If Not “Reluctant”, Then What?

In the comments on another entry, Lauri wrote:

I would like to throw out a question. Somewhere I read a different term for “reluctant reader.” It was a more positive term. I can’t seem to remember it and am looking for any ideas.

I think this is a great question. I have to confess that I had never really thought about the negative connotations of the term “reluctant reader”. Who wants to have that label? If we think “reluctant” readers frequently just haven’t met the right book, under the right conditions, then aren’t we all “reluctant readers” sometimes? I can think of a few books I read rather reluctantly, especially as a teenager, even when I was devouring other books at crazy speed.  (Yeah, I’m looking at you, Tale of Two Cities. Sure, Dickens and I get along now, but he was not the author for me at age 14.)

Of course, resistance to individual titles or authors isn’t really what we’re talking about when we talk about “reluctant readers”. We’re talking about those kids who just don’t want to read anything. And if we want to help those kids find the right books to pique their interest, it might help to approach the whole thing a bit more positively.

So, here’s my problem: I don’t have an answer for Lauri. I’m hoping maybe one of you will. If you have a more positive term, please, share it in the comments!