Resistant Readers & Picture Books

One of the first questions I ask my students is, “Do you read at home?” More often than not, the answer is a roundabout no. Even my students who enjoy reading find it hard to make focused reading a daily habit. 

One of my favorite strategies for re-engaging students in the practice of reading is to send home a stack of quality picture books (especially picture book biographies) with the request that parents & children read them together. There is a magical quality about a great picture book that can draw readers, especially resistant ones, back into the practice of engaging with text in personal ways.