Not every book that is bought in our house is a hit. There are times when books are opened and abandoned as they simply don't appeal to our reading palates. Every time that happens, it feels sad, but we also learn to recognise that that kind of book doesn't hold our attention for long. The takeaway therefore is, next time, don't buy a book of this kind. And then when this abandoned book finds it's way to a reader who appreciates it, it brings so much joy. There is a book for every kind of reader. You simply have to find it. This is true of children too.
Conversations based on books can help in opening up new perspectives
Oftentimes there is much discussion at the Young Readers' Club about the chosen book that we are reading together. Some children absolutely either hate the book or love it while others tolerate it. In the process of these discussions we discover new perspectives that change our original thoughts about the book. Of course there have been rare instances when we have decided to abandon books mid way simply because most of us could not accept the protagonist's way or because the story seems to be too long winded and is not able to hold our attention for long. Every time this happens, we remind ourselves that the author has spent a lot of time and effort trying to create a book and we mustn't dismiss it too quickly. We give it a try again and only if after a couple of tries, if we still feel the same, we set the book aside. Maybe someone other group will pick it up and enjoy it. It just wasn't for us.
Of course there have been rare instances when we have decided to abandon books mid way simply because most of us could not accept the protagonist's way or because the story seems to be too long winded and is not able to hold our attention for long. Every time this happens, we remind ourselves that the author has spent a lot of time and effort trying to create a book and we mustn't dismiss it too quickly.
A child's reason to abandon a book may not always be just on account of mismatch of interests but something deeper
Every child's ability to read and relish any book needn't be exactly the same as their peers of the same age. There are several factors that come to play. A child who has always been an avid reader is likely to appreciate the complicated plots of books such The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas or Harry Potter for instance. On the other hand a child of the same age who hasn't read much before may in all probability completely shut off when asked to read a book filled with multiple characters, whose names he/she can barely keep track of. What this child needs is the assurance that there is a book that they too can relate to and enjoy just the way the other avid readers in their peer group do. These children need a fabulous library run by a wonderful librarian who helps them find books that suit their interest and abilities. If a combination of the two, a fabulous library and a helpful librarian is difficult to find, even a library with a reasonable number of books is a start. It is better than no books at all.
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Both weekday and weekend batches at the Young Readers' Club are available. While this program is for the 8-11 age group, the Young Executives' Club program offers soft skills development course for the 12-14 age group. Need more information? Please fill in the contact form below and we will reach out to you asap.