Boys and Books

I see a big problem with boys and reading. Even though there are many fiction and nonfiction books targeted to boys (like sports, horror and gross-out genres), the majority I observe still isn’t interested in reading for long stretches of time. I see most of the girls in my son’s class sitting absorbed in stories about horses, fairies, and detectives, etc, while the boys look through stacks of books, wasting time. If they do pick something, it’s often too easy for them (for example, my child still likes to read the Goosebumps series, even though it’s below his level and his teacher wants him to read more difficult books).
In fourth grade in California, there is a big emphasis on reading. I remember being 10 years old and reading for hours, almost making myself sick. I’m afraid this is where we start to lose the boys. What to do, except convince parents to read at home and turn off the tv…