1. Set an example - let your kids see you reading for pleasure.

2. Have a variety of reading materials available - leave books, magazines, and newspapers lying around.

3. Give kids a chance to choose their own books - browse in a bookstore or library and let the teen go their own way to make selections.

4. Build on your teen's interests - look for books or articles that feature their favorite teams, rock stars, hobbies, etc.

5. View pleasure reading as valuable - almost anything your teen reads, including the comics, helps build reading skills.

6. Read books written for teens - young adult novels can give you valuable insight into concerns and pressures felt by teenagers.

7. Make reading aloud a natural part of family life - share an article or part of one, a note from a friend or relative, a meaningful passage of the book your reading, etc.

8. Acknowledge your teen's mature interests - look for ways to acknowledge the emerging adult in your teen by suggesting some adult reading you feel they can handle.

9. Keep the big picture in mind - for all sorts of reasons, some teens go through periods without much interest in reading. Don't panic, time and some encouragement may rekindle their interest.

Happy Reading, Terri Gortner, LRT (328-7082)

" a house without books is like a room without windows" unknown