Hey everyone,
One of the most high-signal things you can do as a parent is help your kid get hooked on reading. Unfortunately, that’s never been more challenging. With TikTok dopamine hits and ChatGPT book summaries, getting kids to sit down with a 300-page novel and read without checking their phone is like asking them to walk barefoot on a beach of LEGOs.
So, let’s change that.
This podcast was inspired by a wonderful post from Austin Scholar, an Alpha grad who writes one of my favorite Substacks on education in the 21st century. (If you don’t already, you should absolutely subscribe.)
In this solo episode, I talk through science-backed (and sometimes controversial) strategies to build high-agency, avid readers. Then, at the end, I reference Austin's age-by-age list of book recommendations to get your kid started this summer.
Watch the full episode above or catch the most important takeaways below.
As always, thanks for being here, and happy reading.
4 Simple Ways to Get Your Kid Hooked on Reading This Summer
Pay your kid to read. (Stay with me on this one.) A famous study done by Roland Fryer showed that second grade students who earned $2 for every book that they read ended up roughly two and a half months ahead in reading comprehension versus the control group. How incredible is that? Here are some pro tips you can try at home.
Create a tiered reading program in your home. Maybe a shorter book earns $5. If they crush Dostoevsky, bump it up to $25. You can decide on the ideal word count and what that’s worth. But either way, it’s an investment in your kid’s education. You’re paying them with a clear strategy and plan, pouring into the growth of their lifelong reading muscle (which I can say with full confidence, you will not regret).
Pay them in something other than cash. If paying your kid in cash makes you feel icky, just choose a different reward: a movie night at the theater, a later bedtime, a Saturday morning doughnut run, a day of unlimited video game time. No one knows your kid better than you do, so choose a reward that they genuinely care about.
Always initiate the post-book conversation. What was their favorite part? What surprised them? What disappointed them? This encourages them to reflect on the story they just finished, helping them synthesize the material more deeply. This also happens to be one of the easiest ways to connect with them. Some of the best talks I’ve ever had with my girls have been chatting about books over the dinner table or before bedtime. Excitement is contagious. If you’re excited to learn about what they’re reading, or excited to talk about what you’re reading, it will trickle down to your kids. Ultimately, a book isn’t finished until you talk about it.
Make reading a social event. Host a family book club and lean into the movie release of a book. This creates a unique sense of excitement, urgency, conversation, and community. Watch the movie together once everyone's finished the book, then start the debrief. What did the movie get right? What did they leave out that would have been better? Did they cast the right characters? This is a great way to get kids excited about reading books.
Encourage them to read what they love, not just what they’re “supposed” to read. Sometimes I think we get a little carried away making sure our children are reading Shakespeare or Steinbeck. Yes, the classics absolutely matter. But most kids don’t come out of the womb wanting to read them. It’s a muscle that’s built over time. So as long as your kid is reading appropriate material, let them run with it. Even if it’s not “serious” literature. Even if they’ve already read the same book four times. Once they fall in love with reading, the rest will come.
Austin Scholar’s Age-by-Age Book Recommendations
After meeting with an Alpha reading specialist and a former New York City librarian, Austin Scholar curated the ultimate list of book recommendations. I reference these often, so I’ve shared some of my favorites below. For the full age-by-age list, including graphic novels, series, and magazines, head over to Austin Scholar’s original post.
Kindergarten — 1st grade:
The I Can Read! and Ready-to-Read leveled series.
Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff.
2nd — 3rd grade:
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio.
The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne.
4th — 5th grade:
Holes by Louis Sachar.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.
The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan.
Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter.
Middle School:
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.
The Giver by Lois Lowry.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
Animal Farm by George Orwell.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Legend by Marie Lu.
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall.
Project Hail Mary and The Martian by Andy Weir.
Raising an avid reader is less about forcing the “right” books and more about rewarding the habit until the love of reading takes over.
I dig deeper in this solo episode, so if this changed the way you think about your kid’s reading, I strongly encourage you to give the full episode a listen.
