Convincing a math loving child to read

[notme]

Salam

Especially asking parents, but I'd appreciate input from young people too.

My seven year old is a math wiz, and pretty quick to pick up science concepts too, but she is reluctant to pick up a book and read. I'd like to encourage her to develop her natural math ability, but I'd also like to encourage her to become a reader. If a person can read, they can teach themselves anything, and through fiction we experience scenarios we would never encounter in real life, increasing wisdom. 

She likes books that involve cats and magic, but there are (as might be expected) a limited number of those, especially when it's further limited to second/third grade reading level. 

Any suggestions for books, or even puzzle or math books or games that might get her reading but are still fun and age appropriate? 

@Haji 2003? Any expertise to share? 

[Sirius_Bright]

Since she is into maths, get her to read some of her favorite mathematician's biography. This could be the start from Maths to science to reading other useful stuff. 

[Propaganda_of_the_Deed]

7 hours ago, Sirius_Bright said:

Since she is into maths, get her to read some of her favorite mathematician's biography. 

How is that fun and age appropriate?

[Sirius_Bright]

6 hours ago, Propaganda_of_the_Deed said:

How is that fun and age appropriate?

She loves math so she would be interested in knowing personalities behind it. If she's doing Pythagoras then she would be happy to know when, where and how Pythagoras contribute. This is to cultivate reading habit. 

7 hours ago, notme said:

..but I'd also like to encourage her to become a reader. If a person can read, they can teach themselves anything.. 

[2Timeless]

You could also give her an encyclopedia (children's ones), that have a lot of interesting information about the universe and history. Or maybe get her started on a Guinness World Records book and then slowly ease her into novels and more creative works that would help develop her creativity. 

[Haji 2003]

Have you tried audiobooks? Or even more cheaply good public service radio broadcasters who read stories (long ones). In my humble opinion they're a good way of getting kids to go through a similar cognitive process to reading I.e. seeing the pictures in their heads (something which television does not help them to practice).

In my limited sample of a few kids, the one difference between those who saw the pictures and those who did not is that kids in the former group were more interested in reading. Another way of developing this habit is to have them read a short rich descriptive tract, and then draw/paint what they see.

The other issue is that the initial stimulus to read can simply come from the desire to read something in which there is a prior interest, e.g. if there is a book connected with a tv show or movie. Once the barrier is broken they can be moved onto something more worthwhile. It does not matter if the initial books are a bit trashy as long as the direction of travel is ok.

I am attaching a reading list that one of the United Kingdom fee-paying schools that Maryam could have gone to, gave us. I think it's within the top 20 in the United Kingdom, so not a bad standard. The list is for 10-year-olds, but gives you an idea of trajectory.

SHHS Reading List 10 year olds.pdf

[notme]

2 hours ago, Sirius_Bright said:

Since she is into maths, get her to read some of her favorite mathematician's biography. This could be the start from Maths to science to reading other useful stuff. 

Heh. She's 7. We're at the level of multiplication, division, and some fairly simple logic and algebra. Other than Al Jibra, I don't know if history has recorded who is responsible for those. 

[notme]

49 minutes ago, Mohammed-Mehdi said:

Or looking at what exactly makes her like math and then in a way letting her see she can find that too in reading

She likes figuring stuff out. Maybe she would enjoy mysteries. I wonder if she's old enough to enjoy The Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew. Are those even appealing to modern kids? And how to get there from stories of magic cats? 

[Zain el-Abidine]

4 hours ago, notme said:

Salam

Especially asking parents, but I'd appreciate input from young people too.

My seven year old is a math wiz, and pretty quick to pick up science concepts too, but she is reluctant to pick up a book and read. I'd like to encourage her to develop her natural math ability, but I'd also like to encourage her to become a reader. If a person can read, they can teach themselves anything, and through fiction we experience scenarios we would never encounter in real life, increasing wisdom. 

She likes books that involve cats and magic, but there are (as might be expected) a limited number of those, especially when it's further limited to second/third grade reading level. 

Any suggestions for books, or even puzzle or math books or games that might get her reading but are still fun and age appropriate? 

@Haji 2003? Any expertise to share? 

Perhaps have her read age-level books on science there is a lot of fun/interesting things you could likely find on this subject especially for her age.

[shadow_of_light]

Have you tried sudoku? Maths, algebra and logic are really interesting. If your daughter was older, I would suggest you to teach her how to create numerical puzzles or how to quickly solve an equation by finding the relationship between numbers...but she is only 7 therefore sudoku is a good option, I think.