Reading a Variety of Book Genre's: The How's and Why's

I have noticed over the years, that many of the middle school students that I have worked with tend to gravitate to the same genre, author, or book series over and over again. Although, as an educator, I am elated that my students are interested in reading in the first place, I have found that it is often a challenge to encourage students to explore other genres.

How can we positively influence children to read outside their natural interests? Furthermore, why is it even important for students to read a variety of genres? First off, let me begin by saying if your child is a reluctant reader and has found an author, genre, or books series he/she likes, please continue to encourage your child’s natural interests as much as possible. You should celebrate the fact that your child is a reader! Gentle encouragement and exposure to other genres can occur. However, be mindful of being too forceful with this request. Some children, especially reluctant readers, may become turned off to reading if they are being forced to read outside their comfort zone. Overtime, students’ interests tend to evolve, so do not lose hope. Continue to be supportive of the books your child loves to read while looking for other genres, book titles, authors, or series your son/daughter may begin to enjoy. Here are some tips on how to encourage your child to read across book genres:

Be honest: Discuss with your child different genres of books and explain why reading outside of his/her interests can be beneficial. Click here to learn about some of the advantages to reading a variety of books.
Browse the local library, bookstore, or online bookstores (i.e. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Scholastic, etc.) or explore here for an extensive list of books geared towards middle school readers as well as a plethora of different genres to browse through. By creating a free account with Goodreads (found in the aforementioned link), your child will be able to track the books he/she has read, are reading, or want to read. He/she will also have access to personalized book recommendations tailored to his/her interests as well as be able to read reviews from a community of peers. Utilizing this free resource might spark an interest in your child who might not have otherwise considered reading a book of another genre.
If your child continues to have a hard time making a selection, then you and your child should speak with a local librarian or your child’s Language Arts teacher for more suggestions. The more input your child has in the book selection process, the more open he/she will be to trying something new.
Model the act of reading different genres yourself! Demonstrate to your child that you read a wide variety of books for different purposes. Share your reasons for doing so with your child.
Offer to read a genre along with your child that he/she has not yet tried. Whether a child is in kindergarten or middle school, he/she will enjoy sharing a story with you. Your child may try reading different genres simply because he/she looks forward to spending quality time with you.
Finally, if your child continues to be resistant to trying a new genre, remember that it’s acceptable. Celebrate that your child enjoys reading the books he/she likes for now, but try exposing him/her to other genres again in the future.