Keeping Him Hooked: How I’m Supporting My Son Through His First Chapter Book

The other night, my 7-year-old put down his school reading book and said, “Can I stop now? I already know what’s going to happen.”

Oof. That hit me.

Not because he wanted to stop reading—but because he was bored. And the book, to be honest, wasn’t helping. It was short, predictable, and written to tick a phonics box, not to inspire a young reader’s imagination.

As a primary teacher, I know there’s a stage children reach when they can technically read, but the joy hasn’t quite arrived yet. They’ve moved on from decoding words and are ready for longer, more complex stories—but they’re often still handed books that feel like chores.

That’s where we were. He could read fluently, but he wasn’t falling in love with reading. So it was time for me to step in—not with more phonics, but with purpose.

Enter: Fantastic Mr. Fox

I went digging through my childhood favourites and landed on Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. A little mischief, a lot of cleverness, and enough wit to keep both of us entertained. It felt like the perfect next step for a newly independent reader.

We read the first chapter together—not because he couldn’t read it alone, but because I wanted to stay close enough to guide his next stage of development. And this is where things started to shift.

He read aloud, clearly and confidently, and I listened. Not to correct his pronunciation, but to spot opportunities to stretch his understanding and get him thinking deeper.

Because here’s the thing: once kids can read words, it’s time to start reading between the lines.

What Do We Test Now?

That’s the big question, isn’t it? Once your child can read the words… what are you supposed to help with?

We’re not correcting “cat” or “shop” anymore. Now it’s about:

• Understanding what’s actually happening in the story

• Visualising the characters and setting

• Predicting what might come next

• Noticing the author’s language

• Exploring tricky or interesting words

All things that help turn a fluent reader into a thoughtful one.

So after we read the first chapter, I created a simple activity: I asked him to draw the three farmers (Boggis, Bunce and Bean) using only the descriptions from the text.

This wasn’t just for fun (although he loved it). It was a clever way to test his comprehension and attention to detail. Without realising it, he had to:

• Recall what was said about each character

• Interpret descriptions into visuals

• Pay close attention to language

• Connect names with traits

The act of drawing made it feel like play, not a test. But it showed me how well he was really listening—and gave him a reason to care about what the author said.

Dual Coding: A Word Mat That Supports Memory

As a teacher, I’ve always been fascinated by cognitive science and how our brains actually retain information. One technique I used here is called dual coding—which basically means pairing text with visuals to support memory and understanding.

So I made him a word mat to go with the book.

It includes:

• The names of each farmer

• Descriptive words and phrases used in the chapter

• A small, simple image beside each one to anchor the meaning

This helps in two ways:

1. Vocabulary: He learns new or unfamiliar words by linking them with images and context.

2. Comprehension: He sees how description brings a story to life—and why it matters to read carefully.

I didn’t sit him down and say, “Now we’re doing a vocabulary lesson.” I just gave him the word mat and said, “This might help while you draw.” And it did.

It supported his confidence, made him feel smart, and kept him interested.

Because that’s really the heart of it, isn’t it?

The Goal Is Enthusiasm, Not Endurance

I’m not trying to create a reading marathoner. I’m trying to protect that spark. The part of him that wants to read, not because he has to, but because it’s fun, exciting, and full of discovery.

Yes, school reading books have their place. But if you’ve got a newly fluent reader at home, don’t be afraid to raise the bar. Offer them better stories. Read with them—not to fix their reading, but to deepen it.

We don’t need to hover or test. We just need to support their next step in a way that’s meaningful.

For me, that meant picking the right story, listening in, and offering a simple activity that gave purpose to his reading.

Download the Word Mat

If you’d like to try the same activity with your child, I’ve made the Fantastic Mr. Fox word mat available for download. It includes key character descriptions and images, perfect for helping your own Page Master explore the story in a deeper, more creative way.

[Download the Word Mat]

Let me know how it goes—and if it helps your child stay on track, curious, and connected to the magic of reading.