How to Help Students Find a Book They'll Love

  

Have you ever had that student—the one who hated reading—until they found the perfect book? Then suddenly everything clicked for them. Now that they’ve found their “genre” they LOVE reading!

This is my goal for every child and I think it’s attainable! As teachers and parents, we just need to put effort into helping them get there. If you’re looking for some pointers along the way, you’ll find a few ideas below!

1. Become familiar with popular books on your student's level: 

    This may seem obvious, but how will you suggest books if you don’t KNOW books. Go to the bookstore and library to see what the new releases are. There are often displays of best sellers and new releases. 

    You should also follow “bookish” accounts on social media. For example: I LOVE following @thebookwrangler on Instagram. His book lists are amazing!

    Finally, pay attention to what kids are already reading in your class or at your school. Your school and local librarians will know the most popular books and will be happy to help.  

2. Keep a master list of book suggestions: 

    Once you find books, or as you notice popular picks, keep a master list. I keep a list of my personal favorites and refer to it often. This helps me quickly narrow the choices down. Let’s face it—were all busy. 

    If you have history loving students I have the perfect list ready for you to download. This list is divided by historical time periods and is perfect to integrate social studies and ELA. Whenever I see a student interest in a historical event, I can grab a book quickly! You’ll receive this list in your inbox FREE simply by subscribing to my newsletter here!

3. Know where to access books: 

    On a teacher’s salary, we don’t always have the ability to stock our classrooms with the latest reads. I always recommend using your school or public library. You can ask for books donations and find books online. Check out these helpful blog posts to help with this:

     

4. Get to know your students: 

    You won’t know what to recommend without knowing your kids. I love using this reading interest survey at least 2 times a year. It has helped me get to know my kids on a personal level, not just for reading!

Helping students develop a love for reading may seem daunting. But it can be as simple as getting to know students and getting to know books. Let me know how these strategies work for you!

     

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