Getting stuck with reading? - Abi Lown at St. Laurence School

October 1st 2020

This guest post is from Abi Lown, Librarian at St Laurence School in Bradford-upon-Avon.

I don’t know about you, but I find it really easy to get stuck into a reading rut. Sometimes it’s that I need the comfort and nostalgia of an old favourite; whether that’s Harry Potter, Enid Blyton or Roald Dahl, and sometimes it’s simply because I don’t know what I want to read next!

One of the highlights of each academic year for me is when our new Year 7 cohort arrives and I can see what wonderful novels they already love. Their excitement to show off something they’ve enjoyed is palpable and this continues throughout year 7 and 8 as I see each class throughout a two-week period for their scheduled reading time. I’m privileged enough to work in a school with dedicated reading time, a dedicated reading space and staff who also want to know what the next best thing to read is.

As a school librarian I often come across students who are similarly ‘stuck’ in their reading habits and need a little help branching out to try something new. I applaud those who’ve re-read every Wimpy Kid ten times as they wait for the next instalment or who can recite passages of David Walliams hilarious writing but I also regularly ask them; ‘Why do you like it?’

It’s really important not only that our students know what they like reading, but also why – because only then can they expand their horizons to some of the other amazing authors are out there. Not every book will be for every child, but there is a book for every child out there, even if they haven’t found it yet. This is a hugely enjoyable part of my role, steering and guiding students to find the lesser known titles that might just become their new favourite.

So for those of you with students (or children) who are holding tightly onto their current favourite, here are just some of the questions I like to ask:

• Why do you like it?
• Do you like modern or historical settings?
• Do you like fantasy or real-world stories?
• Do you like happy or sad books?
• What do you want your next book to include… ?
• What do you think of the characters? Do you want to read someone like them or something completely different?
• Do you want to read something in the same genre (subject) or something different next?
• What don’t you like in a book?

All this questioning has taught me that sometimes what students really need is a conversation that listens to their opinion, validates what they already like and gives them an idea of the other options out there. I also completely promote judging a book by it’s cover, a talented artist is paid to make you want to pick up and consider what’s inside!

No-one expects an adult to know every option out there, and I’m often stumped by some of the more unusual requests I’ve had from students, but that’s all part of the joy and challenge of helping them find something amazing. The best part is when they come back and tell me that they love something new I’ve suggested or even recommend a title I’ve not heard of!

To support all this I’ve put together a selection of posters that highlight reads that are similar to some of the most popular choices out there; whether it’s the hilarity of Wimpy Kid they’re after, the magical world evoked in Harry Potter, the adventurous tales of Beast Quest or the real-life drama of Jacqueline Wilson, there’s always lots of new and exciting stories to discover. Why not check out some of the reading lists below and see if you can find a new favourite?

All of these books are available to order at peters.co.uk. 

Abi Lown is a Chartered Secondary School Librarian at a large comprehensive in rural Wiltshire. She has spent the last 6 years there persuading children and teenagers what they should read and why, picking their brains for her next read and drinking excessive amounts of tea. For more book talk and recommendations follow her on Twitter @AbiLown