That is a sentence librarians hear a lot, usually from an upset or concerned parent.

It is no secret that getting boys to read, and read well, is sometimes not as easy as for girls.

A national survey in 1996 showed that one third of boys had not learnt to read adequately in the first three years of schooling. And as they mature, boys usually fall behind girls in literacy skills.

So, back to the concerned parent who has noticed that their son rarely reads for pleasure, and has a reading level of a child several years younger.

What can the parent do to help their child?

My first recommendation would be to get hold of a copy of James Moloney's Boys and Books (ABC Books).

Moloney is an award-winning Queensland children's author, but more importantly, he also is a teacher/librarian with more than 15 years experience in a boys school.

His commonsense approach to why some boys do not read, and suggestions for helping reluctant readers, will have you nodding your head in agreement.

Moloney suggests that the role of the parent as a reader is very important, especially that of the father as a reader. Boys tend to look at their father, and want to imitate him, so if you are seen to be reading newspapers, magazines and books, then it reinforces the positive image of the reader to your child.

However, even if that is the case, finding the right book is not always easy.

Fortunately, there are series fiction now being published with a high appeal to boys, so let's look at a few on offer at the library.

Scholastic has just released a series of Ripley's Believe It Or Not books, which will appeal enormously to any boy, as they are filled with the most bizarre facts about animals and other creepy stuff.

These books have short punchy stories, and lots of photos to amaze and startle.

Phil Kettle and Craig Smith, author and illustrator respectively, have published a number of books in their Toocool series, about a young boy who is the greatest sportsperson ever known - at least in his own mind he is.

Titles range from Tennis Ace to Fishing Fantastic, and their humourous stories and clever illustrations will appeal to a wide range of reluctant readers and aspiring sports heroes.

Finally, English writer Ian Whybrow has released a series called, appropriately enough, Books for Boys, and the titles range from a comical retelling of a legend (Young Robin's Hood), to alien abductions in a boy's backyard (Aliens Stole My Dog).

Like the Toocool series, these books come with lots of pictures, short chapters, and large type.

So don't despair if your boy is not an avid reader. Check out the advice that James Moloney gives and try a few boy-friendly books to entice him back to reading.