Reading horror, suspenseful text, and mysteries is a trick to get kids interested. It is also a treat for kids that struggle with reading so they break away from the typical stories.
I have a few suggestions for reading these types of genres with your kid.
-Make sure you read these types of stories together as shared reading.
Many of these genres use advanced elements of literature. These stories are filled with foreshadowing, suspense, mood and tone.
This gets lost to a kid that struggles with reading the words and unlocking word meaning..
-Help your kid keep track of the characters.
Use a key word. Use a personality trait. Use a physical feature or an event in the novel to associate with each character.
For instance my high school kids call the victim in the Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, the “evil eye old man.” This helps in discussion. Helps in analyzing the text and helps maintain understanding while reading.
-Share how you feel as you are reading together.
Stop and pause before the character goes into a creepy cellar. Say, “I’m so terrified, I wonder what she will find down there!”
Kids that struggle to read have difficulty making connections to the characters feelings. This has to be taught by modeling.
-Make a mental picture.
Help your kid picture what the setting looks like. Picture what the characters look like. Pay close attention to the descriptions the author uses. You may even draw your own pictures of the story together.
-Do not limit these types of stories to fiction.
There are many frightening non-fiction stories. Kids of all ages are fascinated by tales of Big Foot, first hand accounts of legends and all types of monsters.
-Reading these types of text are more engaging and frightening than watching scary movies.
I challenge my older kids to read a scary book and you remember it forever. Watch a scary movie and it’s lost as soon as the next blockbuster is released.
I hope you have enjoyed this. I am Melissa Saliva, Reading Consultant and founder of Beacon Valley Literacy Services.
I help parents help their kids that struggle to read. Please reach out to me if I can support your family in any way.