading a book that'sbeen adapted into a movie or a
tv show?
It's a fantastic way to divedeeper into the story and see it
(10:06):
come to life on screen.
So let's explore how this canbe a fun and engaging approach
to reading.
First of all, we have to findadaptations, popular adaptations
.
Many well-loved books have beenturned into movies or TV series
, making it easy to find anadaptation to enjoy, and I will
(10:26):
link some ideas and somesuggestions in the hub notes for
you.
An example could be the HungerGames series by Suzanne Collins
love that.
Or the Fault in Our Stars byJohn Green.
You also think about classicadaptations over time, timeless
stories, because classics haveoften had multiple adaptations
(10:47):
offering different takes on thesame stories.
If your teenager does like theclassic stories, then there are
plenty to choose from Pride andPrejudice, for example, by
Janeen, or To Kill a Mockingbirdby Harper.
But remember, if you are goingto go down this path of choosing
books that have been made intoTV and filmed, then encourage
your teenager to start with thebook first, because reading the
(11:09):
book first allows you to imaginethe characters and the settings
in your own way, which isreally important to foster
imagination.
It also provides a deeperunderstanding of the story,
which enhances the viewingexperience, because, remember,
the director of the film or theTV show won't include every
single chapter in theiradaptation for the screen.
(11:30):
They just don't have the time.
And there's details that keepthe story moving and, remember,
there are scenes and details ina book that don't necessarily
lend itself to being reproducedon the big screen.
A lot of scenes get taken outonce it's made into a movie.
So by reading the book first,it gives you a foundation for
what the movie is going to beabout and then you can compare
(11:51):
and contrast.
You can see what's been left inand what's been left out.
An example could be the MazeRunner by James Dashnell, for
watching the film adaptation,because then you can do that
comparison.
Watching the adaptation afterreading allows you to compare
how the story was translated tothe screen.
It can spark interestingdiscussions about what was
(12:12):
included, what was left out orwhat was changed, and that's a
great way to engage with yourchildren.
As a parent is to have thosesorts of discussions.
For example, you could look atthe differences between the
Harry Potter books and movies,and your teenagers can do that
with yourself or with friends,or even online forums that are
(12:34):
parent approved and vetted.
Let's make it interactive.
Talking of online forums, youcould start or join a book and
movie club where members readthe book and then watch the
adaptation together.
Your teenager can engage indiscussions about the
differences and similarities andwhat each member preferred.
For example, your teenagercould host a movie night after
(12:55):
finishing Divergent by VeronicaRoth and discuss how the movie
compares to the book, all over abowl of popcorn.
Because by reading the book andthen looking at the film version
of it, it keeps our childrenengaged by offering multiple
ways to experience the story,and it also enhances critical
thinking and analytical skillswithout even realizing it.
(13:18):
That's a bonus, and it's alsoenjoyment.
It's just simply fun to seeyour favorite stories come to
life and discuss them withothers.
So reading books with movieadaptations is a great way to
deepen our children's engagementwith the story and enjoy it in
a new format.
Plus, it offers plenty ofopportunities for social
interaction and criticaldiscussion.
(13:39):
Now we've talked about movieadaptations of books, but let's
look at book series, which isanother very, very popular form
of reading for young adults.
If your child loves gettinginvested in characters and
stories, then try them on a bookseries, because once they're
hooked on that first book,they'll want to keep reading to
(14:02):
see what happens next, and thennext, and then next.
Let's explore why book seriescan be so captivating and some
great series to get our childrenstarted.
Why are book series so engaging?
Well, series allow for deeperdevelopment of characters and
more complex storylines.
You get to follow thecharacters through various
adventures and challenges overmultiple books, which is always
(14:24):
a great way to get our childrenhooked on reading.
And it also means that byspending more time with the same
characters, it builds astronger emotional connection,
making the characters' journeysand outcomes more meaningful to
our young readers.
It also builds a sense ofanticipation, because with each
new book in the series it buildsthat sense of anticipation and
(14:47):
excitement as our children lookforward to continuing the story.
How great is that?
I've got three different typesof genres that are very popular
with young people that you canrecommend to your children.
The first one is what we talkedabout before fantasy and
adventure.
A great popular, very famousseries is obviously you probably
(15:09):
have guessed it already HarryPotter by JK Rowling.
And the other one is PercyJackson and the Olympians by
Rick Riordan.
I've got my eye on this one formy son, george, because this
one is where you dive into theadventures of Percy Jackson as
he discovers his identity as ademigod and battles mythological
(15:29):
creatures.
And I have a double degree inEnglish literature and classical
history, so obviously, as aclassical history teacher, I
can't wait for the moment whereI can take my children to Greece
and to all around theMediterranean to look at the
mythological history of theregion.
(15:51):
And I think that by startingwith this young adult fiction is
kind of a little side link intoactual classical history.
I mean, obviously this isfiction but it gets them talking
about some of thosemythological names, but anyway,
I digress.
So that's fantasy and adventure.
The next really popular genregroup for book series is science
(16:14):
fiction the Hunger Games bySuzanne Collins that we talked
about before.
That's a really cool bookseries, and then they can follow
on by watching the movieafterwards, and then the Maze
Runner by James Dashner thesewould make great Christmas
presents too, by the way, ifyou're a grandparent listening
to this.
And the third genre is mysteryand thriller.
That we talked about before too.
So a great book series and aclassic at the same time is
(16:38):
Sherlock Holmes by Arthur ConanDoyle, and the other series that
I would recommend is A Seriesof Unfortunate Events by Lemony
Snicket.
My tips for enjoying a serieswith your chat with your team
start with book one.
Always begin with the firstbook in the series to understand
the context and the characterdevelopment.
Pace yourself.
Don't rush through the books.
Let them enjoy the journey andgive themselves time to reflect
(17:02):
on each installment before theystart the next book.
And engage with the fancommunities.
Many series have dedicated fancommunities that are parent
approved, but always check themfirst as the parent, where they
can discuss theories, charactersand plot twists.
So cool Book series are afantastic way to get deeply
(17:22):
invested in the stories andcharacters, and with each new
book, your teens will be excitedto see what happens next.
So pick a series that yourchildren will be interested in
and dive into an extendedadventure with them, because
these young adult books aregreat for adults to read too.
Now let's switch our attentionto online reading communities.
There are tons of onlinereading communities like
(17:43):
Goodreads, wattpad or specificsubreddits.
Joining these can providerecommendations and a sense of
community with fellow booklovers, so I will link some more
in the hub reading notes foryou.
Let's look at how you can getinvolved and what benefits
you'll find by these onlinecommunities.
One of the great benefits ofonline reading communities is
the recommendations that you'llget.
(18:04):
You discover new books andauthors based on what others are
reading and enjoying.
You also get that sense ofcommunity with fellow readers
who share your interests.
So there's this social side toit too.
You can discuss books, you canshare reviews, you can
participate in group reads, oryou can just sit on the fence
and just read the comments thatother people are making about
the books, and they also havechallenges and events.
(18:26):
Many communities host readingchallenges, book clubs and
events that can make readingmore interactive and fun, and
that's what we want for ourteenagers, right?
So Goodreads tracks yourreading.
You can rate and review yourbooks and you can get
personalized recommendationsbased on what you've read.
You can join groups based ongenres, on interests or specific
(18:49):
book clubs, and there's one onthere called the Young Adult
Book Club, and this is awesomebecause it reads and discusses a
different young adult book eachmonth perfect.
The next one is wattpadw-a-t-t-p-a-d, and the features
of wattpad is you can read andwrite stories, you can interact
(19:09):
with writers and other readersand you can discover new content
from a community point of view.
You can participate in thediscussions they have on there,
you can leave comments on thestories and you can follow your
favourite authors.
A great community to join onWattpad is the Teen Fiction
Community to read and discussstories written by and for teens
.
And the third one I mentionedwas Reddit R-E-D-D-I-T.
(19:34):
So find subreddits dedicated tobooks and reading.
I'll link these for you, don'tworry.
You can participate indiscussions, you can ask for
recommendations and you canshare your thoughts on various
books.
Great to get the chat started.
If you are interested ingetting involved, you can create
a profile, so sign up for anaccount on platforms like
(19:55):
Goodreads or Wattpad and createa profile for your family that
your teenager can use.
You can join groups on there,so look for groups or
communities that match yourinterests and join them.
You can participate actively byengaging in discussions, by
sharing your thoughts andcontributing to the community,
because the more active you are,the more you'll get out of it
(20:15):
right.
And also, you can share reviews, so writing reviews of the
books that you've read can helpothers find great reads and also
give you a chance to reflect onwhat you liked or didn't like.
Now, finally, we are switchinggears to one of my favourite
ways to enjoy reading, which iscombining reading with
activities.
What I mean by that is you canread a book about cooking and
(20:37):
then try out some recipes, orread about hiking and then plan
an outdoor adventure with yourchild or your family, because it
makes the experience moreinteractive and fun.
I'm going to give you some waysto pair reading with some of
your favourite activities.
First up, we've got combiningreading with hobbies, so cooking
, for example.
Choose a cookbook or a novelwith recipes and try making out
(20:59):
the dishes.
You could read Julie and Juliaby Julie Powell and then cook
some of the recipes from JuliaChild's cookbook.
You could decide to have acooking day with friends or
family where you try out newrecipes together.
My children love baking so I amon the lookout at the moment
for a book that involves baking.
You could do.
You can look at outdooradventures.
If hiking in nature is yourhobby.
(21:19):
Read books about hiking, natureor adventure and then plan a
trip to a local park or a trail.
For example, you could readWild by Cheryl Strayed and then
go on a hike inspired by herjourney.
Organize a hiking trip withfriends, bring along snacks and
discussing the book along theway.
Or your hobby could be arts andcrafts.
So find books on diy projectsor arts and crafts and then try
(21:44):
making something from the book.
You could read the biggest bookof crafts by mark montano and
then choose a few projects tocreate.
Host a crafting day where youand your friends make projects
from the book.
Your hobby could be sports andfitness.
So read some books about yourfavourite sports or athletes and
then practice the sport.
Example read Born to Run byChristopher McDougall and then
(22:08):
go for a run or try a newrunning technique.
Join a local sports team or clubinspired by your reading.
Let's make reading fun andinteractive.
Think about book and activityclubs.
Start a club where members reada book and then do an activity
related to the book.
Example a cooking club wheremembers read a culinary themed
novel and then cook a mealtogether.
Or you could do themed weeks,weekly themes, where you read
(22:31):
books on a specific topic andthen do related activities.
For example, a mystery themedweek where you read mystery
novels and then topic and thendo related activities.
For example, a mystery-themedweek where you read mystery
novels and then solve a localescape room or puzzle.
You can document the experience.
Keep a journal or start a blogdocumenting your reading and
related activities.
Write blog posts about thebooks you've read and the
adventures or projects you'vecompleted inspired by them.
(22:52):
There is so much you can do bylinking reading to real life
activities.
Combining reading with yourother interests can make the
experience more interactive andenjoyable.
Whether it's cooking, hiking,crafting or sports, there are
endless ways to pair readingwith fun activities.
So pick up a book that ties intoone of your hobbies and get
(23:13):
started on a new adventure.
That's a wrap for today'sepisode on making summer reading
fun, part two.
We have covered so many greattips, from creating a summer
reading challenge to combiningreading with your favorite
activities.
I hope that these ideas inspireyou to pick up a book and dive
into new adventures alongsideyour children.
Remember, reading can be anexciting and enjoyable part of
(23:36):
your summer.
So give these tips a try andsee what works best for you, and
remember that if you want theresources that we've talked
about in today's episode or partone's episode, then sign up to
Boredom Buster's secret podcastto gain access to our secret,
exclusive hub filled with heapsof boredom busting ideas to do
with your children over thesummer holidays.
(23:57):
We'd love to see what you'rereading and how you'll make the
most of your summer.
Happy reading everyone.
Thanks for tuning in toChallenge your Mind, change the
World.
I'm Francesca and I'll catchyou again in the next episode.
Until then, keep exploring,keep reading and have an awesome
summer.
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