Online 11+ Specialist Private Tutor
08:45am GMT
So your child’s reading — which is brilliant! They’ve got the basics down, and they’ve found a few series they enjoy. Maybe they’re flying through The Percy Jackson series, Harry Potter, or Roald Dahl‘s long list of fabulous books.
But how do you help a reader grow?
It’s not always as simple as handing them a longer book, telling them to read, and hoping they’ll stick with it. In fact, that approach can backfire — suddenly reading starts to feel like a slog, and confidence wobbles. It is a careful balance between choosing books that they will love and speed through, while keeping tabs that the books are gradually becoming more challenging.
1. Bridge the gap with ‘in-between’ books
Children don’t jump straight from Wimpy Kid to Tolkien. There’s a whole world of bridge books that sit in the sweet spot between accessible and challenging — with more complex ideas, richer vocabulary, and deeper character development, but still supportive enough to feel manageable.
Look for books with:
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Slightly more layered plots
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More descriptive language
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Characters with emotional depth
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Some ambiguity or nuance
2. Use Lexile scores and Guided Reading Level as a gentle guide
When your child is choosing a new book and you're wondering whether it’s a good next step up, try looking up its Lexile score and ATOS level online. It’s a helpful tool that gives a rough indication of the book’s reading level — not just based on length, but on vocabulary and sentence complexity too. It’s not something to obsess over, but it can be useful when you’re aiming to gradually raise the level of challenge. There’s no perfect number to aim for — just focus on nudging upward in small, steady steps.
3. Don’t rush the leap to ‘classics’
It’s easy to think of “high-level reading” as synonymous with Dickens or Treasure Island — but often those books are better appreciated later, once stamina, maturity, and historical context have had time to catch up.
If your child’s only just gaining confidence, prioritise quality, not age or difficulty. A beautifully written contemporary novel is often a better stepping stone than a classic they’re not quite ready for.
4. Read the harder stuff together
If they are curious about something more advanced — say Watership Down, or The Hobbit — great. But rather than sending them off to tackle it alone, try reading it with them. You can take turns reading aloud, or share an audiobook version so the language flows more easily.
That shared experience means they’re more likely to persevere, more likely to understand, and far more likely to enjoy it.
5. Alternate: hard book, then easier book
This one’s important: your child doesn’t have to give up simpler books just because they’re starting harder ones. In fact, it often works best to alternate — one more challenging book, then something lighter and familiar. Hard, then easier. Stretch, then steady.
This rhythm helps them build stamina without burning out. It keeps motivation high, and gives them space to consolidate what they’re learning.
6. Talk about the books they’re reading — and how they’re reading
When children start reading more complex books, they’re often encountering trickier ideas: morality, grief, injustice, identity, change. Sometimes those ideas need space to breathe.
Try chatting about their reading in a relaxed, open-ended way. Not a quiz — just curiosity.
Ask:
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What surprised you?
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Did anything confuse you?
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What do you think the author wanted you to feel?
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Do you agree with the choices the characters made?
These conversations deepen comprehension and remind them that books are meant to be thought about, questioned, felt — not just read and ticked off.
7. Model it
Children take cues from what they see. If you’ve got a book on the go, or if you’re excited about something you’ve just read — talk about it. Let them see that reading’s not just a school thing, or a childhood thing. It’s a way of engaging with the world. It opens up doors to new paradigms, and means you can experience not just one life, but multiple lives.
Moving from mid-level to high-level books isn’t about proving anything. It’s about expanding your child’s reading world — emotionally, intellectually, imaginatively. Some books will stretch them. Some will steady them. Some will stick with them for life. The key is to offer the right book at the right moment — and trust that, with time and encouragement, they’ll rise to meet it.
Noelle Bridger - Online Private Tutor
Fully insured, DBS Checked
Fully insured, DBS Checked