When reading feels flat, the answer is not always a bigger prize or a stricter target. Often the better starting points are choice, access, company and a book that genuinely catches the reader's attention.
By Million Word Club
Published ; updated .
Begin with choice, not judgement
The Department for Education's evidence review describes choice as an important part of developing reading for pleasure and notes that choice and interest are closely related. Start with what the reader wants to know, feel or discover rather than prescribing one supposedly fun format. [1]
Offer a small, varied selection rather than an overwhelming shelf. Comics, graphic novels, magazines, joke books, fact books, audiobooks used alongside print and familiar series can all help someone discover what they like.
- Ask what the reader wants to know or feel, not only what level they are on.
- Make it acceptable to browse, sample and stop a book that is not a good fit.
- Recommend two or three options and leave the final choice with the reader.
- Keep favourites available for rereading.
Replace the quiz with real book talk
The Department for Education's reading framework highlights adults reading aloud, informal book talk, time to read and sociable reading environments as parts of a reading-for-pleasure culture. [4]
Ask questions that do not have one school-style answer: Which character would you trust? What surprised you? Which fact would you tell someone else? Would you read another book by this author?
Create an easy routine
A small routine can make the starting point predictable. The National Association for the Education of Young Children suggests a comfortable regular story time built around a child's interests. At home, that might mean ten quiet minutes after breakfast, a chapter at bedtime or a weekly library visit. [3]
Do not turn a missed day into a failure. Return to the next reading moment without resetting the reader's sense of progress.
- Keep books visible and within reach.
- Match the time of day to when the reader has energy.
- Put phones away when adults join the reading time.
- End while the experience is still positive.
Make progress visible, but keep it personal
A shelf of finished books, a handwritten journey, a private word total or a few meaningful milestones can help a reader remember what they have done. The display should describe personal progress rather than sort readers into winners and losers.
Celebrate the book as well as the number: a favourite line, a new idea, a funny scene or the first time a reader finished a longer story.
Questions and answers
Do comics and graphic novels count as reading?
Yes. They combine written language with visual storytelling and can be part of a varied reading life. The goal is to help readers find formats they genuinely want to explore.
What if a child keeps choosing easy books?
Easy, enjoyable reading can build confidence and habit. Offer inviting next steps without removing the books they already enjoy or turning every choice into a test.
Should adults stop reading aloud once a child can read?
No. Reading aloud can remain a shared activity and gives readers access to language and stories they may not yet choose or decode independently.
What if the routine breaks?
Restart gently at the next convenient moment. A missed day does not erase earlier reading or require a punishment.
Sources used in this guide
- Research evidence on reading for pleasure — UK Department for Education
- 10 Tips to Help Your Child Fall in Love with Reading — HealthyChildren.org, American Academy of Pediatrics
- Fall in Love with Reading: Ten Simple Things You Can Do at Home — National Association for the Education of Young Children
- The reading framework — UK Department for Education