How can a grandparent help their grandchild love reading?

The Book Doctor has tips on how older members of the family can help children develop as passionate readers even if they don’t live nearby – plus recommendations for great books to share, from Roald Dahl to Michael Morpurgo to David Walliams

Grandparents and great-grandparents can have a massive impact on how much younger children enjoy reading for pleasure. Photograph: DCPhoto/Alamy

Julia Eccleshare

Monday 21 September 2015  The Guardian

I have started a book The Demon Dentist by David Walliams. I am hoping to Facebook my great grandson once a week to discuss the book and the characters. He is nine years old and not very keen to read out of school. Do you have any tips for me and how to go about keeping him interested. We don’t live close but he seemed keen to try my idea. Any help would be gratefully received.

How lucky your great-grandson is that you are interested in sharing stories with him! A regular Facebook discussion sounds like an excellent idea. You could try using Skype as well.

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