“Any cognitive skill can be improved with practice, If girls are reading more outside of school—if they’re doing so out of an intrinsic motivation rather than because they have to—this provides them with thousands of hours of additional reading over the course of their development.”

“Give boys the right literature, that appeals to their tastes and interests, and you can quickly see changes in reading attitudes.” – David Reilly

Numerous research projects have indicated that boys do not generally possess a mindset that allows for a love of reading, that is that they are capable but not inclined to read. This same research informs that 75% of boys between the ages of nine and fourteen have a negative attitude towards reading and will choose not to if given the opportunity.

Following two major studies conducted in the UK, Keith Topping, professor of educational and social research at the University of Dundee in Scotland observed that

• Boys dedicate less time to processing words than girls do
• Boys are more inclined to skipping parts of the book or article
• Boys will often choose books that are beneath their reading levels

Psychologist and PhD candidate at Australia’s Griffith University has recently studied the disparity between the reading habits of boys and girls and says it is because of psychological factors such as self-awareness and relationship skills. He maintains, however, that boys will read and cultivate a love of reading if they are introduced to the right reading material.

We know that reading for pleasure is the basis for developing healthy study behaviours so encouraging children to develop a love of reading will nurture those habits.

Some great books aimed at engaging boys are the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, The Special Forces Cadets, Alpha Force, Red Code Adventure, and Agent 21 series by Chris Ryan, Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series, and of course Rick Riordan’s mythological adventure series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Magnus Chase, Heroes of Olympus, Trials of Apollo, and Kane Chronicles.