Reluctant readers are, by definition, not very eager to read books. That’s why books that move beyond the traditional words-only format work so well to get kids who resist reading to spend more time with books.

This list of books is provided by a writer who specializes in graphic novels, Jennifer Loescher. These”hybrid” books use more than words alone to create the story.  These books use pictures, letters, scrapbooking, and other visual and interactive features to create meaning.

This list of favorite hybrid books allow undiscovered (reluctant) readers to take part in making stories not solely by reading but by also using skills that they have already mastered such as interpreting pictures and building sequences.

If you’re looking for books to offer your reluctant reader, check out re some of Jennifer’s recommendations. The suggested age range is offered in parenthesis after the author’s name.

6 Favorite Hybrid Books for Reluctant Readers

1. The 13 Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths (ages 6-10)
2. Star Wars: Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown (ages 8-12
3. Wonder Struck by Brian Selznick (ages 8-12)
4. Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell (ages 9-12)
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (ages 8-12)
6. Max Crumbly by Rachel Renee Russell (ages 9-13)

About the Guest Blogger

Jennifer Kay Loescher, @JenniferKayBook, is a licensed Structural Engineer who designed bridges for fifteen years. For many of those years, she was also the mother of an undiscovered reader, until graphic novels sparked a love for reading in her daughter. Jennifer recently graduated with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She teaches a community creative writing class, is an SCBWI Network Rep, and is currently hard at work on her own manuscripts for children, which include both traditional and graphic novel formats of fiction and nonfiction.