A little girl has her arms folder on top of the book she is trying to read while sitting at a table. To her right is a stack of three more books. Her expression reads that she is confused and frustrated.

GRADES FOUR AND BEYOND

Keep building reading skills with your older student. Encouraging them to find books that interest them, reading aloud with them, and modeling how to sound out challenging words can build reading skills and confidence. Remind your child that reading takes practice, and they will gain confidence over time.

Call the Library’s Assistant Youth Services Coordinator at 419.259.5254 if you think your child may need additional support.
 
Children who are having difficulty with reading rarely “grow out of it,” without explicit and direct reading instruction. Trust your instincts that your child may need help, and reach out to us or your school for support.

Foundation: Review the tips for helping younger children on our website. Your older reader can benefit from reviewing these basics.

Get help: If you’d like support, reach out to your child’s teacher, a school reading specialist, or the Library. Call the Library’s Assistant Youth Services Coordinator at 419.259.5254 for additional reading support.

Individualized call: Call the Library’s Assistant Youth Services Coordinator at 419.259.5254 to get recommended resources and next steps.

Get a free Library card! If you can find a subject of interest for your child, make sure you have a Library card to check out unlimited books. We don’t charge fees if you return your books late. Get a card today.

Let us get a stack of books for you. We can pick books for you! Tell us what topic they’d like and we’ll get a stack that you can pick up at your preferred location. Request books for your older reader.

Try audiobooks. Download the Libby and hoopla apps to your smartphone or tablet. Your older reader will have instant access to thousands of free audiobooks, including popular titles that they might see on TikTok or at the movie theater.

Come learn at the Library. The Library has lots of fun and educational programs that can help make the connection to reading positive. Check our calendar weekly and sort by your child’s age group and/or your preferred location to find programs that will interest your older reader.

Library digital resources for older kids: