Boy, oh, boy - books!

Teaching Pre K-8, Oct 2002 by Drasek, Lisa Von

These exciting, adventurous titles may encourage boys to read more

Fourth grade boys' reading scores are below those of girls. This statement wouldn't surprise any classroom teacher. The National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992-2000 Reading Assessments (the results of which can be found online at http://nces.ed.gov/nation sreportcard/reading/results/gendscore gaps.asp) states: "The gap between boys' and girls' scores increased between 1998 and 2000.. For girls, the percentage at or above Proficient in 2000 was higher than that in 1992. For boys, the percentage in 2000 was not significantly different than in 1992." That's an alarming statistic.

When the girls' math score gap was publicized, there was a national campaign to raise girls' math scores. Teachers examined their behavior. We wondered if, during math class, we were calling on boys more often than girls. Were we shrugging and saying, "Boys are naturally better at math anyway?" Has our attitude been to sigh and say, "Boys start school slower in reading skills. They'll catch up?"

According to the NAEP statistics, boys are not catching up to the girls. It's not that boys can't read. It's that they choose not to.

Advice from a dad who writes

Jon Scieszka, author of the award-winning children's books The Stinky Cheese Man (Viking, 1993, ISBN 0-670-84487X) and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf(Viking, 1989, ISBN 0-- 670-88844-3), relates that when packing for a vacation, he asked his son what books he was going to bring. He was only slightly bemused to hear his son reply, "Dad, it's a vacation."

Skilled readers read an average of 11 pages a day; the practice increases their proficiency. How do we entice boys to read more often? Jon Scieszka has a website - www.guysread .com - that outlines some very practical suggestions.

* Role modeling - dads, brothers and reading-partner guys from upper grades can read with younger boys, suggest cool books and start guy book groups.

* Let's give boys more choices for independent reading. Try adventure stories, real-life stories, funny stories, gross stories and plenty of aliens. Don't forget about alternative formats such as graphic novels, and series books, which offer the same characters and less work.

* Let's look at the required reading lists. Are we choosing books for class reading that mostly appeal to girls? Scieszka's son Jake on Little House On the Prairie: "Nothing happens in this book. They should have wolves on motorcycles."

Dragons and gross-outs

Scieszka believes that the best motivator for reluctant readers is an attention-grabbing book. Here are some "boy-approved" books that may help to rev up your male students' interest in reading.

For a boy classic, reach for Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher (Harcourt, 1991, ISBN 0-152-04614-3) by fantasy pro Bruce Coville. Jeremy stumbles into a mysterious magic shop, where he acquires a dragon egg. When the dragon hatches, mayhem ensues!

For a free set of 24 postcards, featuring Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher and the three other books in Coville's Magic Shop Book series (The Skull of Truth, Jennifer Murdley's Toad and The Monster's Ring), send a self-addressed mailing label to Bruce Coville Postcards, Harcourt Children's Books, 525 B St., Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101.

A gross-out picture book for all ages is My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman, with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes (Random House, 1998, ISBN 0517-88576-X). "My little sister ate one hare, we thought she'd throw up then and there, but she didn't." Need I say more?

The wide world of sports

Elizabeth O'Mara, the middle school reading teacher at Bank Street School for Children, loves recommending The Million Dollar Shot, by Dan Gutman (Hyperion, 1998, ISBN 0-786-81220-6), to fourth and fifth graders. In this book, eleven-year-old Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.

This light, suspenseful story is perfect for literature circles or reading response groups. Many of Elizabeth's students elected to read Gutman's next book, The Million Dollar Kick (Hyperion, 2001, ISBN 0-786-82612-6), on their own.

Innovative mysteries

For third-graders who need a little meat after reading lighter books, there's Regarding the Fountain: A Tale, In Letters, Of Liars and Leaks (Avon, 1998, ISBN 0-- 380-79347-4), by Kate Klise with illustrations by M. Sarah Klise. The story is told in an unusual format: letters, telegrams, faxes, newspaper replicas and drawings. Dry Creek Middle School needs a new drinking fountain, and correspondence between the students and the fountain's designer, Florence Waters, uncovers a secret.

New for sixth grade and up is Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Knopf, 2002, ISBN 0-375-92181-- 8). Hiaasen, a bestselling writer of adult mystery novels captures the middle school experience perfectly with his first young adult title.

Roy, who recently moved to Florida, is being bullied on the school bus. As his face is smashed against the smudged window he gets a glimpse of a barefooted boy running. Thus begins this humorous ecological mystery. It's a real hoot.