How to Get Boys to Read

By Maryann Yin 

How do you get young boys to read?  Some theorize that limiting video game and Internet usage will help.

The Wall Street Journal reported on a study by Denison University psychology professor, Dr. Robert Weis. An excerpt: “Boys with video games at home, [Weis] found, spend more time playing them than reading … The secret to raising boys who read, I submit, is pretty simple—keep electronic media, especially video games and recreational Internet, under control (that is to say, almost completely absent). Then fill your shelves with good books.”

The idea is to create the best environment possible to coax and foster a love of reading. Provide a quiet space and a selection of good reading material. It can be a commercial Goosebumps title by R.L. Stein or a literary classic like C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia.

When was the last time you convinced a male, young or old, to pick up a book and what was the title? This GalleyCat correspondent convinced a male friend to read Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy. Share your success stories in the comments section.