Chapter Books for Reluctant Readers

First, our 2024 booklist is published! Check out our growing list of engaging books, suitable for readers ages 10 and up who may struggle with focus, comprehension, attention and motivation here! Shorter chapters and clear plotlines are some of the reasons these books work! Even for kids with dyslexia or ADHD. These selections were made using the criteria in this blog post, which can help you choose more books!

With technology creeping farther into our lives aren't we all becoming a bit reluctant to read? I always have parents reaching out this time of year for book gift ideas that their student will actually finish.

This is the criteria I use when choosing chapter books for low motivation or easily distracted readers, all of these features are pointed out in my choices. Make sure to check the content of the book on Common Sense Media, my options can tend to lean mature because I see higher engagement with those choices.

1. Short Chapters - this is more important than how long the book is. I have found this to be one of the most important things when choosing books for kids with ADHD or ADD. The books on the list with short chapters are noted!
   

2. Avoid Graphic Novels - these are great for fun! They give kids good story outline ideas. What they do NOT do is help kids build the stamina needed for getting through boring school texts and passages.
   
   If the only time a student does the heavy lifting involved in reading chapter books is at school, reading and focusing will feel super hard. School will feel way harder than it needs to be. Getting kids and teens whose brains are oriented to the immediate rewards of screens and games reading at home is more important than it ever was when we were kids.
   

3. Check Unknown Words - Have your student read the preview of the book they pick. NOTE! It's ideal to skip three letter or less words or to replace some words with other words that still make sense. Slow reading develops from reading too carefully after 4th grade.
   
   But if more than five words that are critical to the meaning of the page are totally unknown then reading the book is going to be past a 'good' frustration level. We want to keep kids reading at just a stretch beyond where they are right now for growth.
   

4. Quick Plot Lines - The story line needs to be pretty clear and delivered straight to the reader. Action and adventure books often deliver this but so do the other books on my list. Have you ever read chapters and chapters of a book where you couldn't tell why you needed ALL the back story you were getting? That doesn't work for most kids. They need purpose and plot handed to them early in order to stay invested.
   

5. Does Your Student Like It Enough to Get Through It Quickly? Here is the 'thing' I notice happening a lot. A student will say they are reading the same book for months. Which means they have largely forgotten what happened in the book by the time they pick it back up. Which means they really aren't reading at all. Avid readers (people who read a lot) usually have a few books going at a time BUT reluctant readers do best to stick with one book and finish it quickly.
   
   Consider that it takes around 20 mins to read ten pages for most kids and up to 30 mins for kids with reading issues. Aim to get kids through a 200 page book in about 20 sessions of reading maximum. Ideally a student can finish a 200 page book in about ten sessions of reading. A longer book, say 400 to 500 pages, you want to try to finish it up in a month. Take a few minutes and plan this out for your student. Set a goal. If your student can read in a car without getting a headache that is a great time to grab a book and get some extra time in.
   
   Some kids can read alone the half our before bed and some can't. If they can it's also an ideal way to get calmed down for sleep. Getting kids to understand the type of books they can get invested in takes some time. They need to think back on books they actually wanted to read and look for books like those. If your student is in our programs I can always help with this, just send an email!
   

6. Leverage AI - Once you know what kind of books your student likes and their reading level, use a free AI tool and input a detailed request like:

   • "Books like Ender’s Game with an 8th-grade reading level, 300–400 pages, short chapters, and suitable for ages 12+."

   • Or, for variety: "Books similar to Percy Jackson but for 9th graders, 200–300 pages, adventure/fantasy with relatable characters."

   • Once the list comes back you can ask it to include page length, chapter length, the reading level your school uses or any common rating system!

Thanks! Christina

For those of you who do not already know, my name is Christina Lane. I am the founder of Conscious Tutoring. This blog post was sent to our email list on 11/15/24.

Our ​main program is Literacy for Life​, Is a very small group tutoring intensive for 5th to 12th grade students. We accept 12 students per semester who are struggling with anxiety, attention and skills in reading and writing. They are placed in one of two cohorts depending on their age and we have flexible sessions they can attend. So that kids can get the frequency required for actual growth. The program reviews are great!

We also have limited ​1-1​ tutoring options available. Plus! This spring we will offer small creative ​writing classes and book clubs​ for a wide range of learners. So kids who are advancing beyond what is offered at school can work with us too!

Finally, twice a year I run a small emotions and friendship class for tween and teen girls, called ​Connect​. If you want me to reach out to you about Spring spots just fill out the form linked ​here​ OR respond to this email! If you aren't sure what you need that's ok, we can set up a call.